Rainforest

Question and Answer Samples and Techniques

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?

Biodiversity is defined as diversity among species in a given environment.

Biodiversity is an essential topic when discussing rainforest conservation. The diversity of a species in an environment, or an environment’s biodiversity, is greatly diminished following the destruction of the environment involved. Considering that diversity is

essential for an environment’s growth and prosperity, the loss of biodiversity by not conserving

the rainforest as an environment could have disastrous consequences.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Rainforests hold at least how much of the world’s species?

1/2

9/10

1/3

2/5

2/3

Destroying rainforests would lead to a lack of biodiversity, because most of the world’s species find their habitats

in rainforests. Lack of biodiversity means an unhealthy environment,

and it would also mean less knowledge of species that haven’t

even been discovered or named yet.

What is the main ecological consequence of refusing to conserve the rainforest?

Loss of Habitat

When the biodiversity of a rainforest is not respected, the rainforest often faces

deforestation, resulting in a loss of habitat for the diverse species that reside there.

Non-Human Species have intrinsic value

Disrupted Food Chain

Culture is tied to the beauty of the landscape

Increase in Nutrients

Eco-Tourism

Economic

Aesthetic

Ethical

Ecological

None of the above

Match the reasons as ethical, aesthetic, ecological, or economic.

Match the reasons as ethical, aesthetic, ecological, or economic.

When discussing biodiversity, its is essential to regard the conservation of biodiversity’s benefits and consequences.

The consequences of not maintaining this biodiversity could be separated into ethical, aesthetic, ecological, or economic reasons. Ethics serves to conserve biodiversity because of our moral duty as humans, aesthetic focuses on the beauty of nature and the necessity of maintaining that beauty for future generations, ecological serves to analyze its effect on other organisms and surrounding

environments, and economic searches for the profit to be made by conserving the biodiversity of the rainforest and

similar environments.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

What is not considered an economic reason for conserving the rainforest?

All of the above are correct

Decline in the availability of medicines

Lack of materials that support human life

Eco-Tourism

Loss of beauty causes loss of spending in economy

What is not considered an economic reason for conserving the rainforest?

Although the loss of biodiversity in rainforests would cause a decline in the aesthetic beauty of our planet, it does not result in a loss of spending in the

economy; in fact, the two ideas are completely unrelated.

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?

Loss of biodiversity is not a direct result of human activity.

Human activity is actually considered the leading factor in the recent loss of biodiversity in rainforests,

mainly through deforestation that benefits the lumber and timber industries.

The destruction of forests by burning results in increases in the amount of __ in the atmosphere.

Carbon Dioxide

This occurs because burning releases great quantities of carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere. The loss

of plants also reduces the amount of carbon dioxide taken in by plants in order to preform

photosynthesis. Many scientists suggest that the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as a

direct result of this contributes to the spread of global warming.

Do we have the right to decide which species should survive?

Yes and No

Some people believe that humans have the right to continue preforming activities that

lead to loss of biodiversity, and simply allow humans as a species to outcompete other

species, including those found in rainforests. Others believe that humans have the ethical

necessity to save as many species as possible to maintain biodiversity, for the

overall benefit of the environment.

2.5 million

25

6

Over 3 trillion

200,000

Mi2 lost in Amazon Rainforest

Percentage of rainforests remaining, as opposed to 14% at one point

Gallons of water from soilto air from a single tree

Percentage of Western medicines from the rainforest.

Air/Water Purification and Climate Regulation Cost

Match the statistics with the event.

Match the statistics with the event.

These statistics reflect the severity of recent losses in biodiversity, especially in the Amazon Rainforest. They

also reflect our dependence on the rainforest, especially for medicines. The lack of rainforest materials may make

it impossible to create many modern medicines. The transportation of water through the air is also essential in determining local rainfall, and changes in such patterns

could disrupt the ecological harmony of the environment, supporting R-Strategists that would diminish the beauty

and strength of the current ecosystem. The costs of reacting to the consequences of refusing to conserve

biodiversity in these areas are also very high, as seen by the statistics of the previous slide.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

What aesthetic activities cannot be done in a rainforest?

Nature Photography

Bird Watching

Canoeing

Hiking

Hunting Many activities in the rainforest from Eco-Tourism develop our

perception of the aesthetic reasons to conserve the

rainforest. However, hunting is severely prohibited because of

its potential impact on the ecological harmony of the

ecosystem.

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?

If the resources of a rainforest are used to make timber or raise cattle, the profit is $2,000 less than using the resources available.

Many believe that the restriction of human impact on rainforest environments would cause certain industries to deteriorate, but the opposite is true. If the resources

available within the rainforest were used to their full potential, their profit would greatly exceed that of

timber or cattle, which are the primary industries that “benefit” from rainforest deforestation.

What are the two main types of economic goods found in the rainforest?

Spices and Medicines

The loss of biodiversity also leads to the loss of spices and medicines that are essential

in the creation of delicious foods and medicines used both in the hospital and

at home. The loss of these materials could create an epidemic due to lack of

appropriate and effective medicine.

What is the most commonly visited landscape among Americans?

Rural Areas

The countryside and other rural areas are abundant in different animals and plants

interacting with each other on a daily basis. The aesthetic beauty of these areas

of biodiversity should be maintained, particularly those of rainforests because

they contain the most diversity.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

Is the fact that all species have intrinsic value an ethical reason to maintain the biodiversity found in rainforests?

No, because the reason is aesthetic, not ethical

No, because humans outcompete other species

No, because the relationships between species become disrupted

Yes, because the relationships between species become disrupted

Yes, because all species have the right to live

Is the fact that all species have intrinsic value an ethical reason to maintain the biodiversity found in rainforests?

The ethical portion of the argument is the most difficult to discuss, because of the great variety of ethics that each

person feels in relation to the environment. However, it is considered universally accepted that the intrinsic value of

different species should motivate everyone to aid in conserving the rainforest.

What is a global fear of not conserving rainforest biodiversity?

Climate Change

The loss of plants found in rainforests leads to less carbon dioxide taken in by those plants through respiration. The burning of these plants to make

way for cattle ranches also releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and therefore

contributes to climate change as well. Climate change could also lead to rising sea levels,

extreme weather conditions, etc.

TRUE or FALSE?TRUE or FALSE?

The timber industry will never suffer a loss due to their impact on the environment.

The timber industry, in their quest to produce more and more output to fulfill the demand, will eventually cut down so many

trees that the timber industry will eventually fail due to lack of raw materials. In order to

preserve this industry, restrictions on deforestation should be put into effect.

Deforestation results in __________ losses

Transpiration

Changes in transpiration conducted by rainforest plants, caused by loss of such plants in rainforests, leads to changes in local quantities and

distribution of rainfall. This, in turn, causes erosion and flooding.

• "Biodiversity Article - What Is Biodiversity, No of Species, Losses, Why Conserve." Offwell Woodland & Wildlife Trust, British Wildlife & Countryside.Environmental Education. Web. 08 June 2011.

• "Rainforest Biodiversity Shows Differing Patterns." Science Daily: News & Articles in Science, Health, Environment & Technology. Web. 08 June 2011.

• “Estimation of Species Extinctions « Rainforest Conservation Fund." Rainforest Conservation Fund. Web. 08 June 2011.

Works Cited