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5.4- Forest ecosystems and deforestation (Habitat Fragmentation (Edge…
5.4- Forest ecosystems and deforestation
Threats
Forest Fires
Becoming worse due to cliamte change, residential expansion, suppression, and fragmentation
Surface fires: small scaled only burns leaf litter = more nutrients and more protectin against bigger fires = good
Crown fires: are large hot fires that leap from tretop to treetop = destruction of forests = bad
Invasive Species
Climate change has allowed for an increase in invasive species
Insects: become pests that devour local flora
Plants: out compete local species takes over land
Deforestation
Problems
Floods
Habitat loss
increase erosion (pollutes water degrades soil)
more CO2 into atmosphere
Local extinction
Clear Cutting
Most common method of harvesting trees
most catastrophic but also most profitable so it's more popular
Habitat Fragmentation
When a large scale habitat is divided into smaller isolated island like habitats
Caused by habitat destruction and roads
results in reduced tree cover forests
Blcoks migration
limtis gene flow thus making animals less resistant to extinction
Edge Effect
Places were conditions are not like the core making them inhabitable reducing the size of the habitat
Ecosystems
Occupy about 31% of the surface of earth
Top 5 Countries
Brazil
Canada
Russia
USA
China
Services
Economic
Biofuel
Industrial wood
Jobs
livestock grazing
Ecosystem
Carbon sinks
Habitats for wildlife
Purify water and air
etc.