Rainforests - Support systems and goods

Life Support Systems:Nutrient Cycle: Forest leaf litter provides humus (very fertile soil) Roots hold soil in place to prevent nutrients being washed away Only covers 2% of earths surface but provides half of wild trees, plants, wildlife Green Lungs: More than 20% of the worlds oxygen is made in the Amazon rainforest When trees are burnt they release CO2 they have absorbed and more Hydrological Cycle: Store water like a huge sponge Amazon rainforest stores 1/2 of the world's rainwater Roots protect soil from erosion. They feed rivers lakes and irrigation systems Provision of habitats/biodiversity: More fish in 1 lake than in all of Europes rivers A 25 acre plot of rainforest has the diversity of that of the whole of North America Losing 137 species a day due to deforestation Recreation: Attractive scenery for tourists Education of the sustainability of rainforests Sustainable education

Goods:Food: Nuts Coffee Bananas Spices By harvesting rainforests natural food goods it has more economic value than timber/cattle Medicines: 121 drugs come from plant sources 25% of anti cancer active drug ingredients come from the rainforest Raw Materials:More economic value comes from fruits, rubber etc than is deforested and used for cattleKnowledge from indigenous tribes: Less than 200,000 Indians living in tropical rainforests Specific men have knowledge, if one dies its iike a library has burned down