Explain the importance of protecting the forest ecosystem with reference to the following:(20 marks) (a)Climate change. (b)Biodiversity(c)Biotechnology(d)Water conservation(e)Pollution
(a)climate change
- Promote(regular) rainfall/precipitation/prevent desertification
- Keeps biogeochemical cycles going e.g. hydrological, carbon
- Act as wind breakers
- Keep earth temperatures cool/reduce global warming; nitrogen, phosphorous, sulphur cycles
(b)biodiversity
- Conserve diverse flora/fauna
- Conserve genetic variety
- Prevent extinction of rare species
- Source of research/employment
- Aesthetic/attracting tourism in foreign exchange
- Have impact on culture/religion/politics
- Food and shelter for other organisms and man
- Source of oxygen
(c)biotechnology
- Manufacture of medicines/directly used as medicine
- Source of food/food products
- Provide fuel (when regulated)
- Provide paper and related by-products (When regulated)
- Provide timber (when regulated)
- Products used in other industries e.g. tannin, Wax, rubber, oil, honey
(d)water conservation
- Increased ground water/high water tables
- Adds into rivers-/lakes/permanency in existing Water bodies/ reservoirs
- Water towers/water catchment
(e)pollution.
- Minimize soil pollution/ensuring cover against surface run-off/ wind erosion/denudation
- Trees/vegetation clean the soil surface by absorbing nutrients from decomposed matter e. g. sewage
- Large scale clean-up of polluted air/dust
- Muffle noise pollution
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