1 Figure 1a shows the export of a typical timber product in Brazil from 1996 to 2016.
Figure 1b
shows the nutrient cycle of a tropical rainforest. Photograph 1c shows a rainforest product sold in
the market.
Source: Timber Trade Portal
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
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(Credit: Giles Douglas/Wikimedia Commons)
Photograph 1c
a Refer to Figure 1a.
i Describe the trend of timber export in Brazil from 1996 to 2016. (2 marks)
ii Explain the role of more developed countries in causing the trend in (a)(i). (4 marks)
b Refer to Figures 1a and b.
i Describe the relative size of the nutrient compartments A, B and C in the nutrient cycling
in the tropical rainforest. (3 marks)
ii Explain how exporting timber products affects the size of the nutrient compartment in
mentioned (b)(i). (5 marks)
c Refer to Photograph 1c. Evaluate the effectiveness of the measure shown in conserving
tropical rainforests. (4 marks)
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2 Table 2a shows some information about the tree plantations in Brazil and their products.
Photographs 2b and c show a primary rainforest and a tree plantation in the rainforest in the Brazilian
Amazon respectively.
Table 2a
Area of tree plantations 1990: 4.98
(million hectares) 2005: 5.76
2016: 7.84
Use of trees from plantations Pulp, charcoal-fired steelworks, wood panels and laminate
flooring, solid wood products
Destination of wood products Pulp Paper Lumber
(2016) Exports: 69% Exports: 80% Exports: 74%
Domestic: 31% Domestic: 20% Domestic: 26%
Source: ibá and Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010, Brazil Country Report (July 2009), FAO
(Credit: Ben Sutherland/Wikimedia Commons) (Credit: Denis Rizzoli/Wikimedia Commons)
Photograph 2b Photograph 2c
a Refer to Table 2a.
i What is the impact of tree plantations on the area of the Brazilian Amazon? Support your
answers with data in Table 2a. (2 marks)
ii More developed countries are blamed for the deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.
Explain with the data shown in Table 2a. (2 marks)
b Refer to Photographs 2b and c.
i Contrast the ecosystems of the areas shown in Photographs 2b and c in table form.
(6 marks)
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ii Explain how setting up tree plantations adversely affects the native peoples of the
Amazon rainforest. (4 marks)
c In 2017, the Brazilian government announced to restore 30,000 hectares of land with 73
million trees in the Brazilian Amazon by 2023. However, researchers notice that 82% of the
promised restoration is actually monoculture plantations rather than natural forest.
Discuss whether the restoration can benefit the tropical rainforest ecosystem. (4 marks)
4
3 Figure 3a shows the global distribution of tropical rainforests and location of RegionＸ. Photograph
3b shows a human activity found in Region X, which is responsible for about 60–70% of
deforestation in the region. Figure 3c shows the change in the area of tropical rainforests in Region
X.
Figure 3a
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(Credit: Lanthilda/Dreamstime.com)
Photograph 3b
Figure 3c
a Refer to Figure 3a. Describe and explain the global distribution of tropical rainforests.
(3 marks)
b Refer to Photograph3b.
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i Describe the characteristics of the human activity shown in Photograph 3b. (2 marks)
ii Explain the environmental impact this human activity may cause in the area shown.
(5 marks)
c Refer to Photograph 3b and Figure 3c.
i Account for the change in the area of tropical rainforests in Region X. (4 marks)
ii In recent years, the Brazilian government has stepped up the enforcement of the forest
code, i.e. requiring the Amazonian owners to maintain 80% of their land in forest and
farm/exploit only 20% of it.
Evaluate the effectiveness of law enforcement in reducing deforestation from the human
activity shown in Photograph 3b in Region X. (4 marks)
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4 Photographs 6a and b show the major natural vegetation and Farming activity X practised in
Indonesia. Figures 6c and d show the annual expansion of Farming activity X in Indonesian
Borneo, and the price of a product from this farming activity since 2001 respectively.
(Credit: Mr Sugiyono/Dreamstime.com) (Credit: Lian Pin Koh/Flickr)
Photograph 6a Photograph 6b
Source: CIFOR
Figure 6c
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Source: International
Monetary Fund
Figure 6d
a Refer to Photographs 6a and b.
i Identify Farming activity X shown in Photograph 6b. Support your answer with
photograph evidence. (2 marks)
ii Contrast the ecological characteristics of the landscapes shown in Photographs 6a and b.
(6 marks)
b Refer to Figures 6c and d.
i Describe the trends of annual expansion of Farming activity X in Indonesian Borneo and
the price of its product. (2 marks)
ii Explain your answer in (b)(i). (4 marks)
c Refer to Figure 6c again. Discuss whether developing Farming activity X on non-forest land is
a better option than developing it in primary rainforest in Indonesia. (4 marks)
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5 Photographs 7a and b show the satellite images of the same region of the Amazon rainforest on
June 29, 2001 and July 10, 2019 respectively. Photograph 7c shows a farming activity in the region.
2001
(Credit: NASA’s Earth Observatory)
Photograph 7a
10
2019
(Credit: NASA’s Earth Observatory)
Photograph 7b
(Credit: Coloradogoias/Wikimedia Commons)
Photograph 7c
a Refer to Photographs 7a and b.
i Describe the change of the area of the Amazon rainforest. Give evidence. (2 marks)
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ii Explain how this change affects the local climate. (5 marks)
b Refer to Photographs 7b and c.
i Identify the farming activity in Photograph 7c. (1 mark)
ii Describe the characteristics of this kind of farming activity. (4 marks)
iii Refer to Photograph 7b. Where is this farming activity probably found? In Area A or B?
(1 mark)
c Discuss whether more developed countries are responsible for the expansion of this farming
activity in the Amazon rainforest. (5 marks)
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6 Table 8a shows the annual deforested area in the Brazilian Amazon from 1988 to 2018. Table 8b
shows the socio-economic data of Brazil between 1998 and 2018. Figure 8c shows the effect of a
human activity in the Brazilian Amazon on global climate.
Table 8a
Year Annual deforested area (km2)
1988 21,050
1993 14,896
1998 17,383
2003 25,396
2008 12,911
2013 5,891
2018 7,900
Source: mongabay.com
Table 8b
1998 2008 2018
Population (million) 170 192 209.5
Government debt -- 60.7 73.4 (2016)
(percentage of GDP)
GDP per Brazil 5,090 8,830 8,920
capita (USD) World average 5,270 9,410 11,310
Source: World Bank
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Figure 8c
a Refer to Table 8a.
i Draw a line graph showing the trend of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon from 1988
to 2018 on a graph paper. (2 marks)
ii Refer to the completed line graph for (a)(i). Describe the trend of deforestation in the
Brazilian Amazon from 1988 to 2018. (2 marks)
b Refer to Table 8b. Explain the causes that lead to deforestation in Brazil. (5 marks)
c Refer to Figure 8c.
i Explain how the human activity shown lead to global warming. (5 marks)
ii Under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation programme
(REDD+), the more developed countries will pay the rainforest countries to conserve the
rainforest.
Discuss the benefits and problems of this measure. (4 marks)
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