Question 1: Define deforestation and explain its primary causes.

Answer: Deforestation is the removal or clearing of forests, primarily caused by logging, agriculture, urbanization, and infrastructure development.

Question 2: Describe two ecological effects of deforestation on biodiversity.

Answer: Loss of habitat leading to decreased species diversity and disruption of ecosystems' balance.

Question 1: If a forest covering 1500 hectares is reduced by 12% annually due to deforestation, calculate the total area remaining after 3 years. Use the formula: Remaining Area = Initial Area × (1 - rate)^years.

Answer: Remaining Area = 1500 × (1 - 0.12)^3 = 1500 × 0.88^3 ≈ 1500 × 0.681472 = 1022.21 hectares

Question 2: A rainforest loses 500 hectares of trees every year. How many hectares are lost over 5 years? Show your calculation.

Answer: Total loss = 500 hectares/year × 5 years = 2500 hectares.

Question 1: Design a simple experiment to test how deforestation affects soil erosion. Identify the independent and dependent variables, as well as safety precautions.

Answer: An experiment could involve comparing soil erosion rates in areas with and without tree cover. Independent variable: presence of trees; dependent variable: soil erosion rate; safety precautions include wearing gloves and protective footwear, and ensuring the area is stable to prevent landslides.

Question 1: A study reports that after deforestation in a certain region, the number of bird species decreased from 50 to 35 over 10 years. Calculate the percentage decrease in bird species diversity.

Answer: Percentage decrease = [(50 - 35) / 50] × 100 = (15 / 50) × 100 = 30%

Question 1: Explain how deforestation contributes to climate change. (6 marks)

Answer: Deforestation reduces the number of trees that absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, leading to increased atmospheric CO2 levels. This enhances the greenhouse effect, causing global temperatures to rise and contributing to climate change.

Question 2: Calculate the rate of forest loss if 200 hectares are cleared annually from an initial 10,000 hectares over 5 years.

Answer: Total loss = 200 hectares/year × 5 years = 1000 hectares; Rate of loss = (Total loss / initial area) × 100 = (1000 / 10000) × 100 = 10% over 5 years.

Question 1: Discuss how sustainable logging practices can reduce the impact of deforestation and help conserve biodiversity.

Answer: Sustainable logging involves selective cutting, replanting trees, and limiting harvest areas, which helps maintain forest ecosystems and biodiversity while allowing resource use.