UWC Grade 5 (2009-2010)

 INITIATION

The initiation lasts several days in a hidden place in the depths of the forest. After the boys to be initiated have been undressed, washed, shaved and palm oil is rubbed on their body, they are led into a special hut.

Then, they undergo multiple rituals, some public (such as dances and processions), some secret, for about a week during which they eat, drink and sleep very little.

Today, more than 20% of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed and is gone forever.

About a metre under the top layer of soil there is ground that is permanently frozen, called permafrost.

by governments, which do not see these forest-dwellers as equal citizens.

Rainforest cover by biogeographical realm Realm Percent share of world rainforest cover Millionsquare miles Millionhectares Ethiopian/Afrotropical 30.0% 0.72 187.5 Australasian 9.0% 0.22 56.3 Oriental or Indomalayan 16.0% 0.39 100.0 Neotropical 45.0% 1.08 281.2 Total 2.41 625.0

The World's Lungs? In the past, scientists often referred to tropical rainforests as the "lungs of the world" because of the large amount of oxygen they produce. More recent evidence shows that rainforests don't have much of an effect on the world's oxygen supply. The decomposition of dead plant matter consumes roughly the same amount of oxygen that the living plants produce. But rainforests do play a key role in the global ecosystem. Some experts are now calling them the "air conditioners to the world," because their dark depths absorb heat from the sun. Without the forest cover, these regions would reflect more heat into the atmosphere, warming the rest of the world. Losing the rainforests may also have a profound effect on global wind and rainfall patterns, potentially causing droughts throughout the United States and other areas

Most nonhuman primates live in tropical and subtropical areas of the new world and old world. Most primates live an arboreal lifestyle, that is, they travel, eat, and sleep in the tops of trees. Even the larger apes, like chimpanzees and orangutans, usually sleep in leafy nests they make in trees. The most notable exceptions to this behavior are gorillas and humans. Both are ground dwellers.

As primates evolved over the past 50-60 million years, two important things happened. 1) Their faces flattened and the eyes moved to the front of the head, giving them binocular vision. 2) They developed hands with separate fingers and opposable thumbs. This allowed them to grasp and hold on to branches and other objects.

All Grown Up Male orangutans are large apes. They are generally more than twice the size of females. Males may weigh around 90 kg. Females rarely reach 40 kg. ©G.Ellis/GLOBIO.org Around the age of

Author: barry a bieda How does the cutting of the rainforest affect Earth? Response #: 1 of 1 Author: mortis Well, we have been cutting rainforests for thousands of years with no permanent damage to the earth at all. Forest people who cut small patches for growing gardens do not hurt the forest because the small plots recover their original growth very quickly: think of the pictures of Mayan ruins in Mexico that are completely covered by forest - these used to be open, active cities! So on a small scale, slash and burn agriculture has no effect whatever on the rain-forest- it is a sustainable use of the forest. However, on a large commercial scale, where bulldozers and flame-throwers are use to convert huge tracts of land into pasture for cattle, the ability of the forest to recover is seriously impaired, destroying the forest for a very long time, if not forever. This kind of unsustainable destructive use affects the earth by taking a large portion of the biosphere out of production - which interrupts the carbon and oxygen cycles, affects local water and soil quality, and causes a decline in the global gene pool by making many species extinct.

Eat less beef and pork. Fish and poultry have a much lower impact on the environment, while other protein sources including nuts and organic soy are even less damaging to the planet. Think about packaging before you buy products. Individually-wrapped candy generates a lot of trash, while fruits and vegetables are healthier and mean less waste. Turn off lights when you don't need them. When light bulbs burn out replace them with energy-efficient bulbs Do not waste water. Recycle. Encourage your parents to drive fuel-efficient cars and not to overheat their house. Don't let your animals go into the environment when you don't want them any more. Before buying a pet be sure that you are ready to take care of it. Having a pet is a responsibility. Things you can do to help save rainforests: Don't buy products made from wildlife skins Don't buy exotic pets that have been collected from the wild. You can ask pet stores whether animals are "wild-caught" or "captive bred." "Captive bred" animals are more friendly for the environment Buy recycled paper. Don't buy wood products from Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, or Africa unless you know they come from eco-friendly suppliers. A good way to know if wood is rainforest-safe is if it has a "certification label." An example of a certification label is "FSC-certified" which means the wood comes from sustainably managed forests. Learn more about rainforests and the plants and animals that live in them. Tell your friends and parents why rainforests are important.

Ecotourism is environmentally responsible travel to enjoy and appreciate nature and cultural experiences. Ecotourism should have low impact on the environment and should contribute to the well-being of local people.