Human Imapact on the Valdivian Rainforest

Human impact
on the

Valdivian rainforest

By:Hannah Jeon

V​ aldivian Rainforest

Table of contents

Introduction pg.3
Valdivian rainforest pg.4
Energy transfer pg.5-6
Human Impact pg.7
Responsibility pg.8
Conclusion pg.9
Glossary pg.10
Work cited pg.11

3​

Introduction

The Valdivian rainforest is the 2nd largest rainforest in the world. It covers parts
of southern Chile and Argentina. It is home to many ​unique species. Some of these
species include the southern pudu, which is the world's smallest deer, and the kodkod,
which is South America's smallest cat. There are also different kinds of trees like the
monkey puzzle tree. There are also pine and broad leaved trees. However, the
rainforest is ​threatened by human activities. The most damaging activity is l​ ogging​.
This ​logging destroys native species which also endangers the animals. Lastly, many
native trees are being replaced by ​invasive species which further damages the
ecosystem​. Did you know that South America's largest woodpecker, called the
Magellanic woodpecker, is found in the Valdivian Rainforest?

​A logged tree in the valdivian forest

​4
Valdivian Rainforest

The Valdivian rainforest is named after the city Valdivia. The rainforest is located on the
west coast of southern South America. It is mostly in Chile and e​ xtends into Argentina.
The rainforest covers 248,100 square kilometers.

The temperature can rise to 16.5 °C (62 °F) in summer, and in winter can drop
under 7 °C (45 °F). This makes the Valdivian rainforest the only temperate rainforest in
South America.

There are 122 ​native ​plant species in the forest. The trees in the Valdivian
Rainforest are made up of mixed broadleaf trees and bamboo. I​ n the Valdivian
Rainforest there are trees like L​ aureliopsis philippiana, Aextoxicon punctatum,
Eucryphia cordifolia, Caldcluvia paniculata, and Weinmannia trichosperma. ​The
Valdivian rainforest is also home to many animal species​. Like, the monito del monte,
and the KodKod.

How tall are the trees? 
The Laureliopsis philippiana has a thin bark and are ​30 m tall, and 1.5 cm wide.
The Aextoxicon punctatum ​is a c​ anopy tree in the broadleaf forests. It can reach 15 m
tall.
The Eucryphia cordifolia is ​threatened ​by logging and habitat loss. It could be a little
over 12m high
The Caldcluvia paniculata ​can grow up to 20 m in height and up to 60 cm in diameter.
The Weinmannia trichosperma can ​grow up to 30 m .

5​

Energy transfer in the Valdivian

Rainforest

Rainforests have a complicated e​ cosystem.​ This ​ecosystem ​transfers energy
all around the forest from plants to animals and back to plants again. Plants get their
energy from the sun. In the Valdivian rainforest bamboos, shrubs, evergreen trees and
many more provide energy from the sun and ​transfers it to animals. Some of the
animals that eat plants in the Valdivian rainforest are the southern pudu, the Monito del
monte, and a wide v​ ariety of rodents. These animals provide ​food for secondary
consumers such as the kodkod, iguanas, and a few snakes. This energy t​ ransfer
supports a species of cougar. Finally the energy goes back into the forest when the
animals die and their bodies provide nutrients to the plants.

6

7

Human Impact

According to T​ he understory​, in 2016, reporters revealed that almost 7 million
trees are logged and those trees include the trees from the valdivian rainforest. They
say that the main threats to the Valdivian rainforest include logging​, and using logs for
firewood. Because of the logging in the Valdivian Rainforest many of the old growth tree
species are t​ hreatened.​ The eucalyptus and pines are used to replace the logged trees
because it grows faster. However, the tree eucalyptus and pines are giving negative
impacts to the animals in the Valdivian rainforest. Like animals who live in a specific
tree can no longer live because of the eucalyptus and pines. Also, some of the plants on
the eucalyptus and pines are poisonous to the animals that eat the plants from the
trees. As there are many positive ​impacts o​ f the valdivian rainforest, there are also
many negative ​impacts​ on the valdivian rainforest.

​ 8​

Responsibility

If there is a problem there is always a solution we can fix or do. You might think it
is impossible to fix this terrible problem but, if you keep on reading, you will notice how
simple it takes to fix this problem! As you can see, our main problem is l​ ogging​. We
have to make laws to ​reduce commercial logging​. Also, using less paper helps too
because paper comes out from trees. And when we use a lot of paper, another tree has
to be logged. Creating more government​ ​preserved areas helps too because if most of
the areas in the rainforest is​ p​ reserved, less​ logging​ will happen. Not only​ logging
gives i​ mpact​ on the rainforest also giving ​impact o​ n the animals and their habitat. To
fix that problems, farmers should not replace logged trees with eucalyptus and pine
trees. If we just maintain these rules it will definitely help, not only the valdivian
rainforest, but all of the ​temperate/tropical r​ ainforests.

​9
Conclusion

The Valdivian Rainforest is the only temperate rainforest in South America.
However, it is t​ hreatened​. ​Logging​ is the main t​ hreat t​ o the Valdivian
Rainforest. It destroys Habitats, and endangers the animals who need
those trees. If some of these animals die, this can negatively affect the
energy transfer in the forest. Also replacing trees with eucalyptus and pines
negatively ​impacts​ the rainforest and many of the species that live there,
because those trees are not native to the rainforest.
We should use less paper, create more government preserved areas, and
not replace trees with eucalyptus and pines.

Deviantart art

10

Glossary

Canopy: u​ ppermost trees or branches of the trees
Consumer:​ an animal or person that eats or uses something
Ecosystem: a​ biological community of interacting organisms and their

physical environment.

Extends:​ ​make longer or wider / spread
Impact: h​ ave a strong effect on someone or something
Invasive: n​ ot right / not supposed to be there
Logging: ​cutting down trees
Native: A​ n animal or an plant that comes naturally from that place
Temperate: ​relating to or denoting a region or climate characterized by

mild temperatures.

Threatened:​ hurt / endangered
Transfers: m​ ove around
Tropical:​ an area that is usually very hot and humid
Unique:​ ​ u​ nlike anything else.
Variety: ​a lot of different types

​ ​11
Work Cited

https://www.fcusd.org/cms/lib03/CA01001934/Centricity/Domain/1281/Temperate
%20Rainforest.pdf

https://www.ran.org/how_many_trees_are_cut_down_every_year

http://www.softschools.com/facts/rain_forests/valdivian_temperate_rainforest_facts/310
5/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdivian_temperate_rain_forest

https://www.google.co.kr/search?biw=1408&bih=781&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=SpfpWqydNc
az0ASn4az4Dw&q=energy+pyramid+to+the+valdivian+rainforest&oq=energy+pyramid+
to+the+valdivian+rainforest&gs_l=psy-ab.3...2507.28102.0.28482.45.38.1.6.6.0.589.580
3.3j21j6j1j1j2.35.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..3.18.1993.0..0j0i67k1.320.7-KuXiDNk9k&safe=
active&ssui=on#imgrc=iTc4xD3sLT-gIM:​