Storing Carbon
What do trees absorb from the air that helps reduce the greenhouse effect?
Carbon dioxide
What do we call animals at the top of a food web with no natural predators?
Apex predator
What is "milpa" farming? Give a short definition (one sentence)
Milpa is a traditional system that plants multiple crops together (corn, beans, squash) among trees to support food and biodiversity
Define the word atmosphere in one sentence.
Atmosphere is the layer of gases that surrounds Earth.
Name one greenhouse gas mentioned in the lesson besides carbon dioxide.
Methane or nitrous oxide
Name three types of organisms or roles you would include when building a forest food web (one example can be “producer”)
producer (tree), consumer (squirrel), predator (hawk)
Name the three crops traditionally planted together in a milpa.
Corn, beans, squash.
What does "photosynthesis" do for plants? Write one clear sentence.
Photosynthesis is when plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make food and oxygen.
In the "Smoke in a Jar" demonstration, which jar (regular air or smokey air) should warm more and why? Give a one-sentence explanation.
The smokey air jar because it represents the greenhouse gas getting warm from the sun's heat.
If a disease removes a common tree species from a forest, explain one likely effect on the food web.
Loss of the tree can reduce food and habitat for consumers, causing population declines and altering predator and prey relationships.
Explain one way Indigenous stewardship supports both local communities and forest conservation.
Indigenous stewardship uses traditional ecological knowledge to manage land sustainably, preserving habitat and livelihoods.
Define "biodiversity" and give one reason it is important for forests.
Biodiversity is the variety of life. It supports ecosystem resilience, pollination, and food webs
Explain what carbon sequestration means in one clear sentence
Carbon sequestration is the process by which plants and trees capture carbon dioxide from the air to help cool down Earth.
What is a keystone species? Give one example from any habitat.
A keystone species has a large effect on its ecosystem. The ecosystem would not thrive if the keystone species left. An example would be wolves in Yellowstone.
What protects crops inside a milpa from hazards like floods or droughts?
Crops inside a milpa are protected by nearby trees.
What is the "greenhouse effect"? Explain in one sentence and connect it to forests’ role.
Greenhouse effect is when gases trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere. Forests help by removing CO2 and storing carbon.
Describe two ways deforestation increases the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.
Deforestation releases stored carbon when trees are cut or burned. It also reduces carbon sequestration because fewer trees remain to on Earth.
Describe how dispersion helps forests adapt when climate zones shift.
Dispersion moves seeds to new, suitable habitats, helping species shift their ranges as climate changes.
Describe one sustainable forestry practice (other than milpa farming) that can help maintain forest health and provide an example of its benefit.
Example: selective logging maintains old trees and soil structure. The benefit of selective logging is that it protects and maintains habitat and carbon storage.
Choose two vocabulary words from the guide and write a short sentence explaining how they relate to each other in the context of forest protection.
Example sentences: An ecosystem includes the plants, animals, and environment that interact in a forest. Traditional ecological knowledge helps people understand how that ecosystem functions so they can protect it.