Rain Forest Destruction Research Paper

BACKGROUND

The rain forests of the world are disappearing at an alarming rate. Demands for timber, forest products, and development are but a few of the many causes of forest destruction. This massive loss of trees affects our environment in devastating ways, causing flooding, desertification, famine, extinction of rain forest plants and animals, and may even hasten the global warming process.

BROWSE FOR BOOKS ON THE SHELF USING THESE CALL NUMBERS

574.5–574.52642

574.72

333.7516

LOOK UNDER THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS IN THE CATALOG (CARD OR COMPUTER)

Rain forest ecology

Rain forests (Rain forests—Brazil, Rain forests—Mexico, etc.)

Rain forest conservation

Deforestation

USE PAMPHLET FILE (ALSO CALLED VERTICAL FILE) UNDER THE HEADINGS

Rain forests

REFERENCE MATERIALS THAT MAY HELP (BOOKS OR CD-ROMS)

CQ Researcher, September 20, 1991.

The International Book of the Forests. Simon & Schuster, 1981.

McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 1992.

The New Book of Popular Science. Grolier, 1994.

PERIODICAL INDEXES TO SEARCH (BOOKS OR CD-ROMS)

EBSCO Magazine Article Summaries

InfoTrac

NewsBank and other newspaper indexes

Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature

SIRS (Social Issues Resources Series)

WILSONDISC
ONLINE DATABASES TO SEARCH

America Online

CompuServe

Dialog

Internet

Prodigy

KEY WORDS AND DESCRIPTORS FOR PERIODICAL INDEX AND ONLINE SEARCHES

Rain forests (also try rainforests)

Rain forest ecology

Rain forest plants

Rain forest fauna

Deforestation

VIDEOTAPES ON THIS TOPIC

Tropical Rainforest. Finley-Holiday Films, 1992.

You Can’t Grow Home Again. Children’s Television Workshop, 1990.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Rain Forest Action Network, 450 Sansome St., Ste. 700, San Francisco, CA 94111.

Rain Forest Alliance, 270 Lafayette St., Ste. 512, New York, NY 10012.

World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20037.

SUGGESTIONS FOR NARROWING THIS TOPIC

Analyze a specific rain forest or country; e.g., Belize, Mexico.

Discuss rain forest wildlife and the loss of habitat.

Research the indigenous people of the rain forest.

Research products from the rain forest.

SUGGESTIONS FOR RELATED TOPICS

Clearcutting

Deforestation

Desertification

Timber industry

This RESEARCH TOPIC GUIDE is intended to help the library user find information and materials on a particular topic in many sources throughout the library. Resources on this topic are not limited to those described and availability will depend upon the individual library. Feel free to ask a librarian for assistance.