3.1.2.2 Tropical Rainforests - Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest Case Study Flashcards
What is the location of the Amazon Rainforest?
Amazon Rainforest, Brazil, South America
How is biodiversity in the Amazon RF changing?
sharply decreasing
What % of the world did the Amazon RF used to cover and how much of the world does it cover now?
used to cover 14% of the planet and now only 6%
How many natives were found in the Amazon RF and how many are there now?
there used to be 10mil natives and now only 200,000
What % of the Amazon RF has been destroyed since the 1970s?
18% of Amazon rainforest destroyed since 1970s
How much deforestation in the Amazon RF did cattle ranching cause?
65% of deforestation was due to cattle ranching - farmers moving animals around to use the land for and grazing
How big of an industry is farming in Brazil?
farming is a huge industry in Brazil
How much money was made through cattle farming in Brazil in 2011?
in 2011 $6.9 bn was made through trading cattle
Why do landless farmers cut down trees in the Amazon RF?
landless farmers cut down the trees so that they have land in order to farm, some farmers need more land as their current land is unusable
How many jobs does the mining industry create for people in Peru and how many people does the Buenaventura mining company employ?
mining industry creates lots of jobs for people in Peru - the Buenaventura mining company employs over 3000 people
What are the economic causes of deforestation in the Amazon RF?
- farming - cattle ranching
- mining industry
How has population growth caused deforestation in the Amazon RF?
population growth has meant that people are building houses in the RF’s as there is little land in cities
How will deforestation in the Amazon RF contribute to global warming?
deforestation will release some of the carbon stored in the RF into the atmosphere contributing to global warming
How many tonnes of top soil is being lost per year in the Amazon RF due to deforestation?
55 mil tonnes of top soil is being lost because of the soil erosion each year
How is the Amazon RF being economically managed?
ecotourism is encouraged, only a small number of visitors are allowed at a time