Amazon fun facts

Question 1

Amazon location & size

Answer 1

South America- Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuala, French Guinea, Suriname, Guyana, Bolivia
3S 60W
6.7million km/sq
15,000 species

Question 2

Importance in water cycle

Answer 2

Home to the Amazon River
Only 30% of water reaches the sea
50% of rainfall is intercepted
175,000 m3/s discharge

Question 3

Importance in carbon cycle

Answer 3

20% carbon stored in biomass
9kg/m2 stored in upper soil

Question 4

Human interference in Amazonia

Answer 4

Deforestation rate 19368 per year (2000-07)
Agriculture accounts for 75% of GHG emissions (cattle ranching)
600m tonnes emitted in 2019
Illegal logging
Urbanisation

Question 5

Effects of human interference in Amazonia

Answer 5

Temperature rise of 2-3C by 2050
75% will be destroyed at the current rate by 2070
Decline in fungi and bacteria
Decrease in river discharge
Risk of decline in temperature dependent species
Formation of shallow cumulus clouds

Question 6

Mitigation strategies in Amazonia

Answer 6

ACT government organisation formed in 1978
TARAPATO monitoring rates (2023-5000km/sq- half of 2022)
New President Lula stronger than Balsaro
Establishing new national parks and reserves (Para- 15 million ha)
2004 moratorium on soya bean farming (Brazil produces 1/3 of the world’s supply)
Earth institute reforested a few thousand acres (in 30 years)
REDD watershed management with $4.5b pledged