Amazon Rainforest

Question 1

Describe the size of the Amazon.

Answer 1

Largest and most diverse rainforest in the world

Question 2

How much land does it cover?

Answer 2

6 million square kilometers

Question 3

How many trees are there

Answer 3

300 billion

Question 4

Average rainfall

Answer 4

2,300mm per year but can reach up to 6,000mm

Question 5

Average temperature

Answer 5

28°c

Question 6

Amazon river discharge

Answer 6

209,000 cumecs per second

Question 7

What helped form the amazon

Answer 7

Hadley cells meet equator forming Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). ITCZ as well as lots of evapotranspiration creates conditions needed for a tropical rainforest

Question 8

How much carbon does the Amazon store

Answer 8

Stores 90-140 billion tons of carbon - 20% of worlds carbon

Question 9

What is net carbon change for the Amazon

Answer 9

Absorbs 1-3 billion tons of carbon per year. Overall gain makes it a carbon sink.

Question 10

What percentage of water remains in a loop of evapotranspiration and precipitation?

Answer 10

70%

Question 11

How much deforestation is from commercial farming?

Answer 11

70%

Question 12

What are reasons for deforestation

Answer 12

Cattle ranching, logging, farming, mining, housing

Question 13

How much of the Amazon will have been cut down by 2030 if current rates continue?

Answer 13

27%

Question 14

How does deforestation of the amazon impact climate

Answer 14

Reduced humidity and cloud cover from reduced evapotranspiration

Question 15

How does deforestation of the amazon impact soil

Answer 15

Rain goes straight to soil causing compaction, increased surface run off and therefore flood risk as well as washing away leaf litter causing reduced soil nutrients

Question 16

How does flooding pose a threat to the Amazon?

Answer 16

Can destroy freshwater ecosystems and water sources for Amazonian people

Question 17

How does deforestation of the amazon impact cloud cover

Answer 17

Slash and burn releases aerosols which can cause too many condensation nuclei leading to too many small water droplets and therefore reduced rain
Trees release natural aerosols however after they are cut down, these are no longer released meaning there is not enough condensation nuclei for clouds to form and therefore reduced rainfall.

Question 18

Why is slash and burn so environmentally damaging?

Answer 18

Cutting down of trees releases carbon into the atmosphere but the burning of felled trees causes the remaining carbon to also be released into the atmosphere instead of being absorbed into the soil.

Question 19

What is the flying river?

Answer 19

Prevailing winds causes large amounts of water vapour to move above the Amazon, creating a “flying river”

Question 20

Positive feedback loop of the flying river

Answer 20

Deforestation causes a reduction in evapotranspiration, flying river becomes smaller, less precipitation from the flying river, can cause trees to die from reduced rain, reduces evapotranspiration

Question 21

How does deforestation affect flood risk in the Amazon

Answer 21

Increased surface runoff and reduced interception of water by vegetation due to deforestation causes more water to enter rivers and faster, increasing flood risk.

Question 22

Impacts of human activity

Answer 22

Land use changes causes large amounts of deforestation, often by slash and burn, releasing lots of carbon into the atmosphere.

Question 23

What is causing stress to the Amazon?

Answer 23

Directly: deforestation, exploitation of resources, agriculture
Indirectly: enhanced greenhouse effect causing global warming and climate change

Question 24

How has the Amazon’s carbon storage capacity changed?

Answer 24

Decreased from 2 billion tons per year in 1990 to 1 billion in 2015

Question 25

What is the trans-Amazonian highway

Answer 25

A highway built to increase access to the amazon however this will likely cause more deforestation.

Question 26

How did a hydroelectric damn impact the amazon

Answer 26

The Balbina HEP damn and reservoir flooded 2,300km² of rainforest

Question 27

How does climate change threaten wildlife in the Amazon

Answer 27

Habitat loss as well as animals not being able to adapt fast enough to new conditions

Question 28

How does increased river water temperature threaten the Amazon?

Answer 28

Kill animals not adapted to the temperatures, impact biodiversity and kill eggs/ larvae

Question 29

What is ACTO

Answer 29

Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation. 8 member countries. Aims to sustainably manage the Amazon through protection, restoration and afforestation, reduction of forest degradation and prevention of illegal logging.

Question 30

Rainforest reserves

Answer 30

Para rainforest reserve protects 150,000 square kilometres of rainforest - an area bigger than England.

Question 31

Ways to mitigate negative impacts on the Amazon

Answer 31

Reforestation - planting trees to increase biodiversity and carbon absorption
Agroforestry - integrating trees with crops and pastures to balance environmental and social benefits
Selective logging - Cutting down certain trees based on set criteria instead of all, preserves rainforest canopy and can help younger trees grow by allowing them more sunlight.