amazon rainforest

Question 1

location

Answer 1

~south America
~spread across 8 countries with brazil containing the largest amount
~area 6.7 million km^2

Question 2

characteristics

Answer 2

~high average temp 25-30
~small seasonal variation in temp
~high annual rainfull > 2000mm
~between 50-60% of precipitation in amazon is recycled by evapotranspiration
~ absorbs 2.4 million tonnesof co2 a yr
~estimated 16,000 tree species

Question 3

human factors

Answer 3

~burning of trees -scientists predict deforesting 20% would release 90 billion tonnes of carbon ( approx. 2.5x greater than annual fossil fuel emissions
~amazon rainforest absorbs 1/4 of all carbon is absorbed by land on earth
~rainforest stores 48 billion tonnes of co2, so when cut down double whammy more co2 realesed less co2 absorbed

Question 4

deforestation

Answer 4

~ converting rainforest to grassland increases run-off by 27%- deforestation increases run-off
~over 200,000acres burned down a day, 150 acres lost every minute , 78 million acres lost a year.
~34% increases in deforestation since 1992
~decreases in infiltration /interception - more run off - more flooding.
~april 2014 flood occurred on Madera river -reached record high of 19.68m above normal - 60 deaths 68,000 family’s evacuated.

Question 5

management

Answer 5

~ since 1998, Brazilian government has established many conservation areas.
~ in 2015 44% of amazon was protected
~sustainable forestry scheme - plans to plant :
-20 million fast growing trees
- will mature in 25 yrs
- indigenous surui people part of a scheme to protect tribal lands - joined in 2009