Amazon Rainforest Case Study Flashcards
location
south America. 60% of rainforest found in brazil
how many trees and how many mammal species
300 billion trees, 500 species
how much of the rainfall is intercepted by trees, how much is evaporated
75% intercepted and 25% evaporates. half of the 75% is used by plants and eventually returned to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration. the other half is absorbed by soil
how does deforestation affect rainfall in the amazon
could reduce it by up to 20%- due to less transpiration
how much of wood is carbon
50% (carbon sink)
the amazon has been shrinking by …% since 2000
0.3%
how many billions of tonnes of co2 does the amazon absorb per year and how much does it emit
absorbs 2.2 billion tonnes and emits 1.9 billion tonnes. but in 2015 it only absorbed 1 billion tonnes (due to deforestation)
by 2050 it is estimated that temperatures in the amazon will increase by 2-3 degrees. what effect will this have on the vegetation
a 2 degree temperature rise would result in 20-40% of the amazon trees dying within 100 years. a 3 degree temperature rise would result in 75% of the forest being destroyed
national and international agreements: amazon cooperation treaty organisation (ACTO).
8 member countries
aimed at promoting sustainable development - have conservation corridor going through more than 1 country
what other local policies have been adopted? w/ examples
agroforestry
reforestration
the creation of national parks and forest reserves eg Para Rainforest Reserve stretches 15 million acres to form a vast conservation corridor in the northern Amazon
Replanting: how many hectares of forest are Peru planning to restore by 2020
3.2 million hectares
Example of a law that controls land use in the Amazon
Brazilian Forest Code says that landowners have to keep 50-80% of their land as forest
Central amazon conservation complex
Brazil
Set up in 2003
Protects biodiversity in an area of 49,000 km squared while allowing locals to use the forest in a sustainable way
