Amazon Rainforest Case Study

Question 1

Where is the Amazon rainforest?

Answer 1

Located in South America running across Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana

Question 2

How big is the Amazon Rainforest?

Answer 2

5.5 Million km^2

Question 3

What are the four layers of the forest?

Answer 3

Emergent, canopy, under canopy and shrub and herb

Question 4

What are the key types of vegetation found here?

Answer 4

Palms, epiphytes and vines

Question 5

How many species of tree are found here?

Answer 5

80,000

Question 6

How many trees are in the rainforest?

Answer 6

300 Billion

Question 7

How much of the global carbon biomass is found here?

Answer 7

20%

Question 8

How much of the worlds photosynthesis happens here?

Answer 8

30-50%

Question 9

What is the average temperature?

Answer 9

28 degrees Celsius

Question 10

What is the average rainfall per year?

Answer 10

3000mm

Question 11

How much of the average rainfall is intercepted by the forest?

Answer 11

75%

Question 12

How much of the total rainfall is then evaportranspirated back into the atmosphere?

Answer 12

35%

Question 13

What are the main drivers of change in the Amazon?

Answer 13

Deforestation and cattle ranching

Question 14

How much of the rainforest has been lost to deforestation?

Answer 14

17% over the last 50 years

Question 15

How much was lost between 2000 and 2007 due to deforestation?

Answer 15

19,386km^2

Question 16

What percentage of deforestation happens due to cattle ranching?

Answer 16

80%

Question 17

Is the rainforest a carbon sink or carbon source?

Answer 17

Generally it is a sink due to mass photosynthesis, however when burned it becomes a source

Question 18

What three schemes are in place to mitigate against climate change in the Amazon?

Answer 18

1. The creation of national parks, forest reserves
2. Agroforestry
3. Reforestation

Question 19

What national park has already been created?

Answer 19

The Jau national park that covers 5.6 million acres and is considered a UNESCO site

Question 20

What is agroforestry?

Answer 20

The process of planting annual crops within the forest

Question 21

What do the trees do during agroforestry?

Answer 21

They hold more carbon, which reduces climate change

Question 22

What is reforestation?

Answer 22

The process of replanting trees into areas that weren’t woodland before, therefore expanding the forest

Question 23

What two International polices are in place to protect the forest?

Answer 23

1. The Tarapoto process

2. The Amazon cooperation treaty organisation

Question 24

What is the Tarapoto process?

Answer 24

An agreement met by 8 countries in 1995 the sustain the forest by eco-zoning, land policies, education and research

Question 25

What is the Amazon cooperation treaty organisation?

Answer 25

An organisation made up of the 8 countries in the Tarapoto process that protects the rainforest through protection, restoration, afforestation and reforestation