Amazon Rainforest (case study W&C) Flashcards
Where is the Amazon located?
either side of the equator, in South America.
How much land in Brazil does it occupy?
68%
What is the climate like?
hot and wet, moist air
What cells are there?
Hadley cells
What type of rainfall occurs?
convectional rainfall
How much rainfall occurs each year?
2677mm or 2-3m
What type of water soil budget does it have?
high
How much rainfall does the forest intercept?
75%
Where does the other 25% go?
stemflow, down tree trunks or through dripping off leaves
How much stemflow evaporates?
25&, of which 75% is returned back to the atmosphere
How many official droughts have there been?
3
What does deforestation mean for the Amazon (in terms of water)?
rainfall reaches ground immediately, compacting and encouraging overland flow, increases the risk of flooding
What does deforestation do locally?
causes an increase in rainfall downwind
What does deforestation do on a larger scale?
causes a decrease in rainfall downwind
How much carbon does wood have in it?
50%
What is carbon absorption?
the amount of carbon (g) emitted or exchanged as per square meter annually
What does deforestation mean for the Amazon (in terms of carbon)?
for farming/roads/mining, through slash & burn, releases carbon back into the atmosphere, photosynthesis virtually stops
What have scientists predicted will happen if there is a 4 degree increase in global temperatures?
it could kill 85% of the Amazon
What is sustainability?
meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Ways to protect the Amazon sustainably?
- selective logging
- replanting
- conservation
- education
- ecotourism
- international hardwood agreements
- debt reduction
