Amazon Rainforest deforestation

Question 1

facts

Answer 1

• 26 million hectares of forest lost 2002-2009
• 2,500 fires active in August, 2019.
• Deforestation rose 4 fold in 2019.
• Biggest driver of deforestation is cattle ranching 60%
• Over past 10yrs released more carbon than it stored

Question 2

biggest driver of deforestation

Answer 2

cattle ranching 60%

Question 3

number of hectares lost from 2002 to 2009

Answer 3

26 million hectares

Question 4

causes of deforestation

Answer 4

• Farming
• Logging
• Mining
• Roads
• Hydroelectric power(HEP)
• Population

Question 5

farming

Answer 5

large areas are cleared forpastoral farming. As the global demand for meat has increased many cattle farms have opened in the Amazon Basin for beef farming.Arable farmingis also responsible for the loss of tropical rainforest as many farmers are clearing land to growcash crops, such as soya beans.

Question 6

logging

Answer 6

tropical rainforests are cut down so that valuable trees like mahogany can be accessed and sold for timber to make furniture. Other trees are cut down for making paper products.

Question 7

mining

Answer 7

Amazon Basin is rich in natural resources such as iron ore and gold. This has led to the development of mines which results in the clearance of tropical rainforest. The Carajas mine in Brazil is the world’s largest iron ore mine.

Question 8

roads

Answer 8

the construction of access roads for farmers, loggers and miners results in large parts of the tropical rainforest being destroyed

Question 9

HEP

Answer 9

The creation of HEP stations in the Amazon Basin has resulted in large areas of forest being flooded to create the reservoirs and dams.

Question 10

population

Answer 10

population growth has resulted in the loss of tropical rainforest as land is cleared to build houses andinfrastructure.

Question 11

effects of deforestation

Answer 11

• Soil erosion
• Loss of biodiversity
• Climate change

Question 12

soil erosion

Answer 12

Once the land is cleared ofrainforest vegetationthe soil is left bare. When it rains, the nutrients in the soil are washed away. Thenutrient cyclestops because there are no plants or trees shedding leaves to replace the nutrients in the soil. The soil is no longer able to support plant life because it isnot fertile. The roots of plants and trees no longer hold the soil together so it is easily eroded.

Question 13

loss of biodiversity

Answer 13

Many different species of plants and animals die because of deforestation. As plants and animals are closely connected through thefood web, deforestation this reduces thebiodiversity, or variety of species found in the tropical rainforest

Question 14

climate change

Answer 14

The trees and plants of the Amazon Basin absorb carbon dioxide during the process ofphotosynthesis. If there are fewer trees and plants, due to deforestation, then less carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere. In this way deforestation contributes toglobal warmingand thereforeclimate change.

Question 15

Balbina dam

Answer 15

The flooding of the Balbina dam in Brazil resulted in the loss of 900 square miles of tropical rainforest