Case Study: AMAZON Flashcards
Which countries does the Amazon cover?
8 quickly developing countries such as:
Brazil
Peru
Ecuador
Columbia
Venezuela
Bolivia
Guyana
Suriname.
How much of South America America does the Amazon basin make up?
35.5%
What area does the Amazon cover?
7,000,000km2
How much of the world’s rainforest does the Amazon make up?
More than half
How many different species are there in the Amazon?
10 million
How much of the world’s CO2 does the Amazon absorb?
35%
How much of the worlds oxygen does the Amazon produce?
20%
What is the average rainfall per year?
3000mm
Why does up to half of the rainfall never reach the ground?
It is intercepted by forest canopy and reevaporated into the atmosphere
What happens to the water intercepted by the canopy?
It drips onto the ground from leaves or flows down the tree via stem flow
What % of fresh water each day comes from the Amazon rainforest?
15%
What can deforestation increase?
Rainfall downwind of the area
What are the main drivers of change to the Amazon water cycle? (3)
deforestation
land use change
Climate change
How can land use change effect the water cycle?
Cutting down trees for farming means water can fall straight to the ground causing soil erosion and run off
Why does deforestation reduce rainfall in the area?
Because the water cycle is disrupted as evapotranspiration does not occur unless water is stored in plants and soil
Why is water less likely to evaporate from soils?
Because the water forms a thin layer on the leaf dso can evaporate quickly with less energy but when it reaches the soil it soaks in
What does a decrease in evaporation lead to?
Local warming and droughts
What does rainforest act as?
Carbon sinks
How do plants store carbon?
As sugars, in the form of starch in their leaves
How does deforestation by burning affect the carbon cycle? (4)
NO respiration by trees
NO photosynthesis
NO new biomass
LESS decay
What human factors can affect carbon stores and transfers?
Industry and the burning of fossil fuels
Burning of forest
How do warmer oceans affect carbon stores?
warmer oceans cannot hold as much CO2 so absorb less carbon
What physical factors can affect carbon cycle stores and transfers? (3)
Trees and plants
temperature change
Type and no of animals in the area
How can extreme events of climate change alter vegetation?
Heatwaves, droughts and storms can lead to vegetation deaths and fires
How will the Amazon have changed by 2050? Becoming a net source
Forest dieback due to vegetation succession and fire is predicted to result in the Amazon region becoming a net source of CO2
Why do fires increase w climate change?
A dry season becomes more intense, trees have more time top dry out and forest fires become more common
What has been done in the Amazon to mitigate climate change?
National parks and forest reserves have been created
What are examples of national parks?
Turnacumaque National park
Para rainforest reserve
What is the Amazon often used for?
Biofuel production
What initiative is in place to reduce deforestation?
Land owners are paid not to cut down their trees and clear property rights are established to reduce land grabbing and illegal logging
What agreements are in place to mitigate climate change?
- Latin American Technical Co-operation Network in watershed management
- The Tarapoto Process Amazon Co-operation treaty agreement
What do the Latin American Technical Co-operation Network in watershed management aim to promote?
Aims to promote the adoption of the concept of watershed as the most appropriate method for rational use of natural resources to plan and manage the land
What does the Latin American Technical Co-operation Network in watershed management follow?
3 of the UN development goals
What is the aim of the Tarapoto process?
Recognises that the Amazon Co-operation treaty is the most effective instrument for discussion and agreement on policies for the region
What is an important process for the Tarapoto process?
The development of regional criteria and indicators for the sustainability of the rainforest - recognising that each country’s management has an impact on the region’s forest resources
What is the objective of the Amazon co-operation Treaty organisation?
- To promote harmonious development in the region and well-being of their population
- To strengthen the sovereignty of countries over the Amazon territories
What is currently being implemented within ACTO?
More than 20 initiatives, projects and programmes in areas such as environment, indigenous affairs etc
What do national parks and rainforest reserve protect the forests from?
Deforestation from illegal loggers and farmers
What does a decrease in evaporation lead to?
local warming and droughts
What is watershed management?
to conserve the soil, plant, and water resources of a catchment while benefiting humanity.
All environmental, social, and economic concerns are combined to treat watersheds in an integrated manner.
