Cycle Interraction Case Study: The Amazon Flashcards
Where is the Amazon Rainforest?
South America, stretching between the Andes and the Atlantic, either side of the Equator. It occupies the basin of the Amazon river
How much of Brazil is covered by rainforest? What is the total area it covers?
68%
7.3 million km2
Which countries does the Amazon occupy?
Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, Peru, Bolivia, Columbia, Venezuela
What’s the average climate of the Amazon?
Rainfall of 2677mm per year
Temperatures between 25 and 27 degrees C
How many species live in the Amazon?
1300 birds 428 amphibians 427 mammals 378 reptiles 3000 fish
Why is the Amazon able to support so much life?
Easy access to water
Variations in climate due to the layers of canopy
Consistently warm temperatures
How many trees can the Amazon sustain? How much carbon can they store?
300 billion
1/5 th of all biospheric carbon
What is the proportion of rainfall reaches each possible destination?
75% intercepted
-half of which is absorbed by plants
-half of which runs off or infiltrates the ground
25% evaporates
What does the Amazon’s location mean for its local water supply?
It has an enclosed regional water cycle, as water evaporates from the Atlantic and is blown West until it reaches the Andes, causing it to follow a circular path back to the ocean
How much of the rainforest was cleared in the 1960s
17%
An area roughly the size of France
19386km2 per year
How much carbon does the Amazon absorb and emit in a typical year?
2.2 billion tonnes absorbed
1.9 billion tonnes released
Net absorption of 300 million tonnes
What are the main reasons for the Amazon shrinking?
Why are these an issue?
Logging
Cattle Ranching
Roads
They don’t allow the trees to regrow and create drier soils
Why does a lack of transpiration lead to decreased rainfall?
Less water in the air
Reduction in salts which aid cloud formation
How does slash and burn deforestation affect soils?
Soils become less porous
Soils dry and harden
Why is burning rainforest bad for the carbon cycle?
Stored carbon is instantly released as CO2
Soils dry out, reducing their storage capacity
Dead vegetation cannot photosynthesise
Dried vegetation is susceptible to future burning
How can changing rainfall affect the Amazon?
The rainforest is highly dependent on specific rainfall levels. Without enough rain, rainforest transforms into savannah. Alternatively, other areas may become rainforest with enough rain
What could a 3 degree rise do to the Amazon?
Destroy 75% of it through drought
How can rising sea levels affect the Amazon?
Thermal expansion reduces the amount of land for Amazonian species to live on. Human separation of animal species has made mass migrations more difficult, leading to population decline
What is climate change mitigation?
Taking action to reduce the impact of future climate change.
In what three ways can climate change be mitigated?
Using new green technologies
Making older technologies more efficient
Employing new management strategies
What is the TARAPORO process?
A scheme which has established 12 key criteria to sustainably manage the rainforest
When were the TARAPOTO process and the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation set up?
1995
Which countries are members of the ACTO?
Bolivia Brazil Columbia Equador Guyana Peru Suriname Venezuela
What does ACTO aim to do?
Prevent illegal logging
Create reforestation areas
Promote Agro-forestry schemes
What is Agro-forestry?
Developing new farming techniques which work with the rainforest to reduce the need for deforestation and allow diversification of income
What has UNESCO done?
Established over 15 million hectares as protected national parks
