Deforestation -Amazon Flashcards
Where is Deforestation a major problem?
In the Amazon
Name some facts about the Amazon
Largest Rain forest on Earth -Covers 8 million square km
Includes parts of Brazil, Peru, Equador, Columbia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana
Since 1978 over 750,000 square km has been destroyed by deforestation. (3x size of UK)
What are the causes of deforestation in the Amazon?
80% caused by commercial cattle ranching
5% caused by small scale subsistence farmimg - government has settled farmers along Trans- Amazonian Highway
10% Commerical Agriculture - mostly soy farming, also rice, corn, sugar cane.
3% logging
2% other - mineral extraction, road building, energy development, building new settlements, Illigal trade in wild life.
How does Population Growth and Migration affect the Amazon?
Brazilian Government offers land in the rainforest to poor people from overcrowded cities.
More small scale subsistence farmers and people who have no land or whose land has become unproductive are opening up more areas of the forest.
What are the Environmental impacts of deforestation in the Amazon?
The Amazon stores around 100 billion tonnes of carbon - deforestation will release some as carbon dioxide which causes global warming
Brazil is losing 55 million tons of topsoil every year because of soil errosion caused by soy farming
What are the Economic impacts of deforestation in the Amazon?
Economic development has brought wealth to countries that are very poor
Farming makes a lot of money for countries in the rainforest eg 2008- Brazil $6.9 billion from trading cattle
It’s also the worlds second largest exporter of Soy beans
The mining industry creates jobs eg Buenadventure mining company in Peru employs 3100 people
Logging contributes a huge amount to the Brazilian economy
Local Brazilian rubber tappers who extract natural rubber from rubber trees have lost their livelihoods as trees have been cut down.
What are the Global impacts of deforestation of the Amazon
Global warming - as trees cut down Carbon dioxide is not absorbed so remains in atmosphere contributing to the greenhouse effect
Loss of Biodiversity - biodiversity reduced
Individual species endangered even extinct. Estimated that Amazon will lose between 30-45% of their main species by 2030
What are the Local impacts of deforestation of the Amazon
Climate Change
Soil errosion and fertility - thin top soil is removed by haevy rain.
River pollution - Mercury used to separate gold from ground goes into rivers
Decline in indiginous tribes - only 240 tribes left
Conflict between indiginous tribes and loggers
