The Amazon Rainforest Flashcards
Where is the amazon?
World’s largest tropical rainforest and covers 40% of South American land mass
Whats the Amazon like?
Hot, very wet climate and the vegetation is dense
What lives in the Amazon?
1 million plant species, 500 mammal species and 2000 species of fish and endangered species like Amazonian manatee and a prarucu
what is the water cycle like in the amazon?
Very wet with lots of evapotranspiration over the Atlantic Ocean and the wet air is blown towards the amazon
What are the temperatures like at the Amazon?
Warm means that evaporation is high in the rainforest. increases the amount of precipitation
What does the rainforest having a dense canopy mean?
That interception is high, meaning less water flows into rivers than might be expected ti be more slow
How does the water cycle affect the amazon?
Populated by species that are adapted to high humidity and frequent rainfall.
Why is the amazon a carbon sink?
Stores lots of carbon in its vegetation and soil
What has increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has led to?
Increased productivity in the Amazon because the vegetation is able to access more CO2 for photosynthesis - the amount of biomass has been increasing
what 2 human ways as human activities changed the amazon?
Deforestation and climate change
How has deforestation affected the water cycle
Theres no tree canopy’s to intercept rainfall so more water reaches the ground. Theres too much water to. akin. the soil, so the water gives to rivers as surfave runoff increasing flood risk
Deforestation reduces the rate of evapotranspiration - meaning less water vapour reaches the atmosphere, fewer clouds and rain leading to drought.
How has deforestation affected the carbon cycle
Without roots to hold together the soil, rain washes away the nutrient level transferring carbon stored in the soil to the hydrosphere
Deforestation means there’s leaf litter, so the soil can’t support new growth limiting the amount of carbon absorbed
Trees remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store it, so. fewer trees means more atmospheric CO2 enhancing there greenhouse effect and global warming
How has climate change impacted the amazon
In some areas temperature is increasing and rainfall is decreasing leading to drought, the amazon saw severe droughts in 2005, 2010 and 2015-2016
What can droughts cause?
Plants and animals are adapted to moist conditions so many species die in the conditions so many die or become extinct. They lead to forest fires and destroy areas of frost
Scientists predict that a 4 temp rise could kill 85% of the amazon. This results in lots of carbon being released into the atmosphere as dead material decomposed and less CO2 is taken from photosynthesis
What attempts have been put in place to limit human impacts?
- Selective Logging
- Replanting
- Environmental Law
- Protection
Explain Selective Logging
Only some trees ate felled This is less damage to the forest . If only a few trees ate taken from each areas. the forest structure is still there and soil isn’t exposed. Meaning the forest can regenerate so the impact on the carbon and water cycle is small
Explain replanting
New trees are planted to replace the cut down ones. InPeru there’s a project to plant 115 acres of forest in 2016 -2019.
It is important to plant the same type of tree so the variety of trees is kept for the future local water and Caron cycle
Explain Environmental law
They help to protect against rainforests -
- Laws ban the use of wood from forests that aren’t manages sustainably
- Laws than ban excessive logging
- Laws that control land use
Explain protection
Countries have set up national parks and reserves to protect rainforests. In 2003 the Central Amazonian Conservation Complex was set up to protect. biodiversity in a 49,000km , while allowing local people to use the forest in a sustainable way. Within national parks and nature reserves, damaging activities can be monitored and prevented.
