The Amazon Rainforest Flashcards
how many tonnes of carbon store in the amazon rainforest
100 billion
store or sink
sink
how much carbon is stored in above ground biomass
60%
how much NNP does Amazonia account for in all terrestial econsystems
15-25%
3 physical factors that effect stores and flow of water
- geology
- relief
- temperature
where is the rainforest
south America and it occupies 6 million km2
70% of the forest is in brazil but there are also parts in peru, Colombia and ecudaor.
4 key climate features
- high temp between 20-30 degrees c
-small seasonal variations
-high rainfall and humidity - no dry season
what type of rainfall falls all year around
convectional
what persentage of percptation in Amazonia is recycled by evapotransporation
50-60%
how much carbon do large forest trees store
180 tonnes c/ha + 40 c/ha tonnes in their roots
how much carbon does the amazon rainforest absorb every year
24 billion tonnes a year
are rates of carbon fixation through photosysnthsis high or low
high
deforestation per year since…
17,5000km2 per year since 1970-3013
how much of the primary forest has been destroyed since 1970
almost 1/5
when were the flood in the Mandirel River
april 2014
how many people died in the mandirel floods
60
how many people got evacuated in the manaderial floods
68,000
why did the mandirel flood happen?
human activity has modified flows and stores in the maderia drainage basin
- deforestation for farming
how does precipitation effect the water cycle?
high intensity convectional rainfall, interception by forest trees high all year round
intercepted rain accounts for 25% of all evapotranporation
how does evapotransportaion effect the water cycle?
high rates, 50% of incoming rainfall is returned to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration
how does the run off effect the water cycle?
rapid run off related to high rainfall
how does the atmosphere effect the water cycle?
high temprture mean that the atmosphere stores a large amount of water, relitive and absolute humidity is high
how does soil and ground water effect the water cycle?
abundent rainfall and deep tropical soil leads to high water storage in soil and aqafaries
how does vegitation effect the water cycle?
trees play a crucial role in absorbing and storing water from the soils and restoring it through transporation
net primary productivity (carbon)
2500 g/m2/ per year
how much carbon does the forest store each year
24 billion tonnes
how fast are the exchanges between the atmosphere, biosphere and soil
rapid
genreal about deforestation
present day deforestation is the most severe in tropical rainforest
deforestation exhausts the carbon biomass store
how are they improving agrictultrel techniques in the rainforest
farming - main source of deprivation, low fertility of the soil ment that permanent circulation is unsustainable
- diversification, soil fertility can be maintained by rotational crops
- integration, integrated crops and livestock could also allow an increase in productivity and help slow down the rate of deforestation
human enjeneered soil - so called dark soil, made from inputs of charcoal, waste and manure, this soil attracts fungi, micro organisms, and this allows the soil to maintain its fertility in the long run
how much rainforest is brazil committed to restoring by 2030 -
120,000km2
what are the three categories of strategy
- protection through legislation of large expanses that have so far been untouched
- peodjects to reforest degrade or destroyed areas through the use of sustainable farming, cattle ranching, logging and mining
-improving agricultural techniques to make permanent cultivation possible
how does the atmosphere effect the water cycle?
high temperature in the atmosphere means that large amounts of water are stored (absolute humidity is high) relative humidity is also high
