The Amazon Rainforest

Question 1

Facts?

Answer 1

• Worlds largest tropical rainforest
• Covers 40% of South American Landmass
• Hot, wet climate
• Dense vegetation
• Indigenous people
• 1 million plant species, 500 mammal species, 2000 fish species
• Home to many endangered species

Question 2

Water Cycle within the Amazon TRF?

Answer 2

1) Lots of evaporation over the Atlantic Ocean, wet air blown towards the Amazon. Contributes to high precipitation rates.
2) Warm temps, high evaporation, increase precipitation
3) Dense canopy, high interception, less water flows into rivers
4) Populated by species which are adapted to high humidity and frequent rainfall

Question 3

Carbon Cycle within the Amazon TRF?

Answer 3

1) Stores lots of carbon in vegetation and soil, a carbon sink
2) CO2 increase causing increased productivity, as vegetation access more CO2 for photosynthesis
3) CO2 sequestered increased
4) But trees growing quicker are dying younger

Question 4

Deforestation effects on the water cycle in TRF?

Answer 4

1) No tree canopy to intercept rainfall. Too much water to soak into soil, more surface runoff, increased risk of flooding.
2) Reduce rate of evapotranspiration, less water vapour , fewer clouds form, rainfall reduced, risk of drought

Question 5

Deforestation effect on the Carbon Cycle in TRF?

Answer 5

1) Heavy rain washes away nutrient rich soil, transfer carbon stored in soil to hydrosphere
2) Less leaf litter, humus not formed. Limits carbon absorbed, can’t support growth
3) Trees remove CO2, mean there will be more atmospheric CO2.

Question 6

Affect of Climate Change on TRF?

Answer 6

1) Temp increase, more drought. Amazon had severe droughts in 2005 and 2010.
2) Plants and animals adapted to moist climate, dying due to dry conditions.
3) More frequent forest fires, release CO2 into atmosphere
4) Predicted 4°C temp rise could kill 85% of Amazon rainforest.

Question 7

Attempts to limit human impacts on the Amazon?

Answer 7

Selective Logging
Replanting
Environmental Law
Protection

Question 8

How does Selective Logging reduce human impacts?

Answer 8

Only some trees are felled, generally older ones
Less damaging than felling all trees in one area, keeps forest structure. Means that soil is not exposed. Forest able to regenerate, less impact.

Question 9

How does Replanting reduce human impacts?

Answer 9

New trees planted to replace those cut down.
E.g Peru plans to restore 3.2 million hectares of forest by 2020.
Same type of tree that is cut down has to be replanted to keep variety of trees for the future.

Question 10

How do Environmental Laws reduce human impacts?

Answer 10

Protect the rainforest;

• Laws ban the use of wood from forests that are not managed sustainably.
• Laws ban excessive logging
• Laws control land use E.g. Brazilian Forest Code, landowners have to keep 0-80% of their land as forests.

Question 11

How does Protection reduce human impacts?

Answer 11

Set up National Parks and nature reserves to protect rainforests. E.g. Central Amazon Conservation Complex, Brazil, 2003, protests biodiversity in 49 000km2 area.
This means damaging activities can be monitored and prevented.