TRF - Case study Flashcards
How big is the amazon rainforest basin?
670 million hectares
How many trees in amazon rainforest?
300 Billion
How many countries does the amazon rainforest go through?
9
How many people live in the Amazon?
34 million people
What is the avg discharge of water into the atlantic ocean?
175,000 m^3/s
What is the second largest river in the amazon and its width and depth?
Rio Negro - 14km wide 100m deep
What is the avg rainfall in amazon basin?
2300mm annually can reach to 6000mm
How much rainfall is released back as rain that was evapotranspiration back into the atmosphere?
48%
How much carbon did the amazon store in 2019?
76 Billion
What effect does the inc conc of carbon do to trees?
It increases productivity which then decreases the life span of trees which cause them to die younger
How much carbon did amazon absorb in 2019?
600 million tons
What does deforestation do to the amount of carbon the amazon can absorb and was this an increase or decrease on the amount of carbon that was absorbed in 1990s?
Deforestation decreases amount absorbed as in 1990s it was the peak of 2 billion tons of carbon being absorbed each year.
What degree does the amazon lie in?
5 degrees north and 10 degrees south
What does the degree the amazon lie in mean?
A lot of solar radiation
high temperatures
a lot of evaporated
More clouds
more precipitation
One way carbon and water is interlinked? (Hint: Trf Soil)
Normally rainforest soil is nutrient poor and it is not stored for a long time.
Due to heavy rain it washes organic material from the soil.
The heavy rainwater also seeps into the ground and leeches away any nutrients.
But due to the high diversity of decomposers the dead material is decomposed quickly so nutrients is also taken up quickly by plants.
Another way carbon and water is linked?(Hint: Soil quality)
infiltration and through flow is enhanced by well formed soil.
The formation of soil structure is dependent on the carbon cycle.
When there is more carbon in the atmosphere there is more soil organic carbon which promotes soil structure and the stability.
Another easy way carbon and water is linked? (Hint: plants)
Photosynthesis:
without carbon or water there is no o2 produced.
What was the deforestation rate from 2000-2007?
19368km^2/ year
What % is Brazil greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and burning in the amazons rainforest?
59%
3 ways slash n burn is bad for the enviroment?
It causes sudden evaporation of water stored in the tree canopies.
This increases albedo and inc in temp
It also inc porosity of soil - erosion silting in riviers and lakes.
How does deforestation affect precipitation?
Forests emit salts and organic fibres which act as condensation nuclei which contributes to cloud formation. So less trees mean less precipitation
What is stored in trees that will be released when cutted down?
Carbon
What is the secondary impact of deforestation (Hint:cows)
80% of deforestation is due to cattle ranching
Due to enteric fermentation - accounts for 40% of regions total green house gas emissions in 2011
What does the removal of vegetation cause?
it causes more weathering release carbon through weathering of carbon containing rocks.
Why is hydroelectric dams bad?
It causes the area to flood and an artificial store of water.
pro: reduce carbon as it does not burn fossil fuels for electricity
con - veg is inundated by reservoirs which releases methane from sedimant decompostition
How much % dies mining contribute to deforestation?
2%
What happens if demand for minerals inc?
More mineral extraction - more deforestation
One mitigation for deforestation?
CACC - Central Amazon conservation complex
More then 6m hectares is protected
But very low amount of rangers protecting the area
Split up to 4 zones
the jau national park is the most protect of 2.3 million hectares
Its only used for conservation and strict research and eco tourism
Reforestation - “native tree planting” - indigenous trees
programs such as “amazon fund” finance them
One example of natural variation?
The canopy of trees receive the most sunlight and water - more photosynthesis: higher yield of fruits,seeds,flowers
However the canopy blocks the sunlight on the floor - low rate of photosynthesis (light is limiting factor)
rate of flows vary in different seasons
- however less variation then other biomes
- dry season still have alot of rain (64mm)
futhermore - high levels of transpiration
-high levels of humidity
-reduce variation
