Tropical Rainforest Flashcards
Where are trf
Located 5 degrees north and south of equator
In tropics of cancer and Capricorn
How much carbon do they store
550gtc
What % of terrestrial carbon do they store
20%
Why do trf have high npp
Hot and humid
Decomposition, respiration and photosynthesis all happen fast
What is the largest store
Biomass
Why is the litter and soil store so small
Litter gets decomposed rapidly due to high temp and humidity
Carbon and nutrients get taken back up by plants very fast due to high biodiversity and number of plants
Convectional rainfall washes out DOC from the soil and litter into the rivers
How is photosynthesis maximised
Evergreen plants due to no seasons
Can photosynthesis all the time
And lots of daylight and sun for photosynthesis (12hrs a day)
Warm temperatures (25 degrees)
3000mm precipitation a year
Why does it recurve lots of rain
Inter tropical convergence zone
Forcing moist warm air to rise
How much light does the canopy layer absorb
70%
How much rain does the canopy lAyer in receipt
80%
How much carbon stored in trees alone
700 tonnes
How much carbon dioxide does trees absorb
2.4bill tonnes
How much CO2 is produced from decomposition
1.7 bil tonnes
How do nutrients get put into the soil
Rapid nutrient cycle
Why is deforestation bad
Decreases photosynthesis
Less c02 taken in from the air
Slash and burn = combustion = releases CO2
Less carbon in the soil = supports less organisms = hard to regrow
Soil = vulnerable to leaching and rain erosion
