Tropical Rainforest (Indonesia) - Water & Carbon Cycle Case Study Flashcards
1
Q
Annual rainfall of TRF
A
2000mm
2
Q
Average temperature of TRF
A
27C
3
Q
How much of the rainforest is cut down every year?
A
1 million ha (highest rate globally)
4
Q
How much of Indonesia was a rainforest in the 1960s?
A
80%
5
Q
How much of Indonesia is a rainforest today?
A
50%
6
Q
How much of the rainforest is peatland and why is this a problem?
A
30% - it’s highly flammable therefore can lead to uncontrollable fires in the event of a wildfire and cause high levels of carbon release.
7
Q
What is the rainforest water cycle like?
A
- Heavy rain daily
- 25% evaporated
- Canopy intercepts 75% (50% of this leaves through transpiration and the other 50% infiltrates or runs off)
8
Q
How does deforestation impact the rainforest?
A
- Half of the RF is gone
- Fewer trees therefore lower interception
- More rain reaches the ground compacting the soil, so less infiltration more runoff and less evapotranspiration and precipitation
- ## Less trees means less nutrients, weaker soil, more erosion
9
Q
How do human led environmental changes affect the rainforest? (slash and burn)
A
- TRF cleared for mining and farming, fire being one of the most common methods ‘slash and burn’
- Stored carbon is then released
- Less photosynthesis and less carbon is absorbed
- Less respiration and less carbon is released
- Decomposition is largely absent
- Ash is washed into the ground, increasing carbon content
10
Q
How has deforestation affected Indonesia?
A
- 80% of Indonesia rainforest > 50% now
- Rainforest has now become a source rather than a store
- 3rd largest emitter of CO2 - 85% from peatlands and rainforest
- High demand for plywood, pulp, and palm oil so further deforestation to meet this demand
11
Q
How can the affects of human activity be mitigated?
A
- Zoning to spare forest, especially those considered of highest value from agricultural expansion and fires
- Expanding production on non-forested land
- Increasing productivity on land currently used for crop production
12
Q
What issues is the city of Jakarta facing?
A
- TRF: soaks up water providing natural flood protection and restoring aquifers
- Deforestation has increased risk of flooding in the wet season and droughts in dry season
- Deforestation in West Java has increased water flow and therefore decreased water quality
- Jakarta experiences high water stress as aquifers are depleted and not being recharged
- Abstraction has also caused the city to sink - 10cm/year
- Urban settlements are spreading onto deforested areas, meaning less flood protection
