Tropical Rainforests

Question 1

Describe the location and make up of the Amazon Rainforest:

Answer 1

South America
40 000 different species
20% of oxygen in the world comes from the Amazon
60% located in Brazil
13% in Peru

Question 2

Describe the climate for the Amazon Rainforest:

Answer 2

Annual temp 25-30 degrees
80% humidity
2000 mm average rainfall
No dry season

Question 3

What are the 4 layers of the rainforest (with metres)

Answer 3

Emergent - 60m
Canopy Layer - 30/40m
Under Canopy - 20m
Shrub Layer - 5m

Question 4

Why does the rainforest floor have poor fertility (lack of nutrients)?

Answer 4

Run off -> Takes soil with the water
Leaching -> High rainfall washes nutrients of soil
High demand -> So many trees, uptake is rapid

Question 5

What is the feedback loop in TRF?

Answer 5

Transpiration -> Condensation -> Precipitation

Question 6

What % of Amazonian precipitation is recycled?

Answer 6

50-60%

Question 7

How many Gt in Amazon basin?

Answer 7

13.8 Gt

Question 8

How many Gt in atmosphere?

Answer 8

7.2

Question 9

3 main water stores in TRF

Answer 9

Atmosphere
Vegetation
Soil

Question 10

3 factors affecting flows of water in Amazon (explain)

Answer 10

Relief -> Surface run off, overland flow/through flow
Geology -> Impermeable surfaces
Temp -> High evapotranspiration due to high temp

Question 11

Average deforestation rate per year in Amazon

Answer 11

1970-2013 -> 17 500km^2

Question 12

What is the Madeira Basin?

Answer 12

The main Amazonian Tributary

Question 13

When was the Madeira flood and what were the impacts?

Answer 13

2014
River -> 19.68m higher than normal
60 people died
68 000 families evacuated
Cholera common

Question 14

What has human activity meant for flows and stores in Amazon?

Answer 14

Deforestation -> Reduced storage in trees
Increased run off
Less evaporation -> less precipitation

Question 15

Difference between Absolute and Relative Humidity:

Answer 15

Absolute: Actual amount of moisture in the air
Relative: Water vapour in air relative to temp (as % of max)

Question 16

Causes of deforestation:

Answer 16

Cattle Ranching (Removal of forests for grazing)
Gold Mining
Subsistence Farming (Small scale farming for family survival)
Albedo Effect

Question 17

Define Net Primary Productivity:

Answer 17

Rate at which ecosystem captures and stores carbon as biomass

Question 18

Overall storage of Carbon in Amazon

Answer 18

80-120 billion tonnes