Water and Carbon cycles CS (amazon rainforest) Flashcards
how much annual rainfall does the amazon get?
2000+mm
what is the temp of the amazon throughout?
27
how many people and species is the amazon home to?
200 million people
1/2 world species of plants/animals
what is the max hight of trees in the amazon?
45m
what % of oxygen does the amazon emit?
28%
how many trees are in the amazon?
390 bn
what are the 8 countries the amazon is spread across?
- Brazil
- bolivia
- peru
- ecudor
- columbia
- venezula
- suriname
- French Guiana
how many tonnes of carbon are stored in the amazon?
80-120 bn tonnes
how much carbon does the amazon take in ?
1-3 GTC/yr
what % increase has there been in above ground biomass and what does this lead too?
0.3-0.5%= rising productivity due to sequestering of increased co2 concentrations in atmosphere
what has cause rising atmospheric levels of CO2?
neg feedback
what has happened and continues to be an issue since 2015?
loosing capacity to absorb co2, form peak of 2bn tonnes of CO2 in 1990s- now 1/2 that
an increase in atmospheric co2 has led to what?
a growth spurt in tress, yet the growth stimulation leads to trees living faster and die younger. ^ rate of dying trees
what is the av discharge of water into Atlantic by the amazon?
175,000 m/s
what is the name of the 2nd largest river in the world that is a tributary of the amazon?
Rio negro
-100M deep & 14Km wide
what can the rainfall go up to?
6,000mm
why doesn’t rain water always reach ground?
1/2 is intercepted by canopy and re-evaporates
of the rainfall that evaporated back into atmosphere what % falls again as rain, what % reaches the sea, what happens to the rest?
45% falls again
30% reaches sea
rest stuck in constant closed loop
driefyly explain water system in amazon?
- water lost by transpiration from pores In leaves
- dense canopy intercepts rainfall, prevent hitting ground
- rainwater transferred to forest floor by drip/stem flow.
- most plants have shallow roots hat take rainwater and dissolved nutrients directly from decomposing leaf litter
what are 3 drivers of change in the amazon ?
- 2000-2007 deforested at rate of 19,000 km^2 yearly
- Brazil 4th largest climate pollster, 75% of GHGE attributed to deforesting and land use change
- removal of forest using slash and burn
what are the 4 main difference between trop rainforest and pasture land?
- RF aborb 11% more solar rad
- av temp RF= 24.1, P= 33%
- temp of amazons soils at 20cm <2.8oc, P= 8 oc
- deeper forest roots pump more soil moisture to surface= 30%, more air humidity= 5-20%, more rainfall than pastures
what are the 3 main impacts climate change is having on RF?
- all trop RF temp increase of 0.26+- 0.05 degrees every 10 yrs since 1970s
- by 2050= 2-3oc
- was change in rainfall between 1920-70s no change now
what are 3 main vegetation changes?
- 2000-10 3.6 mill ha loss of forest
- droughts and 6 temp= kill trees
- 2oc incraese above pre-indust levels would see 20-40% of amazon die within 100yrs (3oc ^=75%)(4oc^=85%)
what are 2 characteristics of amazon soil?
- contains 4-9kg of C in ^ 50cm
- when burned 30-60% C lost into atmosphere
what can a changes in precipation and extreme rainfall events seasonally lead too?: (4)
- overall reduction is river discharge
- flash flooding
- destroy fresh water ecosystem
- destroy water supply
what are 3 impacts of warm waters on amazon rivers?
- kill off temp dependent species
- change biodiversity
- reduce water dissolved oxygen
what are the 3 national and international agreement agencies (mitigation)?
- the TARAPOTO- prices to help achieve harmonious forest development
- Latin American Technical Co-op Network on Watershed Management (REDLACH)
- Amazon Co-op Treaty Org (ACTO) to promote harmonious development
what are 4 mitigation strategies?
- creation of national parks (e.g. para rainforest reserve 15 mill ha)
- enrichment of degraded forest using native species
- reforestation
- forest biofuel production
