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AMAZON RAINFOREST case study Flashcards

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1
Q

When did severe FLOODING occur in the MADEIRA RIVER?

A

2014

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2
Q

What is the MADEIRA

A

LARGEST TRIBUTARY
Maim Southern Amazon tributary

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3
Q

How large is the MADEIRA river’s WATERSHED?

A

900,000km² (nearly 2× spain)

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4
Q

What factors resulted in the flooding?

A

ALOT of RAIN
HUMAN ACTIVITY changed FLOWS and STORES of water in river’s CATCHMENT AREA

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5
Q

What UNPRECEDENTED WET CONDITIONS were reported?

How did this impact the MADEIRA RIVER?

A

2014 SUMMER (DEC- MAR) in SOUTHERN AMAZON; rainfall 100% ABOVE NORMAL

DISCHARGE 74% above normal at PORTO VELHO in RONDONIA

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6
Q

What are 3 of the Madeira’s biggest tributaries?
Where are they located?

A

the BENI, the MAMORÉ, the MADRE DE DIOS (which rises in Peru)

Emerge in THE ANDES MOUNTAINS,
at 2,800- 5,500m above sea level, and fall to 500m below sea level in BOLIVIA’S LOWLANDS

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7
Q

What has changed about the slopes in THE ANDES OVERTIME?

A

Were covered by FOREST 1,000 years ago
But now BARE- largely due to fires set to clear lane for SUBSISTANCE AGRICULTURE

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8
Q

SOCIAL IMPACTS of the FLOODING

A

60 people died
68,000 families DISPLACED the flooding

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9
Q

How has HUMAN ACTIVITY modified the STORES and FLOWS in the UPPER CATCHMENT AREA?

A

DEFORESTATION: decreases WATER STORE in trees; esp. PERU + BOLIVIA, on LOWER SLOPES of ANDES
(mainly cleared for RANCHING and SUBSTINANCE FARMING)

caused INCREASED RUN- OFF (vol + speed) as LESS INTERCEPTION
(changing forest to GRASSLAND increased run- off by FACTOR OF 27)

lack of TREE COVER increases SOIL EROSION; more soil in rivers, DECREASES their CAPACITY

less water in PERMEABLE ROCKS below ground (infiltration)

LESS WATER being released into ATMOSPHERE from trees as TRANSPIRATION
causes LESS PRECIPITATION

CHANGES at both LOCAL and REGIONAL SCALES
e.g. DOWNSTREAMS of DEFORESTATION site

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10
Q

Where are RAINFORESTS CONCENTRATED?

A

within the TROPICS, particularly around the EQUATOR
e.g. Amazon in BRAZIL; western Africa, South Asia
Mainly LIDCS (except AUSTRALIA)

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11
Q

What percentage of SPECIES of PLANTS and ANIMALS on Earth live in the Amazon Rainforest?

A

50%
HIGH BIODIVERSITY
LARGEST, RICHEST ECOSYSTEM

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12
Q

Where is the AMAZON RAINFOREST located?

A

from the ANDES MOUNTAINS in the WEST to the ATLANTIC COAST of BRAZIL in the EAST

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13
Q

What are the THREE LAYERS in the rainforest?

A

CANOPY- some large EMERGENT TREES stick out above (roughly 50km high) so can reach sunlight for PHOTOSYNTHESIS

UNDER CANOPY- roughly 30km high- younger, shade-tolerent trees

SHRUB LAYER- no flowers as too dark (unless break- rare)- dense plant growth e.g. shrubs, ferns, and insects

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14
Q

What is an example of an EMERGENT plant in the rainforest?

A

LIANAS (vines)- present in emergent layer; reach sunlight by CLIMBING UP TREES

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15
Q

Characteristics of the SOIL in the Amazon

A

Broken down rock with FEW NUTRIENTS up to 20M DEEP

nutrients LEACHED out of soil due to CONSTANT RAINFALL

top HUMUS layer is MOST NUTRIENT RICH as this is where ORGANIC MATTER DECOMPOSES

FUNGUS between ROOT SYSTEM on surface helps decomposition

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16
Q

What are examples of ADAPTATIONS of trees/ vegetation in the Amazon?

A
  • leaves with DRIP TOPS (extra pointy ends) so can easily have WATER FLOW DOWN TO GROUND and INFILTRATE so can be REACHED BY ROOTS
  • trees have SHALLOW ROOTS as top layer (HUMUS) contains most nutrients + have BUTTRESS ROOTS for stability
  • trees adapted to being SUBMERGED half of year (heavy rainfall)
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17
Q

What type of rainfall occurs in the Amazon?

How much?

Temps?

What happens to most this rainfall?

A

CONVECTIONAL RAINFALL- due to HOT CLIMATE year round

2000MM RAIN EACH YEAR; rarely below 25°C (HIGH HUMIDITY as LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM)

returns to ATMOSPHERE through EVAPOTRANSPIRATION

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18
Q

What type of trees are in the Amazon?
What does this mean for the Amazon?

A

rainforest is OVERALL EVERGREEN due to individual trees being DECIDUOUS, DIFFERENT TIMINGS (due to the indistinct seasons)

This means there are THICK LAYERS OF LEAVES on the forest floor which are BROKEN DOWN (along with wood) BY TERMITES

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19
Q

GEOLOGY in the Amazon

A

IMPERMEABLE- LOW INFILTRATION rates, HIGH RUN-OFF
large areas of BASIN made of IMPERMEABLE CRYSTALLINE ROCKS

in areas with IMPERMEABLE + POROUS rocks, MORE WATER will be held in GROUND + DECREASED SURFACE RUN-OFF

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20
Q

What is the difference between POROSITY and PERMEABILITY?

A

POROSITY descrives soil/ rocks capacity to HOLD WATER

PERMEABILITY describes how FAST WATER can MOVE from one point to another UNDERGROUND

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21
Q

location and size of the Amazon?

A

occupies over 6MIL KM2
70% rainforest in in BRAZIL
9 countries in total
LARGEST RAINFOREST in the world

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22
Q

climatic features of Amazon (temps, rainfall, humidity)?
why?

A

high avg. temps (25-30)
small seasonal variations in temp
high annual rainfall (over 2000mm)
no dry season
high humidity

located near EQUATOR (direct solar radiation), and ITCZ (low pressure, high precipitation)

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23
Q

how do the high temps in the Amazon impact the WATER CYCLE?

A

allows atmosphere to hold more moisture (HIGH HUMIDITY)

sun causes CONVECTION RAINFALL, HIGH EVATRANSPIRATION RATES (60% rainfall recycled from BIOSPHERE to ATMOSPHERE)

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24
Q

DENSE VEGETATION and trees means…

A

HIGH INTERCEPTION (20% is evaporated)

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25
how do roots/ plants contribute to the water cycle
water taken in through roots through STEM FLOW, and EVAPORATES the leaves release WATER and PARTICLES such as SALT that helps it CONDENSE and helps it form RAIN CLOUDS
26
how is water lost from the basin
by RIVER FLOW in the AMAZON RIVER
27
what PHYSICAL FACTORS influence the WATER CYCLE?
GEOLOGY RELIEF/ TOPOGRAPHY HIGH TEMPS HIGH HUMIDITY
28
how does GEOLOGY impact the water cycle?
SEDIMENTARY BASIN (limestones and sandstones- PERMEABLE AND POROUS so can INFLILTRATE and flow into AQUIFERS + CRYSTALLINE SHIELDS- IGNEOUS (IMPERMEABLE) due to TECTONIC ACTIVITY results in RAPID RUN- OFF rates, and LOW INFILTRATION rates
29
how can TOPOGRAPHY influence the water cycle?
large area is LOWLANDS (allows THROUGHFLOW, GROUNDWATER FLOW, and during high intensity events: SURFACE RUN-OFF in some vert flat areas e.g. THE PANTANAL, high WETLANDS form + water can be stored on surface for months (LONG RESIDENCE TIME) STEEPER RELIEF tends to have THINNER SOILS- less capacity to store rainwater so HIGH RUN-OFF in STEEPER WESR CATCHMENTS e.g. the STEEP SLOPES of THE ANDES
30
how does HIGH TEMPS impact the WATER CYCLE
HIGH EVAPORATION rates HIGH ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY (air can hold lots of water) this both leads to LOTS WATER VAPOUR IN ATMOSPHERE so LOTS of CONDESNSATION + RAINFALL
31
how does the amount of water vapour in the air impact the water cycle?
can be MOVED BY WINDS, forming FLYING RIVERS which fly in a SOUTH- WESTERLY DIRECTION across BRAZIL. there is MORE WATER stored ABOVE THE RAINFOREST than IN THE AMAZON RIVER
32
what PHYSICAL FACTORS influence the CARBON CYCLE in the Amazon?
TEMPERATURE GEOLOGY LEAF LITTER/ ORGANIC MATTER
33
how does TEMP impact the CARBON CYCLE?
high rates PHOTOSYNTHESIS high rates DECOMPOSITION
34
how does GEOLOGY influence the carbon cycle? what is a REGIONAL STORE of carbon in the Amazon?
igneous/ metamorphic CRYSTALLINE SHIELDS - not much CARBONATES+ hard to weather (LITHOLOGY) - NOT a KEY STORE of carbon in the Amazon LIMESTONE OUTCROPS in the WEST near THE ANDES which CONTAIN CARBONATES - contributes to the SLOW CARBON CYCLE
35
how does LEAFT LITTER and ORGANIC MATTER contribute to carbon cycle
ACCUMMULATES TEMPORARILY at SOIL SURFACE + within rainforest SOILS - HIGH TEMPS and HUMID CONDITIONS promote RAPID DECOMPOSITION of organic matter/ leaf litter by BACTERIA and FUNGI - decomposition releases NUTRIENTS TO SOIL for immediate take- up by tree- root systems, and EMITS CO2 which is RETURBED TO ATMOSPHERE
36
characteristics of SOIL in Amazon
mostly NOT VERY FERTILE + LIMITED NUTRIENTS all BIOMASS in SUPPORTED by thin, dark, FERTILE HUMUS LAYER
37
EXCHANGES OF CARBON in the Amazon
LARGE compared to other ecosystems between BIOSPHERE, ATMOPSHERE, and SOIL happen RAPIDLY
38
what is CARBON FIXATION? and its rates in the Amazon?
process by which ORGANISMS CONVERT INORGANIC CO2 into ORGANIC COMPOUNDS HIGH due to high rates PHOTOSYTHESIS (due to high temps)
39
what is the equation for photosynthesis?
6CO2 + 6H20 = C6H1206 + 602
40
how does LEACHING impact exchanges of CARBON in the Amazon?
Amazonian soils are HEAVILY LEACHED (loss of soluble substances e.g. NURTRIENTS from top humus layer by PERCOLATING PRECIPITATION the materials lost are CARRIED DOWNWARDS (ELUVIATED) and generally deposited in a lower layer (ILLUVILATED) - this causes LIMITED CARBON + NUTRIENT STORES in the soil
41
how does the WARM, HUMID CLIMATE impact the carbon cycle?
ideal for PLANT GROWTH - intense solar radiation (25C+) causes high DECOMPOSITION rates (e.g. of leaf litter), contributing to RAPID FLOWS OF CARBON; this breaks down in the HUMUS LAYER, and is used for trees to GROW RAPIDLY
42
what is NPP?
NET PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY - amount of CARBON produced by PLANTS in given amount of tune MINUS the amount of carbon USED BY PLANTS for RESPIRATION (a measure of RATE at which plants in an ecosystem PRODUCE CHEMICAL ENERGY)
43
NPP in the Amazon?
HIGH avg. 2500g/m2/year (RAINFOREST IS GAINING MORE CARBON THAN IT IS LOSING- CARBON SINK)
44
what is BIOMASS?
total quantity/ weight of organisms in given area/ volume
45
BIOMASS in Amazon
400-700 tonnes/ hectare (HIGH/ HIGH BIODIVERSITY)
46
how much carbon do trees typically store in their ROOTS?
180 tonnes carbon/ ha
47
how much carbon does the Amazon rainforest ABSORB per year?
2.4 BIL TONNES CARBON/ YEAR (MAJOT GLOBAL RESERVOIR/ SINK)
48
how much carbon is locked in, stored each year, and released each year from the Amazon rainforest?
carbon is RAPIDLY EXTRACTED and SEQUESTERED in the rainforest 100 BIL TONNES carbon locked in Amazon rainforest 2.4 BIL stored each year 1.7 BIL released each year (through decomposition) (CARBON SINK)
49
what is main store carbon in Amazon?
LARGE EVERGREEN TREES - 60% all carbon above ground stored in BRANCHES, STEMS, LEAVES of trees large rainforest tree can store 180 TONNES CARBON/ HA above ground + another 40 TONNES/ HA in roots
50
what HUMAN ACTIVITY is impacting the Amazon?
agriculture deforestation
51
IMPACTS of DEFORESTATION on WATER CYCLE
decreased HUMIDITY, decreased CLOUD FORMATION, decreased PRECIPITATION so, decreased INTERCEPTION, decreased EVAPORATION from leaves so, increased RUN- OFF, increased PEAK- FLOW + shorter LAG TIMES decreased SOIL MOISTURE STORAGE (as less ORGANIC MATTER) increased ABSORBTION SOLAR ENERGY at surface + increased TEMPS so, decreased TRANSPIRATION
52
how much forest considered DEFORESTED/ HIGHLY DEGRADED in 2022?
26% / over a quarter
53
what is PRIMARY CAUSE FOR DEFROESTATION in Amazon? other causes?
CATTLE PRODUCTION (80% all deforestation in region) soy bean production + logging palm oil production dominates in other rainforests
54
how have RATES of DEFORESTATION changes under different PRESIDENTS?
DECREASED ALMOST 50% in 2023 in comparison to 2022 (LOWEST RATE in 5 years) (5000km2 cleared, vs 10,000km2 cleared) -UNDER PRESIDENT LULA rainforest destruction has surged to 12 YEAR HIGH under PRESIDENT JAIR BOLSONARO
55
what human factors influence the WATER AND CARBON CYCLES? and where are impacts mainly seen?
population growth deforestation political decisions agriculture mining economic growth urbanisation climate change ranching at LOCAL + REGIONAL SCALES
56
what is PRIMARY FOREST?
unaffected by human activity -biomass of trees is 60% all carbon in ecosystem
57
how does deforestation impact the BIOMASS STORE?
exhausts it - drastically decreased inputs organic matter to soil - soil depleted of carbon + exposed to string sunlight, so supports less decomposer organisms (decreased flows carbon from biosphere to atmosphere)
58
strategies to manage tropical rainforests
* Brazil committed to restoring 120,000km2 by 2030 (under President Lula) * over 40% of the rainforest is under conservation management e.g. wildlife reserves and national parks, however 15% of the rainforest's biome is taken up by crops and farming.
59
reforestation projects
in RONDONIA- aims to develop a SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY SCHEME in form of 1000km2 commercial timber plantation on DEFORESTED LAND it SEQUESTERS CARBON in trees + soil, decreasing emissions from deforestation, re-establishing water and carbon cycles, decreasing run- off and loss of nutrients and carbon from soil
60
the REDD scheme
a UN scheme SURUI were first INDIGENOUS GROUP in Amazonia to join; provides payment for the tribe, meaning they can ABANDON UNSUSTAINABKE LOGGING PRACTISES they are granted CARBON CREDITS which can be purchased by international companies when they exceed annual carbon emissions quotas first sale: NATURA (large TNC) purchased 120,000 carbon credits
61
improved agricultural techniques
farming main cause deforestation in Amazonia soil fertility can be maintained by ROTATIONAL CROPPING + combining LIVESTOCK + ARABLE OPERATIONS- would allow 5 FOLD INCREASE in ranching productivity + help slow deforestation rates HUMAN ENGINEERED SOILS e.g. DARK SOILS (charcoal, waste- attracts micro- organisms so retains fertility) may allow PERMANENT CULTIVATION which would drastically decrease deforestation + carbon emissions
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