Amazon Rainforest Case Study

Question 1

What are the characteristics of the Amazon Rainforest?

Answer 1

• Makes up 40% of SA’s land mass
• Hot, wet climate, dense vegetation
• 1 million plant species, 500 mammal species

Question 2

Describe the water cycle in the Amazon. 3 things

Answer 2

1. Amazon is wet - lots of evaporation over Atlantic Ocean blown towards Amazon
2. Warm temperatures = lots of evaporation = lots of precipitation
3. Dense canopy = high interception = less water -> rivers

Question 3

Describe the Amazon carbon cycle. 3 things

Answer 3

1. Carbon sink - lots in soil, vegetation
2. Increasing CO2 in air = more growth = more biomass
3. Carbon store - traps lots of carbon from atmosphere

Question 4

How does deforestation affect the water cycle in the Amazon? 2

Answer 4

1. Deforested areas = no canopy = no interception = more water reaches surface.
   - Soil saturated
   - Lots of runoff
2. Reduced evapotranspiration - less water vapour -> atmosphere = less clouds = higher drought risk

Question 5

How does deforestation affect the carbon cycle? 3 things

Answer 5

1. No roots = rain washes away soil = carbon stored in soil is released -> hydrosphere
2. Less leaf litter = less humus = less growth = limited carbon stored
3. Less trees = less carbon stored and absorbed

Question 6

How does climate change affect the Amazon?

Answer 6

Temp increase -> drought -> moisture loving species die

Question 7

What are the 4 ways in which human impact on the Amazon is being limited?

Answer 7

1. Selective logging
2. Replanting
3. Environmental law
4. Protection

Question 8

How is the human impact on the Amazon being reduced by selective logging?

Answer 8

Only some trees felled, others left - forest structure maintained so forest can regen

Question 9

How is the human impact on the Amazon being reduced by replanting?

Answer 9

• New trees replace those chopped.
• Peru plans to plant 3 million ha of rainforest in 2020
• Only native trees should be planted - to keep water + carbon cycle in natural state

Question 10

How is the human impact on the Amazon being reduced by environmental law?

Answer 10

• Laws ban use of unsustainably gathered wood
• Laws ban excessive logging
• Laws to control land use e.g. Brazilian Forest Code - landowners keep 60% of their land as forest

Question 11

How is the human impact on the Amazon being reduced by protection?

Answer 11

• National parks e.g. Central Amazon Conservation Complex in Brazil, set up 2003, protects 50 000km2 area
• Logging prevented in national parks