2.5 - Tropical Rainforest Case Study: Amazon Rainforest, Brazil (Paper 1)

Question 1

Explain the causes of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest: (3)

Answer 1

• Fire: Causes deforestation as forests are felled and then burned to make way for ranching and farming and this can quickly rage out of control. Just in 2019, over 20 million acres of the Amazon were devastated by fires. (1)
• Since the 1950s, the population of Brazil has tripled from 70 million to 215 million. With the growing population, space needs to be created for more housing due to more demand in this which results in the deforestation of the Amazon. (1)
• Cattle ranching is a leading driver of deforestation in the Amazon with an 8% increase of this activity since 2020. Because farmers need more space for agriculture, this results in mass deforestation. (1)

Question 2

Explain examples of adaptations of plants in the Amazon Rainforest: (3)

Answer 2

Victoria Amazonica waterlilies: The lilies can grow up to 3 metres in diameter and these have cuticles which help to keep the plant dry which allows it to draw sunlight for food production (photosynthesis). (1)

Orchids: There are 20,000 species of orchids in the Amazon Rainforest. Their roots have a large surface area which allows for the rapid absorption of nutrients and water and the magenta colour of orchids attract insects to pollinate their flowers. (1)

Rubber Trees: These trees can grow from 50-100 metres (emergent) tall and these trees have large leaves which allow it to absorb maximum sunlight. The shape of these leaves allow it to maximize the amount of water it absorbs as well so it can survive when not raining. (1)

Question 3

Explain examples of adaptations of animals in the Amazon Rainforest: (3)

Answer 3

Green-eyed tree frog: Has flaps of textured skin around its body to give it the colour of the barks of a tree which allows it to camoflage. (1)

Toucans: Are a bird species which only consume fruits in which other species cannot access. The only reason they can access it is because of their long beaks used to open these fruits. (1)

Poison Dart Frogs: They come in very bright colours like yellow, red, green and blue. These bright colours indicate to predators that they should stay away or else they will be poisoned. This helps this species survive for longer. (1)

Question 4

Explain the impacts of deforestation on the Amazon Rainforest:

Answer 4

• 2/3rds of species have loss their habitat due in the amazon due to deforestation and fires. Because of the mass deforestation, animals have nowhere to call home and therefore they gradually die off. (1)
• Due to deforestation of the amazon, there are 1 billion metric tons of CO2 being released each year. This is because trees give us oxygen to breathe but this is not the case here since there is no trees. This could lead to a build up of pollution which impacts the environment both locally and globally. (1)

Due to deforestation, 18% of the Amazon has been lost. And because there are no trees for interception, when it rains the water just makes direct contact with the ground which leads to the ground being saturated and there is an increased chance of flooding (1)

Question 5

Explain the characteristics of the Amazon Rainforest: (4)

Answer 5

• The Amazon recieves over 2000mm of
  precipitation annually. (1)
  
  • There is a low range of mean monthly
    temperatures: 26-28 degrees. (1)
  • Diurnal range is about 7 degrees. (1)
  • Yellow clay-like laterite soils. (1)

Question 6

Explain the responses to deforestation in the Amazon:

Answer 6

Brazil, which announced a national plan to reduce its deforestation rate 80 percent by 2020 (compared with its average rate over the decade 1996–2005) and later made this commitment part of its national law. (1)

• Norway has committed $1 billion to compensate Brazil for its emissions reductions. This can reduce deforestation because countries around the world are against Brazil cutting down trees and the compensation can encourage Brazil to reduce this. (1)
• Brazil has thought of other ways to provide jobs instead of cutting down trees to provide space for people to work on farms. Through social programs such as Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) and Bolsa Familia (Family Allowances), Brazil has lifted more than 10 million of its citizens out of poverty and substantially lowered rates of hunger and malnutrition with limited impact on the environment. (1)