Amazon Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is the Amazon rainforest known for?
It is the largest tropical rainforest on Earth and covers 40% of the South American continent.
How many species of birds are found in the Amazon?
1000 species of birds.
Approximately how many species of plants are in the Amazon rainforest?
60,000 species of plants.
What is the estimated number of insect species living in the Amazon?
10 million species of insects.
How many people live in the Amazon rainforest?
20 million people.
What percentage of Earth’s species are found in the Amazon?
Almost 20% of species on Earth.
What significant environmental issue has affected the Amazon since the 1980s?
Deforestation.
What percentage of the Amazon rainforest has been lost according to current statistics?
20% of Amazon rainforest.
What is the estimated amount of carbon stored in aboveground biomass in Amazonia?
Approximately 100 PgC.
What percentage of the global terrestrial vegetation carbon stock does the Amazon hold?
17% of the global terrestrial vegetation carbon stock.
Which study indicated that around 1% of tree species in the Amazon account for half of the carbon storage?
A study by Fauset (2015).
How much carbon do dead Amazonian trees emit to the atmosphere each year?
1.9 billion tons of carbon.
What is the average annual rainfall across the Amazon basin?
Approximately 2300 mm.
What percentage of rainfall in the Amazon basin is thought to be re-evaporated before reaching the ground?
Up to half of the rainfall.
What are the main causes of deforestation in the Amazon?
Land clearances for agriculture, logging, road building, mineral extraction, energy development, and settlement.
What is selective logging?
Choosing only high-value wood, such as mahogany.
What is clear-cutting?
Cutting down all types of trees in an area.
What is the estimated percentage of the Amazon biome that could be without trees by 2030 if deforestation continues?
27 percent.
What atmospheric changes occur due to deforestation?
Changes in energy and water balance, higher albedo, decreased water demand, evapotranspiration, and canopy interception.
What did Lathuillière et al. find about evapotranspiration in Mato Grosso?
Forests contributed about 50 km3 per year of evapotranspiration in 2000, reduced to 40 km3 by 2009.
Fill in the blank: The Amazon rainforest is home to _______ tree species.
16,000 tree species.
True or False: The Amazon rainforest is a significant carbon sink.
True.
What is the average discharge of water by the Amazon River into the Atlantic Ocean?
Approximately 175,000 m3 per second.
How does deforestation affect rainfall patterns?
Less moisture goes into the atmosphere, leading to declines in rainfall.
