Amazon Rainforest Flashcards
What types of trees is the Amazon dominated by?
Tall, Evergreen, Hardwood.
What are the average annual temperatures?
25-30 degrees.
Is seasonal variation in temperature small or big?
Small.
Why are temperatures high, but not to that of a desert? What helps this?
=> Intense isolation close to the equator throughout the year.
=> Significant cloud coverage due to high levels of evapo-transpiration helps to stop it escalating.
How much does average annual rainfall exceed?
2000mm.
What type of rainfall is found in the Amazon? Explain it?
=> Convectional rainfall.
=> The sun heats up the Earth’s surface causing the air to warm up and rise. Ascending, it cools and condenses at higher altitudes, forming clouds.
What % of precipitation in the Amazonia is recycled in the atmosphere?
About 50-60%.
What process recycles precipitation into the atmosphere from the soil moisture store? Why is this such a sizeable process?
=> Transpiration.
=> The leaves of the rain forest evergreen trees forming a continious canopy layer, forming a large surface area for transpiration to occur.
Why are there high rates of evaporation and transpiration, 3 reasons?
=> High temperatures.
=> Abundant moisture.
=> Dense Vegetation.
What feedback loop sustains high rainfall?
Evapotranspiration-Precipitation.
What is absolute humidity?
How high temperatures allow the atmosphere to store large amounts of moisture.
What do deep tropical soils mean?
It can lead to a large soil moisture store.
What is the net primary productivity?
2500 g/m2/yr.
What are the impermeable catchments?
‘Ancient shields’. - Guyana and Brazilian Shield, where crystalline rocks are found.
What types of rocks are found between the ancient shields?
Permeable and porous e.g sandstone.
