The Amazon

Question 1

What percentage of the earth is made up of rainforests?

Answer 1

6%

Question 2

How much of the worlds photosynthesis is through rainforests?

Answer 2

30-50%

Question 3

How many trees are in the Amazon?

Answer 3

300 billion

Question 4

What is the inter-topical convergence zone?

Answer 4

ITCZ
where the Hadley cells meet at the equator

Question 5

What weather conditions result from the ITCZ?

Answer 5

Low air pressure and huge amounts of evapotranspiration

Question 6

How much rainfall does the Amazon have?

Answer 6

3000mm a year

Question 7

What are the average temps of the Amazon?

Answer 7

28°C

Question 8

How much of the rainfall in the Amazon is intercepted, and how does it reach the ground?

Answer 8

75%
Reaches the ground through stemflow

Question 9

How much of the Amazon rainfall evaporates?

Answer 9

25%

Question 10

How much of the Amazon rainfall is infiltrated or flows overland to nearby streams?

Answer 10

50%

Question 11

In the last 50 years, what percentage of primary rainforest has been lost in the Amazon?

Answer 11

17%

Question 12

What percentage of amazon deforestation is the result of cattle ranching, logging, mining and housing?

Answer 12

80%

Question 13

How much of the Amazon was destroyed in 2023?

Answer 13

5100km²

Question 14

What does deforestation of the Amazon do to the water cycle? (5)

Answer 14

Less evapotranspiration - less humid.
Less interception - baked soils
Less cloud coverage
Sudden evaporation from slash + burn
Increased runoff - flash flooding risks

Question 16

How much carbon do rainforests absorb a year?

Answer 16

1-3 gtC

Question 17

What processes in rainforests release carbon?

Answer 17

Respiration, decomposition, and soil erosion

Question 18

How does slash+burn of rainforests affect the carbon cycle?

Answer 18

Release trapped CO2: 30-60% released immediately.
The lead GHG cause

Question 19

How much has the Amazon be decreasing annually since 2000?

Answer 19

0.3%

Question 20

How much CO2 does the Amazon absorb each year?

Answer 20

2.2bn tonnes

Question 21

How much CO2 does the Amazon emit annually?

Answer 21

1.9bn tonnes

Question 22

How do absorption rates of carbon differ now compared to the 90s in the Amazon?

Answer 22

Absorbed 2bn in 90s
Now only 1bn

Question 23

In rainforests, what has the average temps increase been since the mid 70s?

Answer 23

0.25° every 10 years

Question 24

How much rainforest was lost between 2000-2010?

Answer 24

3.6m hectares

Question 25

What would a 3°C do to rainforests?

Answer 25

Destroy 75% of forests - mostly by droughts

Question 26

How much Carbon do the soils in the Amazon store?

Answer 26

4-9kg in the upper 50cm

Question 27

What is TARAPOTO mitigation?

Answer 27

Began 1995 8 countries - 12 criteria for forest sustainability

Question 28

How has investment helped protect rainforestss?

Answer 28

Investments in research, tech and education as well as protected areas

Question 29

What is ACTO?

Answer 29

Amazon Cooporation Treaty Organisation. Promotes sustainable development. 8 members. Monitor illegal logging and create conservation corridors

Question 30

What are the two examples of national parks in the Amazon?

Answer 30

Jau and Para

Question 31

What is the Jau national park?

Answer 31

5.6m acres UNESCO site

Question 32

What is the Para national park?

Answer 32

15m acres. Conservation corridors

Question 33

What is agroforestry?

Answer 33

Planting trees and annual crops. Holds more carbon

Question 34

What is reforestation?

Answer 34

Planting trees in areas with no growth. Encourages biodiversity