The Amazon (Water & Carbon)

Question 1

How many tonnes of carbon are stored within the Amazon Rainforest?

Answer 1

80-120 gigatonnes

Question 2

How much of the Amazon’s vegetation would be killed by a 3° temperature increase

Answer 2

70%

Question 3

What percent of the Amazon’s rainfall originates from within the rainforest?

Answer 3

70%

Question 4

What percent of the Amazon’s rainfall is intercepted?

Answer 4

80%

Question 5

What percent of deforestation in the Amazon is done for cattle ranching?

Answer 5

80%

Question 6

What percent is the estimated tipping point for deforestation of the Amazon? What percent has already been deforested and what does this suggest?

Answer 6

The tipping point is around 25%
The current amount deforested is nearly 20%
So therefore the damage is not yet irreversible

Question 7

What hydrological hazard is becoming more frequent in the Amazon and what other hazards may this make the region susceptible to?

Answer 7

Droughts are becoming more frequent which increases the risk of forest fires as there’s more dry material.

Question 8

What does REDD stand for?

Answer 8

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation.

Question 9

How has REDD helped to reduce deforestation?

Answer 9

They have spent $4.5 billion (USD) on preventing deforestation - particularly across Brazil. In most part by paying people to not log areas of rainforest

Question 10

How does deforestation impact the hydrological cycle in the Amazon?

Answer 10

There is decreased interception which leads to more splash and runoff erosion.