the carbon and water cycle in the Amazon basin Flashcards
(25 cards)
what is a flux tower?
they are used to measure the movement carbon dioxide from the biosphere to the atmosphere
what do rainforests play a vital role in doing
acting as one of the biggest natural carbon storage systems
what are the four main layers of the forest
- shrub layer
- lower tree canopy
- main canopy
- emergent
what percentage of light reaches the ground floor of the rainforest
3%
the amount of carbon taken out of the air is know as the
GPP (gross primary productivity)
what percentage of human emitted carbon dioxide, do tropical rainforest absorb
25%
how much carbon is taken in per hectare ( in the amazon rainforest)
200-300 tonnes
what percentage of precipitation, is recycled in the
amazon rainforest
between 50% and 60%, precipitation is recycled by the process of evapotranspiration, meaning it is reused
what are the evapotranspiration rates like in the amazon rainforest and why? what is the positive feedback loop here)
the rate of evapotranspiration, are high due to the large amount of rainfall, and tree cover, due to the high temperatures. More trees = more rainfall, leading to more evapotranspiration, less trees = less rainfall, leading to less evapotranspiration
how much rain annually is their in the amazon rainforest
3000mm to 4000mm per year
why do the rivers in the amazon, turn reddish brown after rain?
due to minerals (iron oxide)
what happens if we remove the canopy
we decrease the amount of interception, which then means that there more water hitting the soil and washing away the organic matter, thus resulting in a increase in the amount of surfacer runoff
know how to compare different factors, in a undisturbed rainforest and a disturbed rainforest
page 9
explain why the trees are so important, in the Amazon carbon cycle
- absorbs around 24 billion tonnes per year of carbon
- stores 40 tonnes of carbon per hectare in roots, and 180 tonnes per hectare above ground
- less carbon, means less photosynthesis will occur
explain the roles of photosynthesis and decomposition as part of the carbon cycle
- plants use carbon dioxide, and light to convert it to energy
- warm conditions, causes faster deposition of organic matter
- rapid decomposition, so carbon dioxide returns to the atmosphere
- when felled, tree stumps and logs decompose, due to the heat and humidity, thus meaning that carbon dioxide, is returned to the atmosphere quickly
how does the geology of the amazon basin, affect the carbon stores?
- impermeable rock, have minimal carbon storage, resulting in reduced overall capacity,
- however permeable rocks, such as limestone, allows for more carbon to be stored,
- some rocks, store carbon (carbonates)
- drilling for oil, increases weathering thus returning more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere
the amazon rainforest is one of the largest what
carbons sinks
what makes a forest a primary forest
one that has been untouched (not deforested)
how much carbon can a primary forest store per hectare
300 tonnes
what percentage of the rainforest is cut down and replaced by grass land
80%
how many tonnes of carbon per hectare can grassland store
16.2 tonnes
how many tonnes of carbon per hectare can soya store
2.6 tonnes
explain, how deforestation affects soil in the amazon
- leads to a reduction, in organic material in the soil
- thus reducing the flow of carbon from the soil to the atmosphere
- the strong sunlight, will lead to fewer decomposers, thus reducing the flow of carbon from the soil to the atmosphere
- this leads to an increase in soil erosion and leaching
what is leaching
Leaching describes the “washing out” from soils any soluble chemicals that are not “bound” to the soil particles. It occurs as excess rain (or flood) waters drain through the soil.
