Amazon Rainforest case study: water cycle
- Created by: Katariina
- Created on: 20-12-21 10:37
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- Amazon Rainforest: water cycle
- Water cycle facts
- Evapo-transpiration is high (7.2 gigatonnes).
- One large tree can lift up to 100 gallons of water out of the ground and discharge it into air in one day
- Precipitation
- Average rainfall = > 2000mm (convectional rainfall), 13.8 gigatonnes
- Soils
- Deep tropical soils leads to significant water storage in soils and aquifers
- Vegetation
- Vegetation absorbs and stores water from soil and releases it through transpiration
- Vegetation absorbs 80% of rainfall
- Vegetation absorbs and stores water from soil and releases it through transpiration
- Evapo-transpiration is high (7.2 gigatonnes).
- Physical factors affecting stores and flows
- Geology
- Impermeable catchment (Amazon basin area is comprised of impermeable crystalline rocks; metamorphic and igneous)
- This results in minimal storage capacity: increased rates of run-off
- Western part of the Amazon catchment contains limestones and sandstone rocks
- These rocks are porous and have better capabilities of storing water = reduced rates of run-off
- Impermeable catchment (Amazon basin area is comprised of impermeable crystalline rocks; metamorphic and igneous)
- Relief
- Made up of extensive lowlands
- Water moves via overland flow and throughflow to streams and rivers
- Widespread inundation across extensive floodplains (eg Pantanal) occurs annually
- In the West Andes create steep catchments that cause rapid run-off
- Made up of extensive lowlands
- Temperature
- Hot: average temperature 25-30C
- Results in high rates of evapo-transpiration
- Humid
- Convectional rainfall high (Jan-May), 200-300mm, resulting in high atmospheric humidity
- Hot: average temperature 25-30C
- Geology
- Water cycle facts
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