CS tropical rainforest: BRAZIL

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  • Created by: issyfra00
  • Created on: 21-04-17 16:03

facts

Location of Amazon tropical rainforest: Brazil, Venuzuala, Ecuador, Peru

Natural characaristics / importance:

-2000mm annual rainfall, 27 degrees all year = ideal for plant growth

-home to 200million people

-home to half the worlds species

-absorbs huge quantities of CO2, emits almost 30% of world O2

-Stores 1/5 of worlds carbon, is a carbon sink

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human activities & impacts

Human activities / how they cause environmental change:

- commercial farms -> machinery, plantations, ranching

- logging , deforestation, use of machinery

-Mining (at Carjas)

-settlements & urban expansions

Effect on carbon cycle:

-Amazon loosing capacity to absorb CO2, when forests regrow back (with less branches, shorter roots) absorbed 2 billion tonnes in 1990, now its halved.

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impacts & mitigation

Impact on water cycle:

-Atmosphere becomes less humid as evapotranspiration is reduced (via deforestation)

-increase in overland flow - rainfall immediately reaches ground

-soil is exposed to sun - dry -> vulnurable to erosion

-less stores, little interception/transpiration. increase risk of flooding

Mitigating the effects of environmental change in the Amazon:

-Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) promote harmonious development

-Afforesation / reforesation

- creation of national parks / reserves (eg. Para rainforest reserve - 15 million hectares)

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