THE AMAZON RAINFOREST CASE STUDY EXAM QUESTIONS

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THE AMAZON RAINFOREST CASE STUDY EXAM QUESTIONS

Actual Qs and Ans Expert-Verified Explanation

This Exam contains:

-Guarantee passing score -26 Questions and Answers -format set of multiple-choice -Expert-Verified Explanation

Question 1: How large is the amazon rainforest?

Answer:

5.5 milliom km2, covering 9 countries

Question 2: How does the carbon cycle effect the Amazon?

Answer:

Stores lots of carbon in the amazon vegetation and soils, so its a carbon sink.The increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has lead to increase in productivity in the Amazon rainforest- the amount of biomass has been increasing As a result of CO2 sequested by the Amazon rainforest has increased, making it an even more important carbon store.Trees are growing more quickly and dying younger As a result we can't rely on the Amazon rainforst to be such an effective carbon sink in the future.

Question 3: How does the water cycle effect the Amazon?

Answer:

Causes it to be very wet.- lot of evaporation over the Atlantic Ocean, and the wet air is blown towards the amazon. (Contributing to the high rainfall) Warm temperatures mean that evaporation is high in the rainforest itself, which increase amount of precipitations

Question 4: Give an example of the rate of deforestation

Answer:

Between 2000 and 2007, it was deforest as a rate of 19,368 km2 per year

Question 5: What happens to the water that evaporates?

Answer:

Forms shallow cumulous clouds which don't usually produce rain

Question 6: How does the warming of water temp vary the Amazon river?

Answer:

-Kills of temperature dependent species -Change the biodiversity of the river system by introducing new species and killing others -Reduces water-dissolved oxygen concentrations which could destroy eggs and larvae which rely on dissolved oxygen for survival

Question 7: Outline the forests ability to absorb CO2

Answer:

A study in 2015 stated it is losing.From a peak of 2 billion tonnes in 1990s, the net uptake has now halved Overtaken by fossil fuel emissions in Latin America Question 8: Outline national and international agreements which are trying to mitigate the effects of environmental change in Amazonia

Answer:

The Latin American Technical Cooperation Network on Watershed Management.Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation to promote harmonious development The TARAPOTO process to help achieve harmonious forest development

Question 9: What happens to half of the Amazon rainfall?

Answer:

Up to half of all rainfall in the Amazon does not reach the ground. It is intercepted by the forest canopy and re-evaporated into the atmosphere.

Question 10: What has caused a surge of dying trees in the Amazon?

Answer:

Increase in CO2 has caused a growth spurt, however the growth stimulation feeds through the system, causing trees to live faster and so die younger.

Question 11: Outline other mitigation strategies

Answer:

• Enrichment of degraded forest using native species
• Reforestation: Much of Brazils industrial (roundwood) timber comes from planted forests which make

up only 2% of the forest area

• Forest fuel production could compete with ethanol production from sugar cane by 2030
• The creation of national parks in force reserves e.g. The Tumucumaque National Park (3.84 million

hectares) and the Pará rainforest reserve (15 million hectares) Question 12: How could changes in total precipitation, extreme rainfall and seasonality alter the rainforest river?

Answer:

• Lead to an overall reduction in river discharge
• Cause an increase in silt washed into the rivers, which could disrupt the transport routes lead to
• Flash flooding destroying freshwater ecosystems this could remove a source of protein and income to

local inhabitants

• Destroy water supply which fulfils the need of Amazonian peoples

Question 13: What was a result of the slash and burn techniques used?

Answer:

• Reduces the retention of humidity in the soil's top layer down to a depth of 1 metre
• facilitates sudden evaporation of water previously retained in the forest canopy.
• increases albedo and temp.

-reduces porosity of soil causing faster drainage, rainfall, erosion and silting of rivers and lakes Question 14: What are the differences between tropical rainforest and the pasture land it is replaced with?

Answer:

Forest absorbs approximately 11% more solar radiation The average temp of a rainforest is 24.1°c and pasture is 33°c daily temp of amazon forest soils at 20cm did not exceed 2.8°c though pastures it is 8° Moisture content in upper one metre os pasture soil is about 15% less than under nearby forest Deeper forest roots can pump more soil moisture to the surface, producing 20-30 % more air humidity and 5-20% more precipitation than pastures Question 15: Outline evidence of Brazils contribution to the pollution of the environment

Answer:

4th largest climate polluter 75% of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to deforestation and land use change; 59% due to burning and loss of forest

Question 16: What inhibits the formation of clouds and reduces rainfall?

Answer:

The forests emits salts and organic fibres along with water when they transpire.These act as condensation nuclei and assist in cloud and rain formation.The loss of forest inhibits he formation of clouds and reduces rainfall

Question 17: How has climate change effected the amazon?

Answer:

Mean temp. increase of 0.26°c ± 0.05°c for every 10 years since mid 1970s

Question 18: What year did an intense drought occur?

Answer:

2005 Question 19: What is the average discharge of water into the Atlantic by the Amazon?

Answer:

The average discharge of water into the Atlantic Ocean by the Amazon is 150,000 m3/s.This is about 15% of the fresh water entering the ocean each day Question 20: How much carbon is stored in the amazon and in particular in plant mass?

Answer:

80 and 120 billion tons, 1/5 in plant mass

Question 21: Outline facts about the species

Answer:

300 Billion Trees

• million plant species

over 500 species of mammals over 2000 species of fish home to many endangered e.g. Amazonian Manatee (Aquatic mammal) black caiman (a reptile) and the pirarucu (a fish)

Question 22: Whats the temp. expected to increase by in 2050?

Answer:

2-3°c