Amazon Rainforest case study

• What is the Amazon Basin known for in terms of wetlands?


  It has the most extensive and diverse freshwater wetlands in the world.
• How is the high wetland biodiversity in the Amazon linked to flooded forests?


  It is linked to the extensive flooded forests where aquatic and arboreal life comes together during long annual floods.
• What types of water bodies are included in the Amazonian wetlands?


  They range from small glacier-fed streams to the largest river in the world.
• What does the Amazon River supply to the Atlantic Ocean?


  It supplies an enormous estuary with freshwater and pushes the Atlantic out to sea.
• How much of the lowland Basin could possibly be classified as wetlands?

  As much as 800,000 km² or 14% of the lowland Basin.
• What are some examples of large wetland areas in the Amazon?

  Examples include palm-dominated swamps in the Marañón and Ucayali basins and the Llanos de Mojos savannas.
• What percentage of the Amazon Basin's wetlands does the floodplain account for?


  Less than 2% of the Amazon Basin.
• How much area of the main Amazon River floodplain is inundated during the highest water levels?


  Approximately 85,000 km².
• What happens to the floodplain area during the lowest water levels?


  It decreases by about 45% and consists mostly of permanent channels and lakes.
• What is the single largest wetland in the Amazon Basin?

  The savanna area of the Llanos de Mojos of Eastern Bolivia (92,000 km²).
• What has been the focus of conservation efforts in the Amazon Basin over the last few decades?


  Conservation efforts have largely centered on upland deforestation.
• What hinders the conceptualization of wetlands in the Amazon Basin?


  A lack of widely recognized and used terms for wetlands in both Spanish and Portuguese.
• Why should uplands and wetlands be considered together in conservation efforts?


  To preserve ecosystem functions.
• What are the main definitions of wetlands according to different stakeholders?

  • Hydrologists and ecologists: emphasize flooding.
  • Botanists: focus on vegetation.
  • Soil scientists: center on soil properties.
• What is the general definition of wetlands according to the Ramsar Convention?


  Wetlands are areas where water is the primary factor controlling the environment and associated life.
• Why do scientists emphasize the need to standardize definitions of wetlands?


  It would theoretically make it easier to classify wetlands over large areas.
• What is an example of a definition of wetlands that emphasizes the presence of plants?


  A wetland is an ecosystem that arises when inundation by water produces soils dominated by anaerobic processes.
• How does the definition of wetlands vary in the United States?


  There are diverse definitions used by the federal government and each state.
• What are the three attributes that classify wetlands according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service?


  1. Supports predominantly hydrophytes; 2. Predominantly undrained hydric soil; 3. Saturated with water or covered by shallow water.
• What are the implications of different definitions of wetlands adopted by political entities?


  They can have important implications in terms of wetland regulations.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of wetland definitions?


  Strengths:

  • Broad definitions allow for inclusivity.
  • Specific conditions can be specified in regulations.

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Varying definitions can complicate policy development.
  • Endless debates can hinder conservation efforts.
• Who reported on the subterranean river beneath the Amazon region of Brazil?

  Richard Black
• Why is the subterranean river described as 'not a river' in the conventional sense?


  Because water moves through porous rock at very slow speeds, not flowing like a typical river
• What was the speed of water movement through the porous rock measured in?


  Centimeters or inches per year
• How did researchers deduce the existence of the subterranean river?


  By using temperature data from boreholes across the Amazon region
• Who conducted the study on the subterranean river?

  Valiya Hamza and Elizabeth Tavares Pimentel
• What data source did Petrobras provide to the scientific community?


  Data from boreholes dug in search of oil and gas
• What mathematical models did the scientists use to infer water movement?


  Models relating temperature differences to water movement
• In which direction did the researchers conclude the water was moving?

  From West to East
• How long is the underground flow described in the study?

  6,000 km (4,000 miles)
• Why did Professor Hamza say the term 'river' was used in a generic sense?


  Because it does not fit the popular notion of a river
• What are the three kinds of "river" mentioned in the Amazon?


  The Amazon itself, water vapor in atmospheric circulation, and moving groundwater
• What is the total calculated volume of the underground flow?


  About 4,000 cubic metres per second
• How does the speed of the underground flow compare to glaciers?


  It is slower than glaciers
• What did Jorge Figueiredo say about the possibility of the water reaching the Atlantic Ocean?


  He said it would be unlikely due to impermeable barriers
• What did Dr. Figueiredo claim about the water at depths of 4,000m?


  He claimed there is no possibility of fresh water, only saline water
• What method did Professor Hamza suggest for confirming the underground flow?


  Geothermal methods
• What challenges did Professor Hamza mention regarding experimental techniques at lower velocities?


  They may pose considerable difficulties
• What is the significance of the zone of relatively fresh water mentioned by Professor Hamza?


  It may allow examination of sediments transported into the Atlantic
• What was the title of the research presented at the Brazilian Geophysical Society Congress?


  Indications of an Underground "River" beneath the Amazon River: Inferences from Results of Geothermal Studies