Case studies

• What are the case studies for water and carbon cycles

  Amazon rainforest and arctic tundra
• What is a tropical rainforest

  An area with no dry season
• What area does Amazon rainforest occupy

  6 million km2
• What is the climate of the Amazon rainforest

  Over 2000mm of annual rainfall

  average temp is 27 degrees
• What percentage of earths oxygen is produced by rainforest

  20
• How many trees does the rainforest have

  300 billion
• What are the characteristics of rainforest soil

  very deep and has a layer of humus on the top, due to decomposition
• What are inputs of water into the RF

  precipitation
• What % of rainfall is recycled in the ARF

  50
• What are the stores of water in the ARF

  Atmosphere

  lakes and rivers

  trees

  soil
• What are the factors affecting the water cycle in the ARF

  Temperature

  geology
• What is the NPP of the ARF

  2500
• Factors affecting the carbon cycle in the ARF

  temperature

  vegetation

  soil
• What are the causes of deforestation in the ARF

  burning - over 1000 burnt in 2022

  shifting cultivation

  grazing
• What is shifting cultivation

  When trees are cut down to make room for crops
• What is grazing

  Large areas of forest are cleared to make room for cattle
• How does deforestation affect the carbon cycle in the ARF

  Less vegetation so less co2 absorbed from photosynthesis

  fires - emit co2
• What are the impacts of deforestation on the water cycle in the ARF

  interception will decrease and risk of floods increases

  evapotranspiration decreases therefore precipitation decreases
• What happened at the Madeira river basin

  Deforestation in the highlands of Peru meant there was a land tsunami causing the death of 60 people.
• What happens to albedo after deforestation

  It is lowered - leads to a positive feedback cycle of rise in temperature
• What is the ARPA management strategy in the ARF

  Amazon regional protected areas

  aims to decrease deforestation

  has 70mil hectares of land in protected areas and has led to a 37% decrease.
• What were the limitations of the ARPA project in ARF

  illegal logging was still happening

  the protected areas were an obstacle to economic growth
• What were the successes of the ARPA project in the ARF

  37% decrease

  when the programme turned 15 it reached 100% of its targets
• What was the surui people and UN- RED scheme

  UN-REDD are trying to help the tribe of surui people to protect the forest. They are giving trees to plant and been told to report illegal logging

  also given carbon credits
• What were the benefits of the UNREDD project

  The carbon offsets were equivalent to 64,000 cars been removed from the road a year

  in 2013 they sold 120,000 tonnes of carbon to natura
• What were the limitations of the UN REDD scheme

  Suspended in 2016 due to logging

  carbon credit programme collapsed after they discovered diamonds beneath the forest.
• What did the CREES foundation do

  Promote agroforestry- a Peruvian based NGO. Provide training and loans
• Where is arctic tundra located

  Arctic circle in the northern hemisphere
• What is the climate of arctic tundra

  Only 137mm of rainfall a year

  average temp is about -12

  can reach -40 in winter
• What is permafrost

  Ground that has been frozen for 2 years
• What is unfrozen found within permafrost called

  Talik
• What is the water cycle like in the arctic tundra

  Very low, little precipitation so little evaporation
• What are the seasonal changes to the water cycle in the arctic tundra

  In the summer months there is more surface water due to melting and thawing
• What factors affect the water cycle in the arctic tundra

  Temperature

  rock porosity
• where Is most carbon stored in the arctic tundra

  trapped in frozen permafrost
• What is the carbon cycle like in the arctic tundra

  Very little photosynthesis and respiration.
• What happens in the summer in arctic tundra

  Longer daylight hours so plants begin to grow and carbon is absorbed
• Where is the oil industry in Alaska

  Prudhoe bay Alaska (1968)
• What does oil do for the north slope of Alaska

  Generates 1/2 of GDP

  1/4 of jobs

  the trans Alaskan pipeline was developed 800 miles long
• How has the oil industry affected the water cycle

  Permafrost thaws so there is more run off which increases flood risk. Increased precipitation due to more evaporation