MAGASCAR - water and carbon

    Cards (10)

    • location
      • worlds 4th largest island
      • population is over 25 million
      • 50 species of lemurs / 15 of which have become extinct
      • in 2010, forest covered 22% of the island
    • the rainforest
      • occupies narrow belt in the north and then runs down entire eastern region
      • lower forest-lower Monoene slopes of eastern ridge of highlands
    • deforestation in the area
      • heavily forested until 1970
      • population growth = demand for food production and economic progress
      • over 70% of the population lives in rural areas
      • they rely on woodland for fuel, jobs and food
      • forest cleared to extend culturable land
      • loss of 3/4 forest due to deforestation
      • involves slashing and burning, logging, wildfires, land conversion-agriculture and fuelwood collection
    • water cycle impacts : soil erosion
      • gullies formed in the highlands
      • soil loss rates is 7x global average
    • water cycle impacts : increased run off
      • sediment flowed into river
      • slow channel discharge
      • damages land for cultivation
    • water cycle impacts : soil infiltration
      • reduced groundwater availability and drier soils
      • increased heat leads to soil sealing impermeable therefore even less infiltration.
    • water cycle impacts: less transpiration
      • local - drier atmosphere
      • longer than normal dry season (clouds less liable to form)
    • carbon cycle impacts
      • burning forest
      • slashed leaves and steams rapidly decompose on the surface
      • carbon removed from long term stores
      • grazing aimals= more methane /20 more methane produced than co2
    • life in madagascar
      • removal of habitats
      • endangers isolated and unique species
      • out of 50 species of lemur, 15 have become extinct in the recent decades
      • 3000 of madagascars plants and animals are threatened with extinction
      • drier local atmosphere, higher temperature and changes in ocean and wind patterns
    • REDD PROJECT
      • reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degeneration and conservation and sustaining development
      • 400,000 hectoares set aside from deforestation and allocateed as carbon credit schemes - absorbs 705,558 tonnnes of CO2
      • guartees long term forest protection
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