Amazon rainforest case study

Amazon rainforest overview

5.5million km2, 300 billion trees, open locally/closed globally

Annual rainfall and what drives it

>2,000mm annually, driven by ITCZ

How much rainfall is recycles

50-75% rainfall recycled with canopy layer intercepting 50% rainfall and re-evaporating 25% immediately

Why is there a high infiltration capacity

Dense root systems which maintain a positive water balance (inputs>outputs). Does this through reducing compaction and creation of macro pores when they grow through soil and die that leave behind conduits

Magnitude of stored carbon and magnitude of sequestered carbon

150-200 billion tonnes of carbon, 2.2 billion tonnes sequestered annual, capable of becoming source (East Amazon)

How is hyperdominance making the amazon vulnerable to climate change

1% tree species responsible for 50% stored carbon

Human activity

17-20% forest deforested, cattle ranching accounts for 70%, infrastructure like Belo Monte Dam

ARPA (Amazon region protected area program)

60-70 million protected hectares, satellite monitoring enforces, 80% fall in deforestation between 2004-2012, illegal logging still present

Forest code

80% Amazonian private land kept as forest, 2012 reform relaxed restoration (under Rousseff) which encouraged land clearing

Da silva presidency evaluation

Reduced deforestation to 4,500km2, strong governance. Lost presidency. Zero illegale deforestation by 2030

Bolsonaro presidency evaluation

Cut enforcement, deforestation rose