The Amazon Rainforest by Alexander Eash

Amazon Tropical Rainforest

25rugetm — 2024-10-07 18:23:44 UTC

Sink map

25rugetm — 2024-10-07 18:26:10 UTC

How our tropical rainforests sequesters carbon

25easha1_1 — 2024-10-07 18:33:07 UTC

Rainforests store tons of millions of carbon, helping prevent climate change.
- Through the process of photosynthesis.
  
  Trees and other vegetation absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
  
  Use it to produce energy, storing carbon in their roots, branches, leaves, and trunks. (Veit et al., 2023)
  
  The amazon has around 40,000 plant species and 400 billion trees. (Blair, 2023)

Carbon removed and emitted from the source

25rugetm — 2024-10-07 18:33:31 UTC

Threats that could potentially turn rainforests into a source of C02

25easha1_1 — 2024-10-07 18:34:25 UTC

Smallholder farmers often lack strong market connections and access to resources.
This makes it challenging for them to earn a profit.
As a result, they resort to harmful practices like slash-and-burn agriculture and timber extraction.
These practices contribute to deforestation. (Fiolhais, 2024)

Which kind of carbon would be released if it became a source?

25easha1_1 — 2024-10-07 18:35:29 UTC

Carbon 16, this the the ideal type of carbon that plants use to photosynthesise, typically the type of carbon we see in the atmosphere from emissions. (We learned from class, no citation needed)

25rugetm — 2024-10-07 18:50:32 UTC

It is the world’s largest tropical rainforest.
Half of the world’s species can be found there.

One of earth’s oldest living ecosystems- it is at least 70 million years.

Biggest threats the sink is facing

25rugetm — 2024-10-07 23:41:14 UTC

1. Ranching & Agriculture.

Hundreds of trees are cut down to make room for raising crops and cattle farming.

- Cattle pastures occupy 80% of the deforested areas in the Amazon.

- Pasture run-off contaminates rivers.

- Fires used to manage fields often spread into the remaining forests.

2. Bio-Piracy & Smuggling:

Plants and animals from the Amazon are cut/captured to sell abroad as pets, food, and medicine.

- As of 2016 the illegal trade in wildlife is estimated to be worth up to US$20 billion annually. (Threats Facing The Amazon Rainforest, 2012)

What is being done!

25easha1_1 — 2024-10-08 00:00:33 UTC

Project name: A Multi-stakeholder Approach to Tackling Deforestation and Improving Farmers’ Livelihoods

Priority issues: Deforestation, climate resilience, livelihoods, responsible business

Since 2019, the Rainforest Alliance has been working in the amazon.
They collaborate with the District Sustainable Agriculture Platform

Local farmers are also involved in these efforts.
The goal is to address deforestation, increase incomes, and encourage more sustainable land use practices.
Building on past experience, they have created a set of tools for this initiative.
members of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Forest Positive Coalition of Action co-designed this initiative.

25rugetm — 2024-10-10 16:29:00 UTC

It absorbs one-fourth of the CO2 absorbed by all the land on Earth.

The amount absorbed today is 30% less than it was in the 1990s because of deforestation.