The carbon cycle in the Amazon. Physical and Human factors affecting the stores and flows of the Amazon Rainforest water cycle Physical factors and human factors affecting the flows and stores in the carbon cycle.

Starter: The Net Primary Productivity of the Amazon is very high. What is Net Primary Productivity? NPP is the energy fixed in photosynthesis minus energy lost by respiration.

How does the NPP compare with other biomes? Starter: How does the NPP compare with other biomes? Put the following selection from highest to lowest and suggest reasons for the ranking. Biome Tropical Rainforest Savanna Tundra and Alpine Temperate coniferous forest Desert Temperate deciduous forest Mean NPP g/m2/yr : 2200 900 140 1300 90 1200 Why is it so high in the tropical rainforests?

Starter: What does the term biomass mean? The total mass of plant and animal life occurring in an ecosystem. Where is most of the biomass in a tropical rainforest, above or below ground? Therefore where is most of the carbon stored?

What is this showing you? Where are most of the nutrients going to be stored in the tropical rainforest?

Nutrient Cycle for the Tropical Rainforest Why is the store for leaf litter and soil so small in the rainforest? How can such a small amount of nutrients in the soil and leaf litter support the highest NPP and biomass of all terrestrial biomes? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH4jI_AgdSI 11.13 to 15.00

The carbon cycle in the Amazon. Physical factors affecting the stores and flows of the Amazon Rainforest carbon cycle Stores 1) How much carbon is stored in the rainforest? 2) How much carbon is stored per hectare in: Large forest tree above ground. Tree roots Soils What is the total percentage stored above ground? 3) Why is the carbon store so much higher above ground compared to below? 4) What is the rock structure of the Amazon and how does this impact on the carbon store? Important When answering these questions you MUST be clear in your answers how the carbon stores and flows are affected by: Temperature Vegetation Organic matter in the soil

The carbon cycle in the Amazon. Physical factors affecting the stores and flows of the Amazon Rainforest carbon cycle Flows 5a) What is the NPP of the rainforest and why is it so high? b) Why does the rainforest have such a high NPP considering the soils are so poor? 6) Why are the flows of carbon between the stores in the atmosphere, biosphere and soil so rapid in the Amazon? Explain fully? 7) How much carbon is absorbed in the rainforest and released per year? 8) Why is the figure so high for both? Important When answering these questions you MUST be clear in your answers how the carbon stores and flows are affected by: Temperature Vegetation Organic matter in the soil

Which biome is therefore more fragile Plenary How are the nutrient stores different between the TRF and the temperate deciduous forest? Why is this? Which biome is therefore more fragile