Group K The Effect of Climate Change on

Rainforests By: Eun Woo Ryoo, Eyad Yasser Shaban, Raquel

Vázquez, Jorge Alfredo Solloa, Inés Pastor

Mentor: Ms. Masoumeh Dolafirezeai

Contents

1. What are rainforests? (Eun Woo Ryoo and Ines Pastor)

2. Types of Rainforests (Ines Pastor and Eun Woo Ryoo)

3. What is Climate change? (Eyad Yasser Shaban)

4. The causes of Climate Change (Eyad Yasser Shaban and Ines Pastor)

5. Case Study 1 - Climate Change in Amazon (Eun Woo Ryoo and Ines Pastor)

6. Case Study 2 - Climate Change in the Congo Rainforest (Eyad Yasser Shaban)

7. The importance of the Amazon rainforest regarding global climate change (Ines Pastor)

8. Desertification (Eyad Yasser Shaban)

9. Benefits of Rainforests (Eun Woo Ryoo, Eyad Yasser Shaban and Raquel Vázquez)

10.Possible Effects on Animals (Raquel Vázquez and Eun Woo Ryoo)

11.Possible Effects on Humans (Diseases) (Raquel Vázquez)

12.Possible Effects on Humans (World Climate) (Eun Woo Ryoo)

13.Biodiversity In the Rainforest (Alfredo Solloa)

14.What can we do to help? (Ines Pastor)

15.Can we do something to diminish the effects of climate change on rainforests? (Alfredo Solloa)

16.Charities and Organisations that help to reduce the effects of climate change on rainforests (Alfredo Solloa)

17.Conclusion ( Eyad Yasser Shaban)

What are rainforests? (Eun Woo and Ines)

Eun Woo: Rainforests are a type of biome, which means a large ecosystem, along with other biomes such as grassland, tundra and desert. There are several factors that need to be fulfilled for a region to be classified as a “rainforest”. For example,

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the most important characteristic of rainforest is the rainfall. A rainforest should have at least 200~250 cm of rain each year, although the amount of precipitation depends on the type and the region.1 Ines: As for the typical weather in a rainforest, they normally experience high temperatures and a high amount of rainfall, as previously mentioned. Examples where rainforests can be found is: Indian Ocean islands, Central America, South America, Asia and the Caribbean.

Types of Rainforests (Ines and Eun Woo)

Eun Woo: There are two main types of rainforests: tropical and temperate. Tropical rainforests are characterized by a constant rainfall throughout the year, which makes the climate hot and humid, whereas temperate rainforests might have relatively dry seasons when there is not much precipitation. Also, temperate rainforests are cool and dry compared to tropical rainforests2.

Ines: Here are images of a tropical and a temperate rainforest:

In the pictures above, we can see the main differences between these two types of rainforests. For example, tropical rainforests have warm weather all year long while temperate rainforests have warm summers but cold winters. As we can see in the images above, temperate rainforests have deciduous and evergreen trees only, while tropical rainforests have over 750 types of trees.

What is Climate change? (Eyad and Ines)

Eyad: Climate change is the change in the normal weather of the region be it a increase or decrease of temperature 3 Ines:, due to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide released by fossil fuels.

1 Nelson, Rob. "Rainforests of Mexico : Rainforests of the World." Rainforests of Mexico : Rainforests of the World. N.p., 12 Jan. 2006. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. <http://www.explorebiodiversity.com/Mexico/Pages/Habitats/rainforest1.htm>.2 "Types of Rainforests." Types of Rainforests. Missouri Botanical Garden, 2006. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. <http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/rforest/types.htm>.

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The causes of climate change (Eyad)

The main cause of modern climate change is the rapid increase of greenhouse gases such as Carbon dioxide(CO2), Methane (CH4) and Nitrous oxide (N2O). An estimated 7.1 billion tonnes of CO2 are added to the atmosphere and an estimated 375 million tonnes of methane is added to the atmosphere every year4.In turn these greenhouse gases trap more of the thermal energy of the sun and prevents that energy from escaping back into space.This in turn lead an overall increase in global temperature by approximately 0.8° C since 18805. Even though both Methane and Nitrous oxide are both better at trapping in Earth's atmosphere the biggest contributor to current climate change is Carbon dioxide. The majority of greenhouse gas emission come from transportation contributing approximately “23 percent of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions” 6.With Automobiles being the biggest contributor among vehicles due to them being the most common type of vehicle.

Case Study 1 - Climate Change in Amazon (Eun Woo and Ines)

Eun Woo: The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world that is habitat to an unrivaled number of species. It contains a vast biodiversity and affects the world’s water cycle. Although it is frequently thought to be in Brazil, it is not bound by the man-made border between countries, but is located across nine countries, which are Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Guyana, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname and French Guiana. Ines: Around the borders of this rainforest, there are several towns, like for example: Manaus, Belem (both found in Brazil), Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado (both in Peru). Consequently, these towns are inevitably affected by the changes within the Amazon. This is a significant point when studying the Amazon rainforest, because it is possible that some people prefer to have an anthropocentric point of view, one that sees human beings as the most important species in the planet. Therefore, there would be consequences to the damage of the Amazon rainforests in more than one point of view.

3 "What Are Climate and Climate Change? | NASA." 2015. 18 Oct. 2015 <http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-is-climate-change-58.html>4 (2014). How much of each greenhouse gas do humans ... - ARM. Retrieved October 18, 2015, from https://www.arm.gov/education/studyhall/ask/past_question.php?id=432.5 Carlowicz, M. (2010). World of Change: Global Temperatures - NASA Earth ... Retrieved October 18, 2015, from http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/decadaltemp. php .6 Plumer, B. (2011). One billion vehicles hit the road. Are we ready for two billion?.Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/one-billion-vehicles-hit-the-road-are-we-ready-for-two-billion/2011/08/22/gIQA1am4WJ_blog.html.

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Eun Woo: In essence, the climate of Amazon is turning drier and warmer. According to WWF, it is estimated that by 2050, the temperature of the Amazon rainforest will rise by 2-3°C. Although this number might seem insignificant, considering that the average temperature in the Amazon is 27°C, 2-3°C is significant because it is about 11% rise from the original temperature during only 35 years. Ines: This “minimal” temperature increase has the capacity to build up and eventually be extremely harmful for the general state of this rainforest. Eun Woo: Rainfall in the Amazon will also significantly decrease. The following chart shows the current temperature and precipitation in the region. The dry season starts in June, when precipitation decreases, and lasts until October, being the driest in August. However, this trend that has been constant for a long time is now changing. According to a research, in the southern part of the Amazon, the dry season has been lasting longer by 7 days every decade, since 1979.8 In those parts of the rainforest, compared to 1979, now the dry season is at least 21 days longer. We can anticipate that by 2019, the dry season in southern Amazon will have prolonged by 28 days, which means another month of dry temperature.

7 "10 Biggest Rainforests in the World - Page 2 of 2." Top Ten Lists. N.p., 12 July 2012. Web. 19 Oct. 2015. <http://www.smashinglists.com/biggest-rainforests/2/>. 8"Drying in the Amazon Rainforest - What Could It Mean for Climate Change? - Carbon Brief." Carbon Brief. N.p., 22 Oct. 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2015. <http://www.carbonbrief.org/drying-in-the-amazon-rainforest-what-could-it-mean-for-climate-change/>.

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During the last 10 years, it has suffered from 2 major droughts, in 2005 and 2010 that destroyed some parts of the rainforest. They were due to the increased aridity in the region. The 2005 drought completely destroyed the long-held belief that a severe drought only happened once a century in the Amazon, thereby instilling more fear about climate change being reality. It mainly affected the Southwestern regions of the Amazon and a total of 734,000 mi2.

However, the 2010 drought was even more serious and caused more widespread damage across the rainforest. This time, it affected 1.16 million mi2 of Amazon, causing more tree deaths.9

This diagram shows the soil moisture level in the Amazon during drought periods. We can observe that the droughts are increasingly more extensive and affect more regions over the years. It also shows a prediction of what may happen to the Amazon in case of a severe drought in 2016. According to the diagram, over half of the rainforest will suffer from lack of water. Half of the plants in the rainforest will have less than 50% of necessary water available.

9 "2010 Amazon Drought Record: 8 Gt Extra CO2." Bits of Science. N.p., 2011. Web. 22 Oct. 2015. <http://www.bitsofscience.org/2010-amazon-drought-record-866/>.

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Case Study 2 - Climate Change in the Congo Rainforest (Eyad and Eun Woo)

Eyad: The Congo rainforest is among the largest rainforests in the world being second only to the Amazon rainforest10.The Congo Rainforest spans across nine different countries. They are the Republic of Angola, Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Equatorial Guinea and the Gabonese Republic. Although the first two countries only have small amount their nations are covered by the rainforest.1112

The climate of the Congo Rainforest is generally hot humid and wet. With the highest temperatures of the year often being reached in March though it is often warm all year round with the temperature rarely dropping below 20°C throughout the whole of the year.The driest part of the year is often in June and July and the wettest

part of the year often occurring in September and in October13. In recent years the amount of rainfall that happened in the Congo rainforest has been decreasing.There are some indications that this may be due to climate change and the decrease in vegetation could lead to even more climate change as they stop taking in CO2 from the atmosphere and replacing it with oxygen, creating a vicious cycle.14

Furthermore deforestation though slightly diminishing in

scale is still a threat to the global climate because this will result in less trees to absorb the CO2 emission that Humans produce therefore there would be less of a counterbalance against human greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the modern deforestation of the Congo Rainforest is due to small scale subsistence farming to the detriment to the Congo Rainforest.15 The cause of the rise of deforestation in the 21st century is due to people in and around the congo basin immigrating to the

10 (2012). 10 Biggest Rainforests in the World - Top Ten Lists. Retrieved October 27, 2015, from http://www.smashinglists.com/biggest-rainforests/.11 (2012). Congo Rainforest and Basin | Places | WWF. Retrieved October 27, 2015, from http://www.worldwildlife.org/places/congo-basin.12 (2004). The Congo Rainforest - Rainforests. Retrieved October 27, 2015, from http://rainforests.mongabay.com/congo/.13 (2012). Republic Of The Congo-Brazzaville - ClimaTemps.com. Retrieved October 28, 2015, from http://www.congo.climatemps.com/.14 (2014). News | NASA Finds Drought May Take Toll on Congo ... Retrieved October 28, 2015, from http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-124.

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fringes of the Congo Rainforest. This is in part due to the recent conflicts in the area such as the 2nd Congo war. Then the refugees “are forced to live off the land with severe impacts to forests and wildlife”16.

Recently the deforestation has lead to the the decreases of up to 0.14% in the surface area of the rainforest. This has resulted in the total surface area of the COngo Rainforest being reduced to only 1.78 million KM2

Eun Woo: Another impact that climate change such as deforestation has had on the Congo rainforest is periods of severe droughts, as is the case in the Amazon rainforest. However, compared to the Amazon, the droughts happening in the Congo region could be more severe because they are long-term droughts.

According to NASA17, one characteristic of rainforests from which we can determine their health is their greenness. They conducted a research on the greenness of the Congo rainforest, with the help of a satellite camera, to obtain more information about the extent of forest damage. They first investigated the percentage of forest coverage in the Congo rainforest region and then in order to obtain the most accurate data, selected the most natural, undamaged area to conduct the experiment on. Then, using a satellite, for a period of 12 years from 2000 to 2012, recorded the greenness of that “intact” region. However, they only observed from April to June every year because that is the rainy season in the rainforest and then compiled the results to notice any change in the forest’s greenness over those years. The first diagram shows the forest coverage in the area. Then, the second diagram shows the changes in the greenness of the forest during the years 2000-2012. It indicates whether the forest is “browning” or “greening”.

15 Butler R(2004). Congo Deforestation - Rainforests. Retrieved October 28, 2015, from http://rainforests.mongabay.com/congo/deforestation.html#.VjA3XLerTIU16 (2012). Congo Rainforest and Basin | Places | WWF. Retrieved October 28, 2015, from http://www.worldwildlife.org/places/congo-basin.17 "SVS: Drought may take a toll on Congo Rainforest, NASA ..." 2014. 28 Oct. 2015 <http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a004100/a004162/>

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The second diagram very clearly indicates that during the 12 years of investigation, the vegetation of the Congo rainforest browned, which means that the plants in the region were killed due to climate factors such as drought. Although some regions are browning at a slower rate than others, the compelling majority of the area observed definitely lost its greenness during those years, probably with the exception of the eastern region. However, the size of the region that actually gained more greenness or whose plants were not damaged is extremely limited. Therefore, we can conclude that the Congo rainforest is also being disrupted by drastic and prolonged climate change.

The importance of the Amazon rainforest regarding global climate change (Ines)

Everyone who is aware of the existence of the Amazon, knows that it is filled with beautiful species and landscapes. However, there are greater consequences than simply losing a beautiful landscape when regarding global climate change.

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For instance, an example of a very significant consequence of this effect of climate change on the Amazon rainforest is the carbon cycle exchange that it takes part in.

The carbon exchange process constitutes of carbon being exchanged among the biosphere (the regions of the surface of the Earth), pedosphere (outer layer of the Earth), hydrosphere (the water included in the Earth’s surface) and the atmosphere (the gases surrounding the Earth.) In this cycle, carbon can be found in nonliving and living matter. For example, we can find it in non-living matter in the following forms:

- carbonate (CaCO3) rocks like limestone and coral- dead organic matter - fossil fuels found in dead organic matter like coal oil or natural gas- carbon dioxide (CO2) found in the air- carbon dioxide that has been dissolved in water

In these pictures, we can see pictures of: coral, dead organic matter and carbon. These are all part of the previous examples of where carbon can be found in non-living matter.

As for living matter, (which is a separate process altogether), carbon enters through

autotrophs. An autotroph produces complex organic compounds by using substances surrounding it. Examples of these surroundings can be light or chemical reactions. Therefore, autotrophs are capable of making nutrients by using inorganic materials. There are two main types of autotrophs:

- Photoautotrophs: these are primary plants and algae, which use light from the sun, carbon dioxide and water to make organic compounds. An example of an organic compound they are capable of producing is glucose.

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- Chemoautotrophs: these are primary bacteria and archaea. They turn the carbon in carbon dioxide into its organic form. They do this by using oxidation of the molecules.

Even though we have mentioned where carbon can be found in non-living matter, it is also very important to understand how carbon returns to this non-living environment. These are examples of how carbon returns to the atmosphere and hydrosphere:

- By burning carbon or carbon compounds- By respiration by animals and plants, which causes the emission of carbon

dioxide gas - By decay, because either carbon dioxide or methane is released

Now that we have covered the basic aspects of the carbon cycle, we must understand how the Amazon rainforest takes a part in the carbon cycle globally. The Amazon measures an average of 5.5 million km squared. Therefore, we can see that it evidently takes a huge part in the global carbon cycle. If we were to cause deforestation in the Amazon, the amount of carbon would increase dramatically, due to the fact that trees are carbon fixers. Similarly, the Earth would lose 20% of its oxygen production, which is what the Amazon provides.

This previously mentioned problem is an example of an ecocentric point of view, where the effects on the Earth are the major concerns. People who have this point of view are generally concerned with the planet and wish to avoid major harm.

Desertification (Eyad)

Desertification is the degradation of an ecosystem until it becomes a desert.This can be disastrous for not only the ecosystem but also people living in and around that ecosystem because desertification decreasing the amount of arable land available in that area.This in turn could lead to drought and famine to this was pointed out in the Guardian newspaper Jonathan Watts wrote “the Amazon rainforest has degraded to the point where it is losing its ability to benignly regulate weather systems”18. Recently the Amazon Rainforest is experiencing desertification not only due to direct factors such as deforestation but Also due to the increasing dry climate of the area. This in turn can lead to a massive loss in biodiversity in the Amazon Rainforest due to the Amazon becoming less hospitable to the local wildlife causing local flora and fauna to become extinct.

18 (2014). Amazon rainforest losing ability to regulate climate, scientist ... Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/oct/31/amazon-rainforest-deforestation-weather-droughts-report.

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Benefits of Rainforests (Eun Woo, Eyad, Raquel)

Eun Woo: Rainforests can be thought of as gigantic preservatories of flora and fauna, that range from frequent species to extremely rare ones. For example, the largest rainforest on Earth, the Amazon, is estimated to have one in every four existing species.

However, storing a remarkable biodiversity if not the only role of rainforests. Rainforests also control and impact global climate because they are one of the most important driving forces of the carbon cycle and the water cycle.

We, as humans, require the help of trees to balance the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the air. The photosynthesis mechanism of plants and our respiration mechanism are quite the opposite. The formula for human’s aerobic respiration is:

C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6H2O + 6CO2 + energy

In order to produce energy, we inhale oxygen and take out carbon dioxide. However, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and therefore is not desirable. Also, too much carbon dioxide emitted will disrupt the balance of atmosphere. Plants counteract this reaction by taking up carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. The following is the formula for photosynthesis.

6H2O + 6CO2 → C6H12O6 + 6O2

As shown above, trees are vital because their photosynthesis reduces the level of carbon dioxide. The Amazon alone contains approximately 390 billion trees.19 If we consider one mature tree absorbs about 48 pounds of CO2 every year and that a person emits 2.3 pounds of CO2 daily:

2.3 * 365 = 839.5 lb (amount of CO2 one person emits/year)839.5 / 48 ≈ 17.4896 (number of trees needed to annul the CO2 by one

person)360,000,000,000 / 17.4896 ≈ 20,583,661,147.19605

According to these calculations, the trees in Amazon annuls the impact of approximately 20 billion people on atmosphere. There is approximately 7 billion people on earth, so trees in Amazon cancel out the effect of their respiration process.

Rainforests also drive the world’s water cycle. Trees have always been an important medium between groundwater and atmospheric water vapor because they absorb rainwater in soil using their roots and then transpire the water back into the air after

19 "Field Museum scientists estimate 16,000 tree species in the ..." 2013. 25 Oct. 2015 <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/fm-fms101413.php>

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respiration. This process of evapotranspiration would then return water vapor into the atmosphere to create clouds and eventually, precipitation.

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These significant benefits that rainforests bring to the climate of Earth are why climate change in rainforests has such drastic overall, accumulative effect on mankind. 21

Eyad: Furthermore it is possible that that new medicines could be found from the rainforests that could help treat a whole plethora of disease but as climate change counties to harm the not only the Amazon rainforest but all rainforests around the world. This in turn could possibly lead to the extinction of a plant that would have helped patients deal with their illness.22

Raquel: Rainforests are also used for human commercial purposes in the production of many products. Fruits like bananas, açai berries, and other kinds of tropical fruits are exported around the world. Other less obvious products include shampoo, cosmetics and even chewing gum.

20 "Surface water cycle" by Mwtoews - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Surface_water_cycle.svg#/media/File:Surface_water_cycle.svg21 Changes in the water cycle « Rainforest Conservation Fund." 2013. 25 Oct. 2015 <http://www.rainforestconservation.org/rainforest-primer/3-rainforests-in-peril-deforestation/f-consequences-of-deforestation/5-changes-in-the-water-cycle/>22 Aricles on Rainforest Medicinal Plants. Retrieved October 26, 2015, from http://www.rain-tree.com/article4.htm.

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23 Chicle Tree

Possible Effects on Animals (Raquel and Eun Woo)

Eun Woo: The degree of devastation of climate change may completely differ for humans and animals. In comparison with animals, humans are more mobile and agile, so as soon as they perceive severe threats to their habitat or lifestyle, they are capable of moving and finding another habitat. However, animals are less capable of doing this, which is why they are more vulnerable to climate change in rainforests.

Raquel: There are some animals that depend on the temperature of their environment to survive due to their internal body temperature. Also, they have certain habitats which are only suitable in determined conditions. Due to this, some species might become extinct and therefore affecting the food chain in the rainforest. Often times, animals are underestimated and their rights are violated by humans especially. The world not only belongs to the human species but rather it is shared with the rest of the animal kingdom. Taking this into consideration, such cases like deforestation impact wildlife in a way that they are unable to adapt and will most likely die due to this.

Climate change especially is what devastates the population of animals in the rainforest. Climate change is largely human-caused and puts wildlife in the rainforest in a point where the rapid extinction could be reached.

23Diagonal cuts made in the bark of the sapodilla tree show that it has been used for years to harvest chicle. The wounds seal and the tree continues to grow. Digital image. National Arbor Day Foundation. The Arbor Day Foundation, 2010. Web. 26 Oct. 2015. <https://www.arborday.org/programs/rainforest/report/2010/mexico2.cfm>.

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The shift in climate in the rainforests take away the animal’s habitat and it also alters the conditions they live in. Climate change can be caused by fires within the rainforest and therefore taking habitats away (mostly trees) will diminish the chances of survival of the particular specie. Also, fires will eliminate the minerals in the soil for the proper fertilization and further restoration of this one. As this is the case, animals won’t have a place to shelter themselves from the danger that surrounds them. Throughout the years there has been an increases in deforestation due to human’s misuse of the resources provided in the rainforest thus rising rates of animal extinction.

The jaguar is an endangered species and it lives in the amazon rainforest, Jaguar Video. The jaguar could become extinct due to the gases emitted in the atmosphere causing draughts and fewer water reservoirs where the animals can drink water. Not only this but also the Jaguar are being killed because of their fur.

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Also, usually animals are capable of evolving and adapting to the different climate but not in such rapid rates. According to the Center for Environmental Science and Policy at Stanford University, over the past 100 years the temperature has risen 0.6ºC and it is expected to continue increasing at a fast rate. It is also important to consider that it takes many years for an animal to evolve and to such extremes. Therefore since change is eminent and it is happening at a rapid rate, solutions from an evolutionary perspective should not be considered dependable.

24 Torrissen, Bjorn Christian. A three-year-old jaguar kept at the Belize Zoo, west of Belize City, Belize. Digital image. Bjornfree. Web. 26 Oct. 2015. <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Junior-Jaguar-Belize-Zoo.jpg>.

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http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/amazon/problems/climate_change_amazon/amazon_climate_change_impacts/#wildlife

Possible Effects on Humans (Diseases) (Raquel)

Since the climate in the rainforests affect the overall temperature of the world, this can make a considerable impact on humans and their health. Although this is true, climate change in isolation is not the cause of diseases but rather a part of a bigger problem that in conjunction with other factors, it becomes an issue of pressing matter. The health impacts include mental and physical damages due to the conditions surrounding a person. Infectious diseases can be influenced by the climate and are categorized in two categories; transmitted from a person to another person, or to a person from another organism or water and soil. The agents like viruses, protozoa and bacteria are dependent on the temperature of their environment for their optimal activation since they do not regulate their own temperature. Directly transmitted diseases (person to person) are less likely to be caused by environmental factors but still are because the bacteria, virus or protozoa needs certain conditions to move from one host to another. Examples of Indirectly transmitted diseases are malaria and dengue fever that are transmitted by a mosquito or cholera that is transmitted through water.

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25 Malaria in 2050. Digital image. European Environment Agency. EEA Web Team, 13 Dec. 2010. Web. 26 Oct. 2015. <http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/malaria-in-2050>.

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The following table from the WHO further explains the relationship between weather and pathogen groups.

Possible Effects on Humans (World Climate) Eun Woo

Although rainforests balance the gas components in the atmosphere by absorbing carbon dioxide and emitting oxygen, climate change in those areas might result in a vicious cycle of negative effects. For example, as the climate in rainforests become drier and warmer, there is a higher risk of forest fire. A major forest fire can cause an adverse effect as trees are combusted and release more carbon dioxide than they absorb. A fire can turn a rainforest into a source of CO2 rather than a sink of CO2. The following is the equation for a complete combustion:

Wood contains sugar and has a similar chemical composition to sugar. They both are hydrocarbons, which contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Thus, if we consider the combustion of glucose, which can be found abundantly in wood, the equation will be:

C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O27

Combustion of glucose produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Here is a generalized formula of the combustion of wood. The chemical composition of wood can vary:

CxHyOz + O2 → CO2 + H20

26 Patz, J. A., A. K. Githeko, J. P. McCarty, S. Hussein, U. Confalonieri, and N. De Wet. "Climate Change Effects on Infectious Diseases." SpringerReference (2011): n. pag. WHO. World Health Organisation. Web. <http://www.who.int/globalchange/publications/climatechangechap6.pdf>.27 "Combustion of wood - What is Chemistry." 2007. 25 Oct. 2015 <http://www.whatischemistry.unina.it/en/burn.html>

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For example, after 2010 drought, the Amazon became a contributor in emitting CO2

than in absorbing it, as it had been for the past years. Under normal conditions, when the climate balance is not disturbed by extraordinary climate changes, such as drought, the Amazon is estimated to absorb 1.5 billion tonnes of CO 2 every year. However, as a consequence of the 2010 drought, it failed to absorb 3 billion tonnes of the gas over the two following years. Furthermore, as the trees killed by the drought were decomposed for years after, they emitted another 5 billion tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.28

Since trees are so important in controlling global climate, climate changes such as deforestation and global warming will backfire in the long run by making plants in rainforests perish. If there are less trees due to the destruction of rainforests, less water will be returned to the atmosphere in the form of vapor after rainfall because less water is uptaken from the soil. Less water vapor in the atmosphere will decrease the amount of clouds formed, thus reducing the rainfall. The climate will then become drier than before and droughts will become a frequent occurrence.

Also, as rainforests are afflicted with climate change, the cooling effect of trees will cease to benefit mankind. Originally, when rainforests are functioning normally, the evapotranspiration of trees serve as a coolant of the local temperature. However, as rainforests are left with less trees, the regional temperature will increase significantly. For instance, in the Amazon rainforest, it is estimated that the local temperature might experience a drastic increase of 40%.29

It is important to be aware that while rainforests can maintain global climate and slow down the impact of climate change, they can also be, and are being, affected by climate change. Hence, the more climate change there is, the more damages rainforests will be, and the less resistance we will have against more serious climate change.

28 "Amazon drought caused huge carbon emissions | Reuters." 2011. 25 Oct. 2015 <http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/03/us-brazil-amazon-idUSTRE7127DN20110203>29 "5) Changes in the water cycle « Rainforest Conservation Fund." 2013. 25 Oct. 2015 <http://www.rainforestconservation.org/rainforest-primer/3-rainforests-in-peril-deforestation/f-consequences-of-deforestation/5-changes-in-the-water-cycle/>

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World Climate Amazonian Climate

Biodiversity In the Rainforest (Alfredo)

Biodiversity is the variety of different types of living organisms. This can be studied in various ways, it can be done on one of the highest levels which is to study all the different species on Earth. However it can also be investigated in a smaller scale by studying the ecosystem in a backyard of a house or studying the different species in a common garden within a neighborhood. In general the term biodiversity is defined by the relationship that is found between all the living organisms that are found on planet Earth.

Rainforests contain the greatest diversity of different living organisms on Earth. Rainforests cover less than 2% of the whole planet’s surface, however they are the home for more than 50% of all living organisms on Earth. There is an estimate that was done by professionals that there are at least from 3 to 50 million different species found in rainforests. There is much more diversity of species found within a rainforest than an area with a sub-tropical, temperate atmosphere which also contains boreal ecosystems.30 31

What can we do to help? (Ines)

As responsible global citizens, we must be aware of everything that is at risk when rainforests suffer from climate change. For example, innumerable species of animals and plants might begin to be at risk from extinction.

In order to attempt to diminish these effects, we must be well informed of the things we can do to help. There are many ways to help and such include recycling, reusing and reducing. As previously mentioned, humans depend on the rainforests for products and thus reutilizing these can save a great number of resources. Simple steps like these can make a large difference for the overall survival of the wildlife and lastly aid to diminish the impact of previous negligent actions against the environment.

Other examples of how we can reduce climate change are:

- reduce our vehicle gas emissions- use water efficiently- be aware of your carbon footprint in order

to reduce it

30 "Rainforest Diversity - Rainforests." 2004. 24 Oct. 2015 <http://rainforests.mongabay.com/0301.htm>31 "What is Biodiversity? - National Wildlife Federation." 2015. 24 Oct. 2015 <http://nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Biodiversity.aspx>

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- spread the word to create global awareness

Many people in the world are now becoming aware of the negative effect that climate change is bringing and that it will continue to cause. This TED talk on saving rainforests is an example of a way that people could help in this global problem. There are other organizations that are in charge of protecting rainforests and currently some governments are implementing laws against logging. Examples of these organizations are mentioned in the next section of this project.

Lastly, another way we can make a difference is taking a stand against global companies who have begun to use the Amazon rainforest to their advantage. We can begin to purchase items from eco-friendly companies and stores, in order to support them and demonstrate that we are aware of the dangers behind climate change.

Can we do something to diminish the effects of climate change on rainforests? (Alfredo)

There are various ways of preventing and not affecting the rainforests that are found worldwide. The way climate change affects rainforests is that when tropical trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen during the process of photosynthesis. Then when plants carry out the opposite process which is called respiration they emit small amounts of carbon dioxide. Then the remaining carbon dioxide is stored within the plant, then if deforestation happens that stored carbon dioxide is released into the air as carbon dioxide. So that is how the climate change affects the world’s rainforests. One way that people can diminish the effects of rainforests is to contribute to the research that professionals do towards the rehabilitation of rainforests. What people can also do is to not purchase products made from organisms that come from the rainforests found all over the world. In general these two ideas are some of the most broad ways to help to reduce the effects of climate change on rainforests.

Charities and Organisations that help to reduce the effects of climate change on rainforests (Alfredo)

One of the easiest ways a person can contribute to the cause is by investing in a charity that focuses on rainforests all over the world. There are countless organisations that can be found around the world that contribute to the rainforests and their populations around the world. However there are two that really shine above the other institutions, and these are The Rainforest Defenders and Rainforest Alliance.

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● The Rainforest Defenders: This organisation’s mission is “To support indigenous and traditional people of the world's rainforests in their efforts to protect their environment and fulfill their rights.” In difference to almost all other organisation this one specifically focuses on the human population found in the rainforests all over the world. They believe that the rainforest protection and human rights are connected. So therefore they believe that by protecting the indigenous people in rainforests they will protect the animals found in those places. This is basically their vision and philosophy over their protection of rainforests.

● Rainforest Alliance: This organization’s mission is “The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.” Therefore this charity group is a much more broader version of the one on top. This is very good since people have much more access to their events and donation events as well. Also what is very unique and respectful from this organization is that they also target the best business and world known businesses so that other can follow their footsteps.

Conclusion (Eyad, Ines and Eun Woo)

Eyad: In conclusion we have explored the effect that the climate has on the rainforest and the effect that the rainforest has on the climate and that it is critical that we collectively care for our common home the Earth and we try our best to care for our home. As we have demonstrate is that the the rainforest far reaching effects reaching affect expanding from where ever the border of the rainforest may be.

Among the effects that rainforests have on us is that they act as regulators of the global climate and before the arrival of deforestation would increase or decrease the percentage of Oxygen or Carbon dioxide.

Moreover the rainforest is a biologically rich area ,often having a large amount of biodiversity concentrated into a very small pieces of land.This shows the astounding amount of biodiversity that is located in rainforests around the importance as a hub for fauna and flora.

Finally we have shown the dangers that climate change poses not only to the rainforest and the people living in the vicinity of a rainforest but to all Human-kind.

Ines: As students, even though we were aware of the basic concepts behind the dangers of climate change, we are now much more informed of this topic. We were able to learn about the vast number of species of flora and fauna found in the Amazon and why they should be protected.

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More importantly, we can all identify areas of our lives in which we can make a difference to help. Even if some changes in our lifestyles seem insignificant, all of us can now say that it is our duty to contribute and help this global issue.

Eun Woo: Since the rainforest is such an important mediator in regulating the global climate on Earth, we should remember that a slight variation in change in climate might affect rainforests fairly heavily. Then, the balance that rainforests, as enormous biomes, have been maintaining will be disrupted and this will indubitably have severe repercussions on world climate. As shown above, again, as global climate is altered even more, rainforests will suffer from more loss of their “greenness” or their vegetation. This means that the plants that used to serve multiple purposes, such as those of medicine, habitat and CO2 sink, will perish and have a comprehensive impact on both humans, animals, and even other plants.

In order to avoid this negative cycle, both public and private organizations should take appropriate measures, depending on their resources and their influence on the public. Since these climate changes are irrevocable once they take place, at this point of time, when we are only beginning to realize the danger of the topic and when there is a considerable part of the ecosystem left, the main focus should be taking preventative measures against further destruction.

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