Use Of The Amazon Rainforest
- 1. Use of the Amazon Rainforest
- 2. Balances and Cycles The traditional way of life of Amazon Indians has been one of harmony with the natural cycles of the ecosystem This is a way of life that balances human activity and natural cycles
- 3. An Amazon Indian Elders view of the natural world We have always believed in the natural things of the world, such as rivers and trees, the sun and the moon. Missionaries came and told us to believe in things we couldn’t see. White men came and took things from our forests so the missionaries lied. Everything depends on what nature provides, even modern machines. Future generations will live if we pass on the land. If we destroy the land there is nothing to pass on and we die. Mother earth looks after us when we look after her Ipecac, an elder in an Amazon Indian tribes, explains his view of the natural world Read the text and then decide if you agree with the statement or not Content questions: the article says Ipecac is an Amazon Indian Ipecac believes that the rivers and trees are gods Nature is the basis of everything Without the land to pass on Ipecac and his people will die Opinion Questions: from the extract it could be said that Indians are superstitious The missionaries caused the destruction of the forests Machines, like humans, need nature to survive The Indians live in balance with nature Concept Questions What people believe about religion affects how they treat the natural environment Conservation is not so much how people treat the environment but more their attitude towards it
- 4. Subsistence Agriculture There are two forms of subsistence agriculture Shifting cultivation Slash and burn Seasonal cultivation Varzea In both forms there is a balance with nature acheived
- 5. Shifting cultivation – slash and burn An area of forest is cleared Slash and burn The ash from the burning is worked back into the soil This creates a swidden This swidden is then planted in crops After 3-5 years the area is cleared of crops and allowed to regenerate over a period of about 30 years
- 6. Seasonal Cultivation - Vareza This cycle occurs once or twice every year Every year the Amazon river floods the lower floodplains This adds silt and alluvium to the area Once the flood waters subside they leave behind a fertile layer of soil on the flood plains The flood plains can now be planted in crops Because the ITCZ passes some areas twice a year this process can occur twice
- 7. Balance of Nature Think of the two techniques of subsistence agriculture practised by the Amazon Indians How do they maintain the balance with nature?