Amazon and breathing

[tim.tdj]

Hi everyone.

If the entire Amazon rainforest burns down, will we all find it noticeably harder to breath? Will it be like we are all at a higher altitude?

[MigL]

Yes and No.
It will be harder to breathe because of all the smoke and ash in the air.

[Curious layman]

https://www.reference.com/science/much-oxygen-rainforest-produce-6183d08637f543b7

Quote

The worlds rainforests are responsible for producing between 20 and 30 percent of total the oxygen in the world each year. The Amazon rainforest alone produces nearly 20 percent of the worlds oxygen.

However, the term "oxygen production" is quite misleading, as the decomposition of organic plant and animal matter in rainforests actually consumes about the same amount of oxygen as the amount of oxygen as the forests produce. For this reason, the term "oxygen turnover" is preferred by many scientists.

The largest source of the worlds oxygen is tiny microorganisms located in the oceans. Which are estimated to contribute as much as 80 percent of the total oxygen produced each year.

(Please Correct me if I'm wrong) Sounds like the biggest problem we would have if the Amazon wasn't there, would be the loss of its ability to soak up carbon rather than the loss of oxygen it produces.

worryingly, the Amazon is taking a third less carbon than a decade ago.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/amazon-rainforest-is-taking-up-a-third-less-carbon-than-a-decade-ago (from 2015)

 

Edited August 27, 2019 by Curious layman