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Introduction This article will be the first in a set of articles which will take the reader on an alphabetic trip on global warming, starting with A for Amazon. The phrase global warming is really a term that has been in common use for some time and generally refers to the warming of Earth's atmosphere, and which suggests a manmade or individual influence.

Earth's atmosphere consists of gases, oxygen, nitrogenand carbon dioxide and water vapour to name a couple. These are called greenhouse gases and they keep the planet's temperature in a comfortable 15 degrees Celsius, without them Earth would be a cold - 18 degrees Celsius.

Considering that pre-industrial times, usually taken to be around 1750 people know from ice core records that Co2 levels were around 280 ppm, that's 280 parts of Co2 per million parts of air. As industrialisation got underway mankind started to farm the property before, deforest for agriculture and settlements, and since around 1850 or so, burnt fossil fuels for energy and transportation which have added considerably to greenhouse gas levels, particularly Co2. This has resulted in Co2 rates increasing to around 385 ppm, an increase of around 37% over levels chiefly as a result of burning fossil fuels.

Just how do we know this? Nicely, data from ice core records that return at least 650, 000 years today show us that levels have fluctuated naturally in this time between 280 and 300 ppm. Levels also have been measured accurately from the top of Mauna Loa Volcano in Hawaii since 1958, and also results reveal an increase in Co2 levels from 315 ppm to 385 ppm since that time. Therefore Co2 stands at 85 ppm over it has been for at least 650, 000 years of Earth's history. It's a known scientific fact that high quantities of greenhouse gases will lead to high temperatures, and this appears to be happening.

The planet has warmed by an average of 0.74 levels during the last 100 years or so. The Amazon therefore can help recycle carbon dioxide by turning it into oxygen, and its estimated that the Amazon produces about 20% of this essential gas for Earth's atmosphere. Trees, plants and Co2. Levels of co2 in the atmosphere have been measured since 1958 by a monitoring station situated on Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii and they reveal sharp annual increases and decreases in co2 amounts, similar to the tooth on a saw. The readings seemingly mimic a breath of air being taken out and in; it is almost as if the Earth is breathing.

The readings correspond to the quantity of vegetation on the planet (most of which is contained in the Northern Hemisphere, as the landmass there is higher), carrying in co2, and giving out oxygen. During the Northern Hemisphere summer, when the Earth is tilted toward the sun, the planet's vegetation is able to photosynthesise resulting in an uptake of co2, inducing global levels to drop. During wintermonths, when Earth's axis is tilted away from the sun, the opposite happens inducing co2 levels to rise. When one becomes aware of the correlation between the planet's vegetation and co2 amounts, it's easy to understand why the Amazon, along with rainforests in general are such a significant part of Earth's ecosystem. If global warming is to be handled, the Amazon, along with other rainforests must be stored. Copyright (c) 2008 Simon Rosser.

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