Using Figure 2 and your own knowledge, identify the two correct statements about cattle ranching and soybean production in the Amazon.

Figure 2: Land-use displacement and information on agricultural expansion in the Amazon

Draw on this

• Commercial cattle ranching is the leading cause of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, responsible for up to 80% of current forest clearing.
• Soybean cultivation has expanded rapidly, with China importing approximately 60 million tonnes of Brazilian soy annually, representing roughly 45% of Brazil's total soy exports.
• Soy cultivation typically expands onto degraded pasture land, which in turn pushes cattle ranching further into the primary rainforest frontier.
• Modern intensive soy farming has high capital and chemical inputs (pesticides and fertilisers), leading to the eutrophication of local aquatic ecosystems in the Amazon basin.

Options:

A. Cattle ranching is directly or indirectly responsible for the vast majority of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. B. China's soy imports make up more than three-quarters of Brazil's total soy exports. C. Soy cultivation directly improves the nutrient balance of local rivers by reducing chemical runoff. D. The expansion of soybean farms can indirectly drive deforestation by displacing cattle ranching deeper into pristine forest. E. Soybean cultivation in the Amazon is a low-yield, low-input traditional farming practice.

Select two letters.