One of the great symbols of Brazil, the Amazon Forest is considered the largest tropical forest on the planet. Covering about 40% of the Brazilian territory, it is home to immense biodiversity with numerous species representing fauna and flora.
Even though it represents 53% of the existing tropical forests, the ecosystem is severely threatened by deforestation caused by the expansion of agriculture and vegetal exploitation.
Therefore, the preservation of the Amazon Forest awakens international debates that try to devise strategies to curb its destruction, respecting its ecological importance and dimension. Learn a little more about this ecosystem.
Index
- What is the Amazon Forest?
- How did the Amazon Forest come about?
- Which states and countries are covered by the Amazon Forest?
- Main characteristics of the Amazon Forest
- Amazon Forest Climate
- Amazon Forest Hydrography
- Vegetation of the Amazon Forest
- Amazon Animals
- Economy in the Amazon
- problems faced
- conservation projects
What is the Amazon Forest?
The Amazon Forest is the region considered the largest tropical forest in the world, occupying approximately 600 million hectares. Its name came from ancient European inhabitants and expeditions that reported attacks carried out by naked women using bows and arrows in the Amazon River.
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It is also called the Amazon Jungle, Amazon Equatorial Forest, Rain Forest or Amazon Hileia. It is a humid broadleaved forest and is one of the six major Brazilian biomes. It covers the Northeast, North and Center-West regions of Brazil, being the largest terrestrial biome in the country.
Out of curiosity, on September 5th, Amazon Day is celebrated as it was the date of creation of the Province of Amazonas, in 1850, by D. Peter I. In 2008, it was one of the candidates for the new 7 Wonders of Nature, being ranked first in 2009.
How did the Amazon Forest come about?
The formation of the forest is probably related to the Eocene period appearing as a consequence of the reduction of temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean. The forest has existed for at least 55 million years. In the Middle Meocene period, it is believed to have been split in half by the Arch of Purus.
With the growth of the Andes, however, a large basin was created in a closed lake, known today as the Solimões Basin. As for human existence, archaeological evidence indicates that man established himself in the region for at least 11,200 years. But, several legends take over the Forest.
One of them is Eldorado, a city with buildings made of solid gold that would house unimaginable treasures. Another is Lake Parima, a kind of Fountain of Youth, probably linked to Lake Amaçu.
Which states and countries are covered by the Amazon Forest?
The Amazon Forest is located in the north of the South American continent. So understand the Brazilian states of Acre, Amazons, Rondônia, Amapá, Roraima and For. However, its extension goes beyond our territorial limits.
Its forests cover, even if in lesser concentration, the following countries – Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana.
Main characteristics of the Amazon Forest
The Amazon has poor soil that has a thin layer of nutrients. The characteristic is due to the large size of the trees (with extensive roots), in addition to the constant action of rain.
However, such greatness could only keep an important concentration of humus formed by the decomposition of leaves, flowers, fruits and animals. Organic matter is rich in nutrients that contribute to the formation of the forest itself.
Amazon Forest Climate
By analyzing the map, we can see that the Amazon is located right there, right next to the equator, in low latitudes. What does that mean? It means that, in the forest, the equatorial climate marked by air humidity and high temperatures.
Therefore, it is easy for thermometers to record average temperatures of 22°C to 28°C, while the air humidity can exceed 80%, inclusive, due to the strong input of solar energy. The density of the forest and the rivers that flow through it make the region one of the wettest on the planet.
Rainfall rates vary between 1,400 mm and 3,500 mm per year. Even so, the year goes through two well-defined seasons, the rainy and the dry.
Amazon Forest Hydrography
It is estimated that 20% of the planet's fresh water circulate through the region. The forest covers most of the Amazon Basin, considered the largest on the planet. The biggest highlight goes to the Amazon River, which rises in the Andes Mountains and flows into the Atlantic Ocean, close to Marajó Island.
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In its long course (the river is 6,992.06 km long), it receives various names, such as Tunguragua, Apurímac, Maranon, Ucayali, Solimões and again, Amazons (from the junction of the Solimões and Negro rivers). Generally speaking, the rivers flowing through the Amazon region are classified as muddy, clear water and black water rivers.
The color of water varies according to substances found in rivers. The so-called muddy water rivers, such as the Madeira and the Amazon itself, have their water color modified because they are rich in sediments and nutrients. The clear waters, such as Xingu, Tapajós and Trombetas, have many stretches of rapids and waterfalls.
Blackwater rivers are born in plain terrain and carry the sand and humus that characterize the soil of such terrain. The main responsible for the color of the water is the humus. The best known black water Amazon river is the Rio Negro.
Vegetation of the Amazon Forest
The Amazon Forest, in general, is composed of dense vegetation and large trees. It can be divided into three categories, namely:
- Firm land forest: most of the forest that is not flooded because it is located in higher parts, with large trees. Typical examples are chestnut, angelim, mahogany, cedar, andiroba, as well as vines, palm trees, lichens and mosses.
- Igapó forest: permanently flooded because it is located in very low regions, they are often flooded. Therefore, plants have adapted to this environment for survival. Examples are buritis, orchids, water lily and bromeliads.
- floodplain forest: its location in slightly lower areas that allows for periodic flooding according to the action of rivers. It has very fertile soil due to the sediments deposited by river water. Plants are born in low water and fruits appear when they rise. Typical examples are Jatobá, Andiroba, Samaúma, Cumaru and rubber trees.
Amazon Animals
The Amazonian flora stands out for its exuberance and, thus, so is its flora. The diversity of species found in the forest characterizes its environmental importance. Among the countless animals found, we can quote:
- cougar
- Jaguar
- manatee
- Ocelot
- pirarucu
- otter
- tortoise
- macaw
- boa constrictor
- Toucan
- anaconda
Economy in the Amazon
In 1953, the Legal Amazon was created, an area covering the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Roraima, Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Amapá and Acre. Covering 61% of the territory, it is a project created by SUDAM to promote economic and social development in the region.
problems faced
The environmental problems faced by the Amazon Forest are as great as its territorial extension. Just to mention a few of them, we mention deforestation, creation of pastures, fires, human settlements, disputes for land, in addition to indiscriminate plant exploitation.
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1995 was a milestone year for the ecosystem, but not for good reasons. On the contrary, it was the period in which deforestation in the region was more significant, especially in Pará. And one of the most serious consequences of this type of action is the increase in greenhouse effect by the release of the gases responsible for the phenomenon.
Another big problem is the pollution of rivers with mercury by gold mining. As if that wasn't enough, the region is attacked by the so-called biopiracy, invasion of scientists foreigners who enter the forest, without authorization, to obtain samples and carry out research in their countries themselves.
Later, they register patents to obtain profits and thus, Brazil ends up paying for substances whose raw materials originate in the country itself. Predatory hunting is also alarming, putting several species, such as cougars, capuchin monkeys and blue macaws in extinction.
conservation projects
To get an idea of the dimension in terms of ecological importance of the Amazon Forest, just analyze the numbers that represent its biodiversity. Let's take a look?
- 311 species of mammals
- About 3,000 species of bees
- 378 species of reptiles
- 427 amphibian species
- 1,800 species of butterflies
- More than 30,000 species of plants
- Over 3,000 species of fish
- More than 1,300 bird species
This is without highlighting endemic species, those that only exist in the Amazon. Did you see how necessary the preservation of this ecosystem is? Furthermore, as we have already mentioned, the deforestation of the forest has contributed to the increase in the greenhouse effect, which, consequently, leads to an increase in temperature.
Between the conservation projects who fight for the preservation of the Amazon Forest, are:
- greenpeace
- Amazon Institute of Man and Environment (Imazon)
- SOS Amazon
- Amazonlink
- Vitória Amazon Foundation
- Chico Mendes International Institute for Research and Social and Environmental Responsibility (INPRA)
- Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM)
- WWF Brazil
Also check:
- Animals in extinction phase in Brazil
- wetland
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