Stretching over two million miles of land, across 9 South American countries, the Amazon Rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest on Earth. It is a haven of extolments. The biodiversity offered by its flora and fauna tops the world rankings. Home to the highest number of species on planet earth, the Amazon rainforests are synonymous for being the “Lungs of the Planet” for contributing nearly 20% of the oxygen available to us.
Millions of years of conflict between the predator and prey have led to a widespread string of weapons, adaptations, defences and specializations. Genetic diversity also has a greater contribution to this ecosystem. The evolutionary process continues pushing species to marginal niches until they are incredibly specialized to their specific way of life.
The marvels offered by this resplendent rainforest does not end here. Listed down are some of the plethora of magnificent facts about the Amazon Rainforest that you probably were not aware of. Read on.
- Amazon is the world’s richest ecosystem inhabiting nearly 1300 species of birds, 40,000 species of plants, 427 types of mammals, 2200 types of fishes, 380 species of reptiles and a whopping 2.5 million types of insects. The overwhelming numbers convert to say that one in five of all the species of fishes and birds harbour in the Amazon.
- Nearly one-quarter of all the medicinal plants are obtained from the tropical forests, most from the Amazon rainforests. The medicinal extracts were served to nearly four billion people.
- The second largest river next to the Nile, the Amazon River has winding waterways spanning roughly 4000 miles as per a survey. As per National Geographic, the Amazon records the highest rate of rainfall in the world.
- Nearly 80% of the food we consume today has origins from the rainforests. Some known examples are rice, chocolate, coffee, bananas, potatoes, tomato, corn and black pepper.
- A large Kapok tree can synthesize approximately 6,50,000 flowers producing nearly 200 litres of nectar when bloomed.
- As per an estimation, there are nearly 400 billion trees in this region of the world. The area is so dense and trees are so close to each other that it takes close to 10 minutes for the rain to reach the ground level.
- Amazon is home to nearly 50 indigenous communities and these are speculated to have not been in contact with anyone outside these rainforests. The tribes are mostly not settled in a place but move from one to another location. They are gatherers and nomadic hunters.
- Home to some of the most poisonous creatures in the world, Amazon rainforests houses the deadly dart frog whose venom is sufficient to kill up to 10 humans. Some other dangerous animals are Brazilian wandering spiders, Green Anaconda, South American Rattlesnake, Red Bellied piranhas, Jaguar, Electric Eel and more.
- The rainforest between 2005 and 2010 faced a remarkable decline in the rainfall resulting in the Rio Negro Tributary to drop to its least recorded level of rainfall in addition to the liberation of greenhouses gases from the deadwood.
These were some of the many facts about the Amazon rainforests. For information on genetic diversity, the evolutionary process – microevolution, and other related articles, subscribe to BYJU’S YouTube Channel.
