Amazonia which is known for its unparalleled biodiversity is the home to not only 400-500 indigenous Amerindian tribes but the only secure habitat for 2.5 million insect species, 1294 species of birds, 427-430 types of mammals and amphibians, 378 reptiles, 2200 fishes and many exotic creatures! It is the world's largest tropical rainforest and if it was a country, it would be the 9th largest! Amazon is known as the "Lungs of the earth" for 390 billion individual trees belonging to 16,000 different species and other plant species living here making up to 40,000 accounts for about 20% of the world's oxygen. Amazon rainforest is also known for stabilizing Climates by releasing water and energy into the atmosphere through a process called evapotranspiration. At the same time, it regulates the circulation of ocean currents. Thus, radiation that reaches the earth’s surface is evenly distributed contributing to the regulation of global climate.
25% of the plants found in Amazon is used in medicine, 1% of flowering plants are studied and used for their medicinal potential and heaps of medicinal plants still remain to be found. The rainforest accounts for 70% of economic activity as 80% of food the world consumes have its origin in the Amazon. More than 3000 types of fruits, vegetables and spices are found in abundance as well.
Unfortunately, large swathes of the Amazon rainforest was subjected to intense burning for more than a week. The muffled roars of the thick dense forestry in fire and the death of animals darkened the cities with smoke resulting in a specific day time blackout in one of the cities, Sao Paulo. The sorrow of this dreadful fire was shared among several nations.
Deforestation is to be blamed. Plant life on earth accounts for 15% of water. Hence, the forest creates its own rain to preserve the ecosystem. And deforestation would directly affect the rainfall and result in drought conditions which can result in more horrific forest fires in future.
1.5 acres of Amazon disappears every second, 137 species extinct every day, 3°C increase in temperature could destroy 70% of the rainforest. And a world without Amazonia would result in a release of 90-140 billion metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere which could dissolve in water and affect aquatic organisms too. Deforestation could further result in drastic degree of erosion, flooding, economic downfall and most importantly loss of biodiversity.
Nature does not need man for survival but man needs nature for survival. Let's stand up to protect this home of millions of beating hearts and working lungs.
Rtr. Tashya Wickramarachchi
Picture credits -Farah Bastaki
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