Amazon Rainforest: Lungs of the Earth

• The Amazon forests are the largest tropical rainforest in the world.
• The Amazon forests are known as selvas.
• The Amazon forests are referred to as the 'lungs of the Earth'.
• The Amazon forests take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
• More than 20% of the world's oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest.
• The Amazon rainforests are home to a vast variety of flora and fauna.
• Hardwood trees are closely placed with broad leaves, forming a thick canopy on top.
• The canopy blocks sunlight from reaching the forest floor, resulting in a dense, dark, and damp environment.
• The soil in this region is generally infertile and acidic, making it challenging for plants to access nutrients.
• Plants in the rainforest have evolved unique characteristics to survive.
• Vines are climbing or trailing woody-stemmed plants related to the grapevine.
• Vines, such as lianas, wrap around other trees to sustain themselves.
• Many plants have leaves with pointed tips that allow water to run off without causing damage.

Did You Know

• The Amazon forest floor is usually covered in pitch darkness.
• Thick and interwoven top branches and leaves of the trees form a dense canopy.
• The canopy is so thick that it takes around ten minutes for the rainwater to reach the ground.

Epiphytes

• Epiphytes are plants that thrive on high branches in the forest canopy.
• Epiphytes obtain their nutrients from the air and water rather than the soil.
• Ferns, orchids, mosses, algae, and lichens are all epiphytes.
• Palm, rubber, cane, balsa, cacao, banana tree, cinchona (quinine), and carnauba palm trees are among the most commonly found species in the Amazon forests.
• The Amazon rainforest is home to a diverse range of animals, including mammals like monkeys, tapirs, pumas, jaguars, sloths, anteaters, and armadillos.
• The Amazon Rainforest is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including pythons, crocodiles, alligators, turtles, ants, beetles, butterflies, and over 2000 varieties of fish, including piranhas, pirarucu, and tambaqui.
• Many bird species are found in the Amazon rainforest, like hummingbirds, toucans, parrots, and macaws.
• River dolphins like the Amazon River dolphin and the Amazonian manatee can be found in the rivers and tributaries of the Amazon Basin.

Tropical Rainforest Adaptations

• Tropical rainforests have unique conditions that have led to many adaptations in animals.
• The spider monkey has long and powerful limbs that aid in its tree-climbing.
• The flying frog has fully webbed hands and feet and a flap of loose skin stretching between its limbs, allowing it to glide smoothly from one plant to another.
• Three-toed sloths have tan coats.
• Two-toed sloths usually have grey-brown fur that matches the color of tree trunks and branches, providing excellent camouflage and making it challenging for predators to locate them.