Amazon Day: six curiosities from the lungs of the planet

It could be the seventh largest country in the world due to its impressive area of ​​5.5 million square kilometers. The Amazonia, also called Amazon and sometimes misnamed “the Amazon” is a vast region of South America.

Covers nine countries, including Brazil and Peru have the largest area, followed by Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Ecuador. The Amazon stands out for being one of the ecoregions with the greatest biodiversity on the planet.

Within the framework of Amazon Day, commemorating today, the explorers of National Geographic Present six facts you didn’t know about the so-called “lung of the world” and why it’s important to take care of it.

1. The Amazon (and the Amazon River) are 10 million years old. Julia Tejada, paleontologist and National Geographic Explorer mentions that the origin of the Amazon is linked to the rise of the Andes, that is to say that without the Andes there would be no Amazonia, nor its flora and its fauna.

2. The Amazon is the main source of biodiversity from southern Mexico to southern Brazil. According to Julia, many studies show that most of the species found in other parts of the region are native to the Amazon.

3. One of the most important events in the Amazon is the “flood pulse”. Fernando Trujillo, marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer tells us that, thanks to the abundant rains in the Andes, the levels of rivers can rise up to 15 meters vertically and thousands of kilometers flat. All the species that live in the Amazon are adapted to this phenomenon. For example, when the water level begins to rise, fish prepare for reproductive migrations, manatees enter tributaries, and otters expand the range to search for fish that disperse in the flooded forest. .

4. A single hectare of flooded forest can produce up to 20 tonnes of seeds and fruits per year, which are the main food for many fish. At the same time, when the forest reaches its maximum flood level, most of the trees release their fruits to disperse them. There is incredible timing! Therefore, when the forest is felled, the fish are directly affected.

5. Amazonian dolphins can turn from gray to very dark pink in a matter of minutes. Fernando mentions that dolphins, like humans when they increase their physical activity, send a lot of blood to peripheral blood vessels to regulate temperature. Before that, humans redden their skin, and dolphins, on the other hand, acquire a very pink tint. Not all dolphins turn pink, and this seems to be influenced by phenotypes, just like in humans.

6. In the Amazon of Peru, the second largest tropical forest in South America, is the Río Hirviente, whose waters reach up to 100 ° C. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, chemical biologist and National Geographic explorer, tells us that This river is hot enough to boil any animal that wants to cross it, but even so, these waters are full of life. Many microorganisms live underground and on microbial mats. In addition, the communities that live along the river have always used its resources for drinking, cooking or bathing, among other things.

Consequences of human activity

The Amazon plays a crucial role for the planet as it absorbs and concentrates carbon that would otherwise be in the atmosphere. However, this capacity is declining due to uncontrolled deforestation and global warming, making it a carbon emitter rather than a sink.

With our daily actions, we can help protect it. Fernando Trujillo adds that responsible and informed consumption is a good way to avoid overexploitation processes in many places on the planet, including in the Amazon.

On another side, with small actions we can help reduce our carbon footprint like avoiding single-use plastics, choosing sustainable transportation options and reducing our energy consumption.

As part of Amazon Day and its “What You Do” campaign, National Geographic invites the public to reflect on the largest rainforest on the planet, contributing content to raise awareness of the importance of taking it care. Learn more about this biome today from 15 Argentina time, The National Geographic channel will air a special about the Amazon, with content such as “Incognito in the Jungle”, Secrets of the Equatorial Line “and” Wild Brazil “, among others.

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