The importance of the Amazon biome to the world is enormous: the Amazon rainforest is home to at least 10% of the currently known global biodiversity. Famous for its immensity, the life that inhabits the Amazon is the subject of curiosity, scientific research, commercial products and much enchantment. In general, tropical forests concentrate more than 50% of vertebrate species — group that includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. With a warm, humid climate and dense vegetation, these regions favor biological diversity, which is essential for maintaining ecosystems. In addition to ensuring species balance, protecting the biodiversity of the Amazon and other biomes, it allows maintaining the knowledge of traditional populations and is fundamental in combating the climate crisis.

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the set of all forms of life that exist in a given area. It includes plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and other organisms, in addition to the different ecosystems where these species live. A Biodiversity is important because it maintains ecological balance, helps in the production of food, medicines and other essential resources, in addition to contributing to the adaptation and survival of species in the face of environmental changes.

What is biodiversity like in the Amazon?

Even though many animals are not easily sighted in the Amazon's dense vegetation, the sounds echoing through the forest reveal the presence of many lives. According to the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), the biome is home to about 40,000 species of plants, 300 of mammals, and 1,300 of birds in more than 4.1 million square kilometers of dense, open forests.

According to Carlos Durigan, geographer and researcher at the Institute for Environmental Research of the Amazon (IPAM), the Amazon is one of the planet's natural regions with the highest number of species. This is due to the natural characteristics of the region that have given it the title of the largest hydrographic basin and the largest continuous tropical forest in the world. “The Amazon works thanks to its biodiversity. The interactions between plants, animals, microorganisms, and climate cycles keep the forest alive and productive, influence the rainfall regime of much of South America, and support the region's own ecological balance, which is also the basis of life and sustenance of indigenous, non-indigenous, rural and urban peoples living in the Amazon,” says Carlos.

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Which species highlight the richness of the Amazonian fauna and flora?

Between plants and animals, each species performs a function within the web of connections between living beings in the forest, such as seed dispersion, plant pollination, and the control of populations. In addition to their functions in the ecosystem itself, there are species that stand out and that become symbols of conservation. Often, its relevance is due to the need to protect these animals.

Some of the Amazon's emblematic species are:

Jaguar: The largest feline in the Americas and the third largest in the world, it is a chain-top predator that plays an essential role in balancing ecosystems by regulating prey populations. It is present in almost all Brazilian biomes, especially the Pantanal and the Amazon. The main threats to the species are habitat loss, hunting, and illegal trafficking.

Pink Bottom: It is the largest freshwater dolphin in the world and lives in the rivers of the Amazon basin. The species is suffering a sharp population decline — the main threats include illegal hunting, pollution, collisions with boats, river drought, accidental catches by fishing nets, garbage, and dam construction.

Pirarucu: one of the largest freshwater fish on the planet, the pirarucu can exceed three meters and 200 kilos. A native of the Amazon basin, it is vital for the livelihood of riverine communities. Your air breathing, taken by a lung-like swim bladder, forces you to rise to the surface. This vulnerability, combined with overfishing, has caused significant declines in populations in the past. Appropriate community management for commercial exploitation has allowed the population of this species to recover

Sumauma: among the largest trees in the Amazon rainforest, sumaúma can exceed 70 meters in height. Its wide, visible roots above the ground help support the massive trunk. Considered sacred by many indigenous peoples, it has cultural and ecological importance and offers shelter to various animal and plant species.

Vitoria-Regia: Vitoria-Régia, an emblematic aquatic plant of the Amazon, has circular leaves that float and can exceed 1.5 meters in diameter. In addition to being a symbol of regional flora, it is associated with popular legends that are part of the Amazonian imagination.

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Why care for biodiversity in the Amazon?

In addition to fauna and flora, the diversity of the forest includes the human species—indigenous, riverine, and traditional communities that live in the Amazon. According to the Superintendent of Sustainable Community Development of the Sustainable Amazon Foundation (FAS), Valcléia Lima, when there is work to preserve species, including the human species, there is, in a certain way, a collaboration to reduce climate effects. “When we preserve springs or promote the conservation of pirarucu, for example, we understand that when there is a role to care for, to conserve, we are collaborating so that this biodiversity is maintained, expanded and that it can be present for future generations,” he explains.

For her, to preserve the forest, fauna, flora, rivers, creeks and springs is to maintain the complete ecosystem. This involves prioritizing the populations that inhabit the biome and recognizing them as part of that diversity.

In addition, conserving Amazonian biodiversity is crucial for several factors, such as maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining traditional and indigenous cultures, protecting natural and genetic resources with economic and medicinal value, and avoiding the planet's ecological collapse, combating the global climate crisis and protecting human health.

What are the main threats affecting the biodiversity of the Amazon?

Pressures on Amazonian biodiversity have intensified in recent decades, driven by predatory practices and aggravated by climate change. “The threats are linked to the current model of occupation and production, marked by habitat fragmentation, agricultural expansion, pollution, poorly planned infrastructure, and the advance of urbanization,” says Carlos, from IPAM.

The climate change itself became a risk for the forest. A recent example is the extreme drought of 2023, considered the worst in 120 years, which affected about 30 million people in the Amazon Basin. According to a World Weather Attribution study, or Global Warming made this event 30 times more likely, with lasting impacts on the region's ecosystems and populations.

In addition, illegal mining is a challenge that impacts fauna, flora, and traditional peoples. The use of chemical substances in gold mining contaminates rivers, soils and directly affects indigenous communities, such as the Yanomami. “Deforestation, fires, and extreme events, such as prolonged droughts, compromise life in communities, forcing displacement and affecting the permanence of populations in their territories. These threats have become increasingly frequent and permanent,” says Valcléia, from FAS.

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How does deforestation impact biodiversity in the Amazon?

So far, the Amazon has lost 17% of its native cover, according to the MapBiomas. The reduction of vegetation compromises habitats, isolates species, breaks ecological interactions, and degrades soils and rivers. This process accelerates the extinction of species, reduces ecosystem resilience, and favors the emergence of zoonoses. “Since deforestation in the Amazon is always associated with fires, we still have the death of millions of plants and animals by fires every year and the consequent emission of a large amount of gases that will contribute to global warming,” says Carlos.

For Valcléia, the impact of plant loss also threatens the traditional knowledge of local populations. “Plants such as guava, used to treat intestinal disorders, or boldo, for liver problems, are part of the ancient knowledge transmitted between generations. The removal of vegetation cover compromises this knowledge and affects not only terrestrial life as a whole, but also the health and culture of human populations,” he says.

Finally, the so-called “point of no return” is approaching, expected to occur when the Amazon loses between 20% and 25% of its natural cover. The forest may lose its capacity to maintain its hydrological cycle and collapse, giving way to drier and less biodiverse vegetation.

What actions help protect the Amazon and its biodiversity?

The preservation of Amazonian biodiversity depends on coordinated actions between governments, companies, and consumers. The public authorities must act by strengthening environmental surveillance, land allocation, the use of monitoring technologies, the creation of Conservation Units, and the recognition of indigenous territories. Measures against land grabbing and illegal mining, in addition to policies to encourage bioeconomy and infrastructure compatible with the forest, are also essential to contain deforestation.

In the private sector, it is important for companies to monitor their production chains and create spontaneous actions for the conservation of the environment. Some companies have made climate and environmental commitments, such as Suzano, which is committed to Connect 500 thousand hectares of forest fragments by 2030 in the Cerrado, Atlantic Forest and Amazon biomes, promoting the conservation of biodiversity through the creation of ecological corridors. These spaces connect isolated areas of native vegetation, which allows the movement of animals, the increase of vegetation cover and, consequently, the regeneration of biodiversity.

Consumers, on the other hand, can contribute by choosing products with socio-environmental certifications, supporting civil society organizations, participating in campaigns, and promoting sustainable forest-based businesses, such as local cooperatives.

“Cooperation between civil society, the private sector and the public authorities is essential to ensure a sustainable future. Each sector has different but complementary responsibilities and capacities, and only with collective engagement will it be possible to conserve the biodiversity and ecosystem services on which we all depend,” says Carlos.

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Conclusion

The protection of Amazonian biodiversity goes beyond the conservation of isolated species: it involves the maintenance of ecological processes that are vital for the climate, for human health, and for the survival of the millions of people who inhabit the biome.

In a scenario of illegal deforestation, climate change, and economic pressures, the future of the forest depends on political decisions, social engagement, and development models that respect natural limits. Ensuring the integrity of the Amazon is crucial to face the environmental challenges of the present and the future.

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