ANSWERS: 1
  • The Amazonian rain forest in South America is the world's largest rain forest. Organisms all over the world, not just in the Amazon itself, benefit from its existence. As nearby human populations expand, more and more of the forest is destroyed. There are several important reasons why the Amazon rain forest should be saved.

    Indigenous People

    At the time of this writing, in early 2010, the Amazon rain forest is home to approximately 300,000 indigenous people. Approximately 180,000 of them live natively, which means they still depend on the resources of the forest and its namesake river to survive.

    Oxygen Production

    The Amazon rain forest produces about 20 percent of the world's oxygen and absorbs millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year. All other living things on Earth benefit immensely from this cycle.

    Wood Production

    The wood produced by Amazonian trees is a valuable resource for the economies of the countries where the Amazon rain forest exists. At present, this wood is taken in quantities that are too high and the trees are not given a chance to regrow. Because of this, the resource will eventually run out.

    Animal Habitat

    There are many animal species, from jaguars to rare poisonous frogs, that depend on the Amazon for survival. Without the rain forest they would go extinct.

    Pharmaceutical Botany

    Scientists are continually finding exotic plants in the Amazon that produce chemicals with therapeutic properties useful in human medicine. These plants have contributed to advances in the treatments for cancer, AIDS, diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer's disease. There is no telling what medically valuable plants might be lost if the rain forest is cleared.

    Source:

    Blue Planet Biomes: Amazon Rainforest

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