Why Should Rainforests Like the Amazonian Rainforest be Protected - Essay Example

The Rainforest: Why Should Rainforests Like the Amazonian Rainforest be Protected? Rain forests are usually home to many animals and source of medicine for quite a number of ailments. The Amazon is a good example of the world’s natural rain forest. It is vital to point out that the Amazon is the largest rain forest in the world. As the largest remaining natural rain forest, Amazon covers an extensive area in South America. In fact, the forest covers up to nine countries. Some of these countries include Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela and Bolivia amongst others.

One may wonder what makes it important to conserve rain forest, especially the Amazon. Well, here are the reasons. Role of Rain Forests in Human Ecology: The Amazon as a Case Study Ecologically, the Amazon is responsible for Brazil’s climate and general environmental characteristics. As a forest, the Amazon attracts rainfall for the areas around it. Many countries depend on reliable rainfall and its associated climate for farming purposes. In other word, there is forest regulates factors such as water cycle, humidity and temperatures.

One may observe that for this reason, Brazil, which has the highest portion of the Amazon within her boundaries, has varied climate and weather conditions. These in turn influence the kind of flora and fauna one may expect to find (London and Kelly 112). The Current State of Bio-Diversity in Amazon Forest Some of the major challenges facing the Amazon currently are commercial logging and grazing. Ranchers encroach into forestland to look for more grazing land for their animals. Other factors that have placed rain forests in jeopardy are road construction and construction of hydroelectric dams.

Owing to these factors, various researchers have found out that the forest is disappearing at a fast rate. Statistics indicate that the forest s disappearing at a rate of 200, 000 square miles a year. This means that there is an urgent need to conserve the forest since many plants and animals are in grave danger. Some of these plants and animals are endangered species. Species of Plants and Animals Endangered in the Deforestation of Amazon Forest The Amazon Forest is home to many plants and animals.

Some of the animals that are endangered by the deforestation and other human actions include spider monkeys, Golden Lion Tamarins, sloths, giant anteaters, giant river otter, anaconda, jaguar, and poison arrow frog amongst other things. In terms of flora, the forest has thousands of species of plants, a few of which have possibly not been mapped. Some of the endangered plant life include: Brazilian Cherry tree, Aniba Rosewood, Hondura Mahogany tree, Panama pine, Central American cedar and tulipwood amongst others (London and Kelly 73).

Predictions and the Need for Conservation The need for the conservation is based on the fact that every ecosystem is usually self-dependent on all biotic and abiotic factors within it. Consequently, it is possible that deforestation and other human actions are altering this balance in the ecosystem. The eventual result if this trend does not stop is that it an imbalance in the ecosystem may lead to extinction of the already endangered species. Extinction of certain plant and animal species may cause irreversible effects.

These effects, combined with human action, may eventually lead to rapid depletion of biodiversity in the forest. Because rain forest play a bigger role in rainfall and climatic patterns, and because rainforest are home to not only many endangered species but also to other species, there is a need for their conservation. Given the nature geographical coverage and administrative boundaries, counties that share such similar natural resources should draft resolutions and ratify them as law. This would help in arresting the worrying trend in loss of forest coverage (London and Kelly 95).

Work Cited London, Mark and Kelly, Brian. The Last Forest: The Amazon in the Age of Globalization. New York, Random House, 2007.