what is the Amazon basin ecologically so important
Answers
The Amazon Basin is very important for maintaining the ecological balance. The basin is vast and spans many countries.
It is located in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
It contains the largest rainforest in the world.
The forest covers 5,500,000 km2 of the basin and is home to a multitude of species.
Amazon basin in Brazil forms almost 60% of world's rainforest. It provides a number of ecological benefit to the planet which are as follows:-
PRECIPITATION
The transpiration of the billions of trees in amazon basin adds to almost 75% of the precipitation caused there not only limitating its effect on till the basin but also to parts of western US and central America.
CARBON STORAGE
The billions of trees in the amason forest store a massive amount of carbon in there trunks, leaves and branches. According to a study in 2007 the forest stores almost 83 billion tons of carbon that accounts to one third of the carbon stored by tropical forest worldwide.
BIODIVERSITY
30% of the ecosystem found in the tropical forests worldwide are found in the Amazon river. Apart from their importance as a living organism it serves as food, medicines and various other services to mankind.
LOCAL BENEFITS
A large number of forest products help the tribals in earning their livelihood. The Amazon river works as a main toute of transportation. Raw materials for many industries near by are supplied from the forest. Moreover it helps to keep the air clean saving the people from immense air pollution.