A green paradise, permeated by abundant rivers, hiding riches unknown to scholars. Its forests with giant trees located in areas not yet explored by man sharpens curiosity stimulating the imagination of the most fertile minds
Ph.D. Fabiana Filardi
Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro
We do not always realize, but all forms of life (including ours) depend directly or indirectly from plants. Life on our planet arose from an aggregate of dust and gas rotating in orbit around the sun for billions of years, but the diversity that we know today was only possible after the establishment of the plants, which are capable of photosynthesis. This amazing biochemical process that produces sugars and release oxygen from water, CO2 and solar power, was responsible for the modification of Earth’s atmosphere, leading to the establishment of more complex living beings, formed by cells organized into tissues and organs (such as our body).
But even without knowing this long and ancient evolutionary path and the importance of plants as the base of the pyramid of life, we are in awe by the forest, with its majestic large trees, the beauty of flowers and its fruits and seeds. The wet tropical forests occur in
areas of high rainfall (above 1,500 mm/year) and currently the largest extent of these forests occurs in the Amazon River basin. The diversity found in these places is the largest in the world, with up to 300 species of trees per hectare (10,000m2), a greater number than all the species of trees known to the European continent. Besides these trees, a lot of species of herbaceous plants, shrubs, vines and epiphytes (such as some species of Bromeliads and Orchids), among others, also support thousands of species of animals and fungi in the Amazon region. At the moment approximately 14,000 plant species are listed for the Amazon, but due to the extent of biome and particularities of its topography present in mountainous areas, floodplain areas subjected to periodic flooding and rushing rivers, this number is admittedly smaller than the real number. The intensification of botanical studies specific to this flora is necessary.
The first European navigator who ventured down the Amazon River, the world’s largest in extent and volume of water, was the Spanish Francisco Orellana, who in 1542 gave names to these lands as the legend is told. According to reports obtained from his expedition, which lasted about a year, the region was inhabited by Amazons, female warriors who had fabulous treasures hidden in the forest and were never found. The Amazon remained in peace for a long time, inhabited only by forest people living in perfect balance with the native flora and fauna, and guarding the treasures of the Amazons warriors. But the nature of this gorgeous region of Brazil has been recognized as a barrier to the progress of the country and its “conquest” was adopted as military government advertising from 1970. Taking as an example is the construction of the Transamazônica road that intended to cut the forest and which still remains unfinished. More than six million hectares of native forest were expropriated in attempts to construct the Transamazônica road, and as a result there was intensification of illegal extraction of timber and deforestation mainly for cattle breeding and soy plantations.
Fortunately, some of the exuberance of the Brazilian Amazon is protected in 10 National Parks, bringing together more than 8.6 million hectares. Although most of these protected areas are not open to the public, the Araguaia National Park (in the state of Tocantins) and the Jaú National Park (in the state of Amazonas) are open to visitors and offer the opportunity for any of us (humans who need plants) to experience the beauty and strength of the Brazilian Amazon.
