Rainforests in Latin America

Global impact and Importance

• Thousands of products that we are dependent on come from plants and trees in the rainforest. For example rice, coffee and chocolate
• Timber from rainforests have a value of 7,000 million dollars a year on the world market
• Trees have a key role in reducing pollution levels in the atmosphere
• We rely on plants to pump oxygen, wildlife to keep pests in check, distribute seeds and pollinate plants that supply us with food and medicine
• Indigenous people rely on the rainforest and the food it provides to survive

Rainforests in Latin America

Animals

• Rainforests are home to many colorful and unusual animals that make up more than half of the world's animals
• Rainforests are populated with insects, arachnids, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals.
• Due to deforestation, many species of rainforest animals are endangered or have gone extinct

Plants

• Rainforests contain vital plants that that serve as medicine for heart disease and many cancer-fighting properties.
• Of the 3000 plants that are being used for cancer-fighting medicines, 70 percent of them are from rainforests
• Plants from rainforests are also a large part in prescription medications

Latin America

Deforestation

• Rainforests are found all over the world, but the largest, the Amazon Rainforest is found in Latin America.
• Outside the Amazon, rainforests are located in Brazil, northern and western South America, Panama, Costa Rica and many other locations in central America

Deforestation is the clearing of trees that causes a loss of biological diversity.

Effects

Causes

• Deforestation ruins the forest’s ability to sustain plant and animal life.
• Destruction of the rainforests destroys a home to many.
• Rainforests are known to absorb solar energy and act as regulators of weather and climate. The cutting of trees causes temperatures to rise and precipitation levels to fall.
• When burning rainforests the atmosphere experiences a buildup of carbon and when trees and other plants are left to decay, carbon dioxide and methane seep into the atmosphere disturbing equilibrium.

• Humans are the primary cause of deforestation.
• Rainforests are cleared for food, wood, medicine, farming, and ranching.
• Additionally when people are forced to poverty, they are forced to mine the forest for survival.
• Humans clear rainforests with two methods.
• The fire method is often used by farmers and native people.
• The slash and burn method is cutting all the trees and plants in the area down the burned. This turns the nutrients from the plants to ash and further fertilizing the soil. The new cleared area is then used for farming until the nutrients in the soil is used up

Satellite photos of western Brazil taken in 1975 and 2012.

Rate of deforestation in Amazon from 1988-2011

Solutions to Deforestation

Solutions to deforestation include:

• Utilizing the forest at a rate that doesn't threaten the future survival of rain forests
• Encourage forest for debt exchange
• Pass treaties and agreements to preserve rain forests
• Keep population under control.
• One of the best solutions to deforestation is educating.
• As an consumer people also can lead in the fight against deforestation.
• Also buy products recycled or certified wood products.