Title
Science Panel for the Amazon: Chapter 3: Biological Diversity and Ecological Network in The Amazon
Author(s)
Zapata-Ríos, Galo; Andreazzi, Cecilia S.; Carnaval, Ana Carolina; Rodrigues da Costa Doria, Carolina; Duponchelle, Fabrice; Flecker, Alexander; Guayasamín, Juan Manuel; Heilpern, Sebastian; Jenkins, Clinton N.; Maldonado, Carla; Meneghelli, Diego; Miranda, Guido; Moraes R., Mónica; Silman, Miles; Pinheiro de Almeida Silveira, Maria Aurea; Tabet, Gabriella; Trujillo, Fernando; Ulloa Ulloa, Carmen
Published
2021
Abstract
Scientists have not estimated yet, to the nearest order of magnitude, the number of species in the Amazon. While the Amazon is one of the largest forests in the world, it is also one of the least known biologically. Documenting its biodiversity is challenging because of immense size, diversity, and limited access. On the basis of current knowledge, the Amazon exhibits the highest density of species, as well as the highest number of endangered species (many of them endemics) for vascular and non-vascular plants, fish, amphibians, birds and mammals. Deeper knowledge of biodiversity patterns is still lacking, and the spatial turnover of species assemblages at different scales remains poorly understood. In the Amazon, we can also find some outstanding examples of animal behavior. For example, many fish species migrate over long distances, and some of them perform the world longest migrations known in freshwaters, using the entire length of the Amazon basin in a round trip migration of up to ~12,000 km. It is also important to consider that plant-animal interactions and trophic interactions are central ecological processes in Amazonian forests. Disruptions to these interactions can alter forest community composition over the long-term. Functional diversity, including intra- and inter-specific variation in organisms, has recently attracted attention from scientists, and it is evident that it contributes to community and ecosystem resilience to perturbations including climate change. There is still much to learn about Amazon biodiversity, species assemblages, and ecological interactions. There are spatial and taxonomic biases in the data (including many unexplored localities and lesser-known taxonomic groups) which affect our understanding of biodiversity patterns in the Amazon. The chapter highlights the need for more basic and applied research to improve our knowledge of biodiversity patterns across the region. This information is critical for understanding the impacts of human activities and informing conservation and restoration actions.
Keywords
Biodiversity; species richness; endemism; flora; fauna; plant-animal interactions; migration; phylogenetic diversity; functional diversity
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