Amazon Rainforest Ecology Essay Example

Introduction

The Amazon rainforest is chosen as the biome to describe. The Amazon rainforest is one of the most diverse and largest in the world. This essay will provide an example of the Brazil nut tree as a keystone species. It can be found in the biome and ecosystem. An invasive species, called the golden mussel in the ecosystem, will be described by the author and its potential negative effects. The Amazon rainforest's endangered jaguar will also be examined.

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Keystone Species

The Brazil nut tree is a typical keystone species in the Amazon rainforest. Because it is widespread in the Amazon rainforest, it can be considered a keystone specie (Duarte and Paull 2015). Brazil nut trees, which are large, provide habitats for many animals such as monkeys, and other species that live on trees. These plants supply nectar and other substances to birds and insects.

Invasive Species

Limnoperna Fortunei, also known as the golden mussel or Limnoperna fortunei is an example of an invasive species that can be found in Amazon rainforest. It is a native Chinese species. This freshwater mollusk was accidentally introduced to South America in 1990. This species can be tolerated by many negative factors and spread quickly in freshwater, causing damage to various activities related to water use. Golden mussels can quickly grow in rivers and form large aggregates, which make it difficult for other organisms (Barroso Munoz & Cai 2019, 2019). This organism can have a major impact on existing habitats for Amazon organisms. It may prevent them from eating in areas with high numbers of mussels. There are several measures that can be taken to reduce the negative impact of the golden mussel upon the Amazon rainforest ecosystem. To prevent golden mussels breeding in the Amazon rainforest, boats and other human-made items are disinfected.

Endangered Species

The jaguar is one of the most threatened species in the Amazon rainforest. This is a large, wild cat that is one of the largest predators in Amazon rainforest. Deforestation and the destruction of natural habitats by humans are two of the main causes of jaguar decline. Jaguars need large areas of tropical forest to hunt and sustain themselves, but this is slowly changing. Jaguars are also hunted for their skin. Non-governmental organizations take different actions to stop the decline in jaguars (Eisenberg 2014). The World Wildlife Fund, for instance, works with Brazil's government to preserve large areas of Rainforest, and allow more jaguars to enjoy them (WWF 2019,). This organization also tracks jaguars in order to learn more about their lives and how they can be helped.

Conclusion

The Amazon rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world and home to a large number of species. This ecosystem is home to the Brazil nut tree, which is a common example. An example of an invasive species is the golden mussel, which was brought from China. People intervene to reduce its impact on native species. Because of habitat destruction and hunting, the jaguar is an Amazonian endangered species. It is important to control hunting and reduce deforestation in order to preserve jaguars.

References

Duarte, O., & Paull, R. (2015). Exotic fruits and nuts of the new world. Wallingford, England: CABI.

Eisenberg. C. (2014). The carnivore way: Coexisting with and conserving north America’s predators. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.

Barroso, R. M., Muñoz, A. E. P., & Cai, J. (2019). Social and economic performance of tilapia farming in Brazil. Rome, Italy: FAO.

WWF (2019). Jaguar. Web.