Flooded Forest
The amazons flooded forest takes up an area a little less than the size of the United States. Many families, and homes fall victim to the rivers rise every year, and malaria and infant mortality are common. The forest floor can be anywhere from 5-50 feet below the surface of the river when flood waters start to reach their peak. Naturalist Michael Boodick studies the flooded forests, and says that the amazon is such an amazing place becaus not only is there a huge diverse forest, but the river system below is just as diverse. There is a dolphin in the rainforest that swims through the river, known as the river dolphin. It is known to be true that if you kill this dolphin, you will recieve bad luck and bad health. There are at least 2000 species of fish in the amaon with just as many most likely yet undiscovered. The amazon is the most diverse river in the world in fish species. THere are many fish that rely on fruits, insects, and seeds as food. These fish have reliable food sources as they have adapted to eating things that may fall into the water from the canopy below. This is good because there will always be a food source for them and there is also the fact that eating these seeds spreads the saplings of the plant species. THe makaray monkeys diet consists of 85% fruits and their faces are very red, especially when they mature and are healthy. The amazon basin also has an immense diveresity of birds, the most in the world, and more than half of the species are found only in the amazon. The water monkey stores its offspring in the mouth of the males until theyough can survive on their own. Most fish feed during the flood season and have a fat storage system that allows them to survive when waters recede. The Santos family feeds their livestock by using the food in their catches stomach as well as other grasses and seeds. The tabaki fish was the fish that they caught in their gill net that day and it fed on palm seeds.
This video was very cool because it showed me that the amazon river basin, though plentiful in many varietes of food, animals and reources, has some of the most haszardous obstacles. The flood waters pose a threat to all who may be located near a major channel, and the water rise creates a barrier to resources that for many becomes detrimental to health. Food abundance decreases when the flooding occurs, and many people rely mainly on fish as their source of food. The many items and assets a family has are at risk of being washed away when flooding happens. During flooding land animals face increased competition for living space, but this is all just the course that nature takes, constantly shifting and shaping the ecological habitat. This gives most species the same risks and advantages due to the unruly environmental changes. When flloods rise, the fish species get to eat endlessly as they swim along the forest floor, looking for fruits and seeds as well as many other fish to eat. Their food sources are plentiful, but when the flooding recedes, the fish concentration of the river drastically increases, leaving many species vulnerable. This is the way the amazon river works, and I never really knew that. I was unaware that the flooding caused fish species to make their way into the forest and that is very cool. When I thought of the Amazon before I just thought that the rains came whenever, I was unaware that there was a flooding season.
This video was very cool because it showed me that the amazon river basin, though plentiful in many varietes of food, animals and reources, has some of the most haszardous obstacles. The flood waters pose a threat to all who may be located near a major channel, and the water rise creates a barrier to resources that for many becomes detrimental to health. Food abundance decreases when the flooding occurs, and many people rely mainly on fish as their source of food. The many items and assets a family has are at risk of being washed away when flooding happens. During flooding land animals face increased competition for living space, but this is all just the course that nature takes, constantly shifting and shaping the ecological habitat. This gives most species the same risks and advantages due to the unruly environmental changes. When flloods rise, the fish species get to eat endlessly as they swim along the forest floor, looking for fruits and seeds as well as many other fish to eat. Their food sources are plentiful, but when the flooding recedes, the fish concentration of the river drastically increases, leaving many species vulnerable. This is the way the amazon river works, and I never really knew that. I was unaware that the flooding caused fish species to make their way into the forest and that is very cool. When I thought of the Amazon before I just thought that the rains came whenever, I was unaware that there was a flooding season.
Golden Amazon
There are people selling illegal amazonian trees. It is a highly valued work to get specific species and sell them illegally without being caught. Some workers can make up to 20$ a day and the trees themselves will sell for an astranomical price. You can go to jail for selling these trees because they are so protected which makes the work highly valued in the underground trade. Each day companies will cut down 150 trees; and there are many companies in Brazil. This affects the habitat around the site of cutting. Almost 17 cubic meters will be affected by each company every day and nobody tells the police because you will be killed. 80% of the wood coming from Brazil is cut illegally and 2/3 of it is wasted during the process. 64 species of tree in the Amazon are highly valued for their wood, including Mahogany. The Piraruku is a fish that lives in the Amazon and is known as the Brazilian Cod to locals. Some exploit the rules and illegally catch this fish, with most of the rich people in Brazil eating illegally caught fish. The rules on catching them have changed as people have started exploit them, and prices dropped substantially as a result. Minerals are also mined in Brazil. In many states in Brazil, hundreds of men will sift for gold in a river because it is not easily seen. Only a small portion is produced, and after being mixed with copper, is sold at whole-sale. Brazil is the 6th largest producer in gold in the world and mining here has always been regulated. Recently the rules have had to change. Degradation of the landscape has started to cause changes to the way mining can be done in Brazil. Mercury used during refining poisons the waters and the gold can be mixed with mercury. A study done by Edinardo Degrasso showed that 1000s of fish in the Amazon contain methyl mercury at 1200 ppm, when 500 is the accepted amount. The environment is starting to be affected by our use of these natural resources, no matter what rules we have in place.
I think that this video was very important because it innocently showed the ways that we are hurting our environment. In the beginning they talked about the degradation of the forest by cutting down trees that will be sold illegally. We have regulations on cutting these trees for some who are doing it legally, because the wood is used to make things and isnt being wasted. People who are cutting down trees in large sections of forest to make profit are probably not following the regulations and so this is where the problem lies, because people will need paper but if there is no regulation than eventually the resource will run out. The fish in the amazon river are also similarly affected as the regulations on catching piraruku have had to change since people are exploiting them. Minerals such as gold are also getting new regulations because of the changing environment that we are seeing as a result of mining. Scientists are seeing that there is an abundance of mercury in our fisheries and that this is mainly due to the mining of gold and the refining processes associated with it. This is not good for the health of the community or the habitat and is why the regulations are starting to become stricter in regards to the they are allowed to use the natural resources.
I think that this video was very important because it innocently showed the ways that we are hurting our environment. In the beginning they talked about the degradation of the forest by cutting down trees that will be sold illegally. We have regulations on cutting these trees for some who are doing it legally, because the wood is used to make things and isnt being wasted. People who are cutting down trees in large sections of forest to make profit are probably not following the regulations and so this is where the problem lies, because people will need paper but if there is no regulation than eventually the resource will run out. The fish in the amazon river are also similarly affected as the regulations on catching piraruku have had to change since people are exploiting them. Minerals such as gold are also getting new regulations because of the changing environment that we are seeing as a result of mining. Scientists are seeing that there is an abundance of mercury in our fisheries and that this is mainly due to the mining of gold and the refining processes associated with it. This is not good for the health of the community or the habitat and is why the regulations are starting to become stricter in regards to the they are allowed to use the natural resources.
I Have Seen the Earth Change
In this video, they talk about the way that the rainy season is starting to be affected by climate change in Brazil and the rest of the Amazon. Storms caused by wind have caused havoc on the residents living here and rising water levels are forcing some out of their homes. The water level has been higher during the dry season in recent years at a level never seen before. Sleep is very hard to get for most as wind and rain are constant, and any serious storm could do a lot of damage so you must always be on the look out. Igarape is a town on the Amazon and a storm in 2009 has forced out many residents. What is causing these storms and the recent weather changes including flooding, is the question that has been asked by many who are starting to notice these changes. A shorter dry season caused by la nina, along with the increased rainfall during the la nina period, are said to be causing this major increase in water volume. This is not supposed to happen every year but in this area on the river, it virtually does. Home renovation is constant and there are now people who will check on people living on the river, to make sure that they have everything that they need, including David McGrath. Rising waters have been the reason people settled in this area as fishing was very good at the time, but the development of the land has caused the water to wash the soil away causing the destruction of the ecosystem. Adam, a local fisherman, talks about how they developed the land to plant the jute, but this has done away with the land all together. He explains that the roots of the trees are what is keeping the soil in place, and that without the roots and trees, the soil is washed away all together, leading to sedimentation and other catastrophes. Fishermen of Igarape have the triple threat against them now, as there are more fishermen, worse climatic conditions, and less fish. The population here is growing very weak as a result. Pirakatinga is a fish caught using pig heads and is wrangled by hand into a box or net by the dozens. They are caught at night and catching them is an all day process. It is one of the only ways to catch fish during periods where other big game fish are out of season. Line fishing is now the widely accepted method for the sustainability of the fisheries here, and it is illegal to use nets. The community is in disagreement about the rules, and the people of Igarape feel that line fishing is the only way because they are being affected most by the lack of fish. Neighboring communities still want to use nets because the fishing is easily done, but it affects many people in the process. Pregnant women who live in these communities on the river will often give birth in their homes as getting to a hospital is not always an option. It proves that the people here are tough and resilient to adversity.
I think that this video was great because it showed the ways that the changing climate has affected different areas. Many people who live on the river have seen a rise in the river level over the past years, which is alarming. The river is a source of food for the people close to it, but the changing climate has led to an increase in the need for food, and the river is depleting in fish because of it. In the days where the river was bursting with fish, you could throw your line under a tree and catch a big fish, but now there are no fish. People are resorting to illegal ways to catch fish, which has continued to cause a decrease in their populations. I think that people are starting to fish there more because there are limited ways to make money in Brazil but fishing has always been there main source of food. People living on the river have started to see the effects of overfishing, but the problem is that that is their main source of food. The overfishing has caused a weakening of the community, while the people doing the illegal fishing are only doing it for a profit. I think that the exploitation of resources that happens in Brazil is a result of people not knowing where their next meal is coming from.
I think that this video was great because it showed the ways that the changing climate has affected different areas. Many people who live on the river have seen a rise in the river level over the past years, which is alarming. The river is a source of food for the people close to it, but the changing climate has led to an increase in the need for food, and the river is depleting in fish because of it. In the days where the river was bursting with fish, you could throw your line under a tree and catch a big fish, but now there are no fish. People are resorting to illegal ways to catch fish, which has continued to cause a decrease in their populations. I think that people are starting to fish there more because there are limited ways to make money in Brazil but fishing has always been there main source of food. People living on the river have started to see the effects of overfishing, but the problem is that that is their main source of food. The overfishing has caused a weakening of the community, while the people doing the illegal fishing are only doing it for a profit. I think that the exploitation of resources that happens in Brazil is a result of people not knowing where their next meal is coming from.
Wildlife of the Amazon
In this video about the wildlife found in the Amazon, we learn just how diverse these species of wildlife really can be in certain areas. The Amazon has the largest forest and river in the world within its boundaries, with the greatest diversity of living organisms anywhere as well. Black came crocodiles live here and feed on fish during the dry season. When the flood waters recede, schools of fish get trapped in small pools, making an easy meal for many animals including the crocodile. Egrits also feed on these fish at the same time for this reason. The flood waters have a perpetual effect on many species that live here, making their survival very hard at times, and very easy at other times. When the waters are higher, crocodiles have a much harder time finding fish, and must make themselves vulnerable on land to be able to find a meal. Many species live in unison in the amazon rainforest. Hunting frogs share homes with tarantulas. The tarantula senses the frog in its home does not see it as a threat so it does not eat it. The frog is an eater of ants, which eat spider eggs, so the tarantula will have a good relationship with the hunting frog if it allows it to stay near the turantulas home. Bees are good pollinators of the brazil nut, so the tree grows in many different areas because of the bees great ability to spread spores. An armed task force has started to stop the deforestation of the amazon, which causes the relationships between these species to be destroyed. The deforestation has been due to the need for agricultural land for residents, use of trees as natural resources, and for medicines like cancer fighting medicine. The amazon is the worlds medicine cabinet because so many medicinal remedies are found within the wildlife here. Macaw parrots are the most distinct species of parrot. There are 17 species of parrot in the amazon and they travel in large flocks. The Mates people are one of the last native tribes to remain out of contact with the outside world. They gather plants and hunt, and the first contact with modern civilization was in the 1970s. Many have died due to virus since this encounter. South American primates live in the canopy and rarely ever come down. Nine new species of primate have been discovered in the last decade. Squirrel monkeys grow up very fast and eat just about anything from sap and fruits to seeds and insects. The Tapeia is the worlds largest herbivore and is found in Brazil. River dolphins have adapted to freshwater, unlike their ancestors, and do dances to attract mates. Sea otter pups grow in the river and must learn to fend for themselves before the flood and rains come and wash away the dam. The piraruku is known as the Brazilian Cod and live in acidic, tannin filled, murky, slow-moving water, and the low oxygen makes the smaller fish in this water oxygen deprived and essentially very easy catches. The piraruku uses an air sac in its body as a lung, and takes breaths of air in through its mouth to maintain steady oxygen levels in the murky water. Logging in the forest has changed the landscape from vast forests to isolated canopies. Sloths go to the ground once every week and live solely on leaves. Their poor eyesight and slow movement make it susceptible, though it tends to avoid confrontation. Its slow movement makes it energy efficient though and it is hardly detectable. Their home is constantly changing because of this as well deforestation.
I think that this video does a great job at representing the ways in which species here live in unison and with relationships to one another. This video explained how some species like the hunting frog will live with a tarantula because the turantula will offer it protection and the frog will eat ants to protect the spiders eggs. These relationships are present in all areas of the vast amazon forest. I think that the way we deforest the area has an astounding effect on the way these relationships will persist. The sloth will eventually lose enough habitat to be easily spotted and this could effect the survival of the sloth in this area. The flood waters will continue to become more and more drastic, which will make fishing for all species along the river much harder, as the river will cover a much broader landscape. In addition to environmental effects on certain species, the effect that the loss of a species has on the community is far-reaching. The absence of one species will effect all other neighboring species in this environment that require the presence of the certain species for survival.
I think that this video does a great job at representing the ways in which species here live in unison and with relationships to one another. This video explained how some species like the hunting frog will live with a tarantula because the turantula will offer it protection and the frog will eat ants to protect the spiders eggs. These relationships are present in all areas of the vast amazon forest. I think that the way we deforest the area has an astounding effect on the way these relationships will persist. The sloth will eventually lose enough habitat to be easily spotted and this could effect the survival of the sloth in this area. The flood waters will continue to become more and more drastic, which will make fishing for all species along the river much harder, as the river will cover a much broader landscape. In addition to environmental effects on certain species, the effect that the loss of a species has on the community is far-reaching. The absence of one species will effect all other neighboring species in this environment that require the presence of the certain species for survival.