6/28/2019 Biodiversity of the Amazon | National Geographic Society

R E S O U R C E L I B R A R Y | M A P Biodiversity of the Amazon

The is home to half of the world's tropical forests. These forests are home to an incredible diversity of plant and life.

G R A D E S 5 - 12

S U B J E C T S Biology, Ecology, Geography

C O N T E N T S 1 Interactive

For the complete mapmaker interactive with media resources, visit: http://www.nationalgeographic.org/maps/biodiversity-amazon/ The Amazon Basin is home to half of the world's tropical forests. These forests are home to an incredible diversity of plant and animal life. From the birds and bees of the forest canopy to the sloths and snakes beneath, the Amazon has a dazzling array of species . . . some of which remain undiscovered.

Visit our MapMaker Interactive geo-tour to uncover the richness of the Amazon rain forest. Be sure to click on the bookmarks for information on each map, and on markers for media and information on specific species. Use our markers and “save” features to customize the map as your own. Fast Facts

10 Animal Species Endemic to the Amazon Basin These are only found in the Amazon River or one of its rain forest ecosystems. 1. Caquetá tití monkey (Western ) (critically endangered) 2. hoary-throated spinetail bird ( and Guyana) (critically endangered) 3. pink-throated brilliant hummingbird (Colombia, , and ) (vulnerable) https://www.nationalgeographic.org/maps/biodiversity-amazon/print/ 1/3 6/28/240.1 9fantastic poison frog (NorthernBi oPdeivrerusi)t y( onfe thaer A-mthazroen a| tNeatnioenadl G) eographic Society 5. Amazon river dolphin (Amazon and Orinoco river basins) (insufficient data to assign a conservation status.) 6. Amazon rat (, Western Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) (least concern) 7. albina Suriname toad (French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname) (least concern) 8. southern two-toed sloth (Northern Amazon Basin) (least concern) 9. black spider monkey (Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana) (vulnerable) 10. black bearded saki (Northeastern Brazil) (critically endangered) Vocabulary

Part of Term Definition Speech biodiversity noun all the different kinds of living organisms within a given area. brackish noun salty water, usually a mixture of seawater and freshwater. water buoyant adjectivecapable of floating. tactic that organisms use to disguise their appearance, usually to blend camouflage noun in with their surroundings. one of the top layers of a forest, formed by the thick of very tall canopy noun trees. climate noun all weather conditions for a given location over a period of time. deforestationnoun destruction or removal of forests and their undergrowth. drainage an entire river system or an area drained by a river and its tributaries. noun basin Also called a watershed. drought noun period of greatly reduced precipitation. ecosystem noun community and interactions of living and nonliving things in an area. endangered noun organism threatened with extinction. species endemic noun species that naturally occurs in only one area or region. species flood plain noun flat area alongside a stream or river that is subject to flooding. environment where an organism lives throughout the year or for habitat noun shorter periods of time. vine that takes root in the soil and winds around trees to the top of a liana noun forest canopy.

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/maps/biodiversity-amazon/print/ 2/3 6/28/2019 Part of Biodiversity of the Amazon | National Geographic Society Term Definition Speech animal with hair that gives birth to live offspring. Female noun produce milk to feed their offspring. nutrient noun substance an organism needs for energy, growth, and life. to transfer pollen from one part of a flower (the anther) to another (the pollinate verb stigma). rainforest noun area of tall, mostly evergreen trees and a high amount of rainfall. sediment noun solid material transported and deposited by water, ice, and wind. silt noun small sediment particles. species noun group of similar organisms that can reproduce with each other. topography noun study of the shape of the surface features of an area. tropical rain grouping of tall evergreen trees, usually close to the Equator, which noun forest receives more than 203 centimeters (80 inches) of rain a year. understory noun ecosystem between the canopy and floor of a forest. vegetation noun all the plant life of a specific place. Maps World Wildlife WildFINDER

Websites World Wildlife Ecoregions: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests IUCN: Red List of Threatened Species

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Educational resources for this project funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the BIO Program at the Inter-American Development Bank.

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