Brazil Eco Adventure Tours
Rainforest - Hiking & Biking - Wildlife

Atlantic Rainforest
Biological Diversity

 Biodiversität   Biodiversidad   Biodiversidade 
According to UNU-IAS, biological diversity, or biodiversity, is the variety of life on earth and the foundation upon human civilizations have been built. Its conservation is a prerequisite for the survival of humanity.

Biodiversity comprises the variability among all the different species of plants, animals and micro - organisms, including all the different genetic variability within these species and the ecosystems they inhabit.

Life on our planet is estimated at more than 10 million species and less than 20% have so far been identified. The largest portion of it (15 - 20%) is to be found in Brazil, the first among the megadiverse countries.
 
According to a study published by CI do Brasil in July 2005, Brazil“s total biota - known plus undiscovered - was estimated at 1,4 to 2,4 million species. The known Brazilian biota was estimated at 170.000 to 210.000 species. From this, the kingdom of plants (flora) was estimated at 40.000 - 50.000 species and the kindom of animals (fauna) at 100.000 to 140.000 species (including 3.557 tetrapods).

The biological diversity of the Atlantic Rainforest / (Mata Atlāntica) biome is particularly rich. 7 ecosystems with up to 5 altitudinal zones house more than 20.000 plants (8.000 endemic) and 2.300 tetrapods (725 endemic). It is one of the top 5 biodiversity hotspots on Earth.

The elevated biodiversity of the Atlantic Rainforest is a function of its geological history, its tropical / subtropical position and the extreme environmental variations in this biome. Strong climatic changes of the past, elevations from sealevel to around 3.000 m (the highest on the eastern side of the American continent) and the 38° latitudinal span are the most important factors in this variation. Additionally, coastal rainforests are considerably richer in terms of biodiversity than inland ones (eg the Amazon Rainforest).

See also comments on the COP8 in Curitiba.
 
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