Nature: Complex Ecosystems 1

– The Amazon Rainforest –

The Amazon Rainforest, also known as ‘the lungs of the Earth,’ is a vibrant and complex ecosystem that spans across eight countries in South America. Covering an area of approximately 5.5 million square kilometers, it represents over half of the planet’s remaining rainforests.

A myriad of species calls the Amazon Rainforest their home, including an estimated 400 billion individual trees belonging to 16,000 species. This dense population of flora creates an immense canopy that shields much of the forest floor from sunlight, dictating a unique vertical layering of the ecosystem.

Within these layers, an incredibly diverse array of fauna thrives. The Amazon hosts 10% of the world’s known species, including a multitude of insects, birds, and mammals. Each species has carved out a niche, contributing to a delicate balance that sustains the ecosystem.

However, this biodiversity hotspot is under threat due to deforestation and climate change. The loss of this ecosystem would be catastrophic, not only for the species it hosts but also for its role in global carbon dioxide absorption and the stabilization of the world’s climate.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO words from the text for each answer.

The Amazon Rainforest, often referred to as ‘the lungs of the Earth,’ extends across eight countries and encompasses an area of approximately _______ square kilometers.
This rainforest houses a wide variety of species, with an estimated 400 billion individual trees from _______ different species.
The thick population of plants forms a massive _______ that shades a significant portion of the forest floor from the sun, leading to a unique stratification of the ecosystem.
The Amazon is a habitat for _______ percent of the world’s identified species, including numerous insects, birds, and mammals.
Each creature has established a _______ within the ecosystem, contributing to a fragile equilibrium.
This hotspot of biological diversity is at risk due to deforestation and climate _______.

Choose NO MORE THAN ONE word from the text for each answer.

Spanning eight South American countries, the Amazon Rainforest, or ‘the lungs of the Earth,’ is a complex ecosystem that occupies about _______ square kilometers. It shelters an array of species with approximately 400 billion individual trees from _______ different species. These trees form an extensive _______ that significantly reduces sunlight reaching the forest floor, resulting in a distinct layering of the ecosystem. Home to _______ percent of known species on Earth, every organism has carved out its unique _______ maintaining a fragile balance. Regrettably, the ecosystem’s stability is threatened by deforestation and changes in _______.

Vocabulary Builder

Find the synonyms (words with the same or similar meaning) to these 9 words from the original passage.

Original Word	Variants Used
extends	_______________
encompasses	_______________
variety	_______________
canopy	______________________
shades	_______________
identified	_______________
equilibrium	_______________
hotspot	_______________
deforestation	_______
climate	_______________

Reveal answer (7 More Words)

Original Word	Variants Used
extends	spanning
encompasses	occupies
variety	array
canopy	extensive cover
shades	reduces sunlight
identified	known
equilibrium	balance
hotspot	home
deforestation	x
climate	changes in climate