The Mystery of the Amazon Forest

The Amazon rainforest stands out as one of the most awe-inspiring and complex ecosystems on the planet. Spread across nine countries and covering millions of square kilometers, this forest is home to a diverse range of life forms, many of which remain undiscovered. Beyond its rich biodiversity, the Amazon also harbors traces of ancient civilizations hidden beneath the dense vegetation and scattered across forgotten landscapes. Untouched areas of the forest continue to attract the attention of scientists and explorers, while indigenous tribes, with their centuries-old traditions, serve as a bridge between the present and the past. In this article, we aim to shed light on the mysteries of the Amazon and explain why it remains one of the world's most important natural and historical landscapes. If you're ready, let's take a look at the traces of history intertwined in the Amazon's greenery.

Amazon Forests: The Planet's Vital Ecosystem

Often referred to as the "lungs of the world," the Amazon Rainforest is not only a hotspot of biodiversity but also a vital ecosystem that balances the planet's climate and water cycle. Spanning 6.7 million square kilometers and encompassing nine South American countries, the Amazon contains approximately one-fifth of the world's freshwater and produces about half of its own rainfall through a remarkable moisture recycling process.

However, recent scientific research has raised serious concerns about the Amazon. According to a study by Thomas Lovejoy and Carlos Nobre , the rainforest is approaching a dangerous "tipping point." This term refers to an irreversible shift in the ecosystem, which could shift from a dense rainforest to a dry savanna-like state. The researchers argue that if deforestation continues beyond 20-25% of the Amazon's total area, the entire hydrological system could collapse, disrupting rainfall patterns not only in the Amazon but throughout South America.

Satellite data indicates that much of the forest is already losing its resilience, meaning the ecosystem is slower to recover from events like drought, fire, and deforestation. Areas in southern and eastern Amazonia, the areas most affected by human activities, are particularly vulnerable. These areas are drier, more fragmented, and the forest is less able to maintain its natural moisture cycle. As forest cover declines, less water is released into the atmosphere, resulting in reduced precipitation.

What makes the Amazon Rainforest unique is its ability to sustain itself. Unlike many ecosystems, the Amazon generates a large portion of its own climate. However, this delicate balance is under serious threat from deforestation, climate change, and increasingly frequent wildfires. If these threats persist, the Amazon could transition from a carbon sink (i.e., a system that absorbs more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than it releases) to a carbon source, further accelerating global warming.

Therefore, protecting the Amazon is not just a regional responsibility, but a global priority. Conservation strategies must aim to halt deforestation, restore degraded areas, and support development for local people. Otherwise, we risk losing this unique system, one of the world's most important ecosystems that has shaped life on the continent for millions of years.

How is the Ecological Balance in the Amazon Forest Disrupted?

Beyond its role in regulating climate and water cycles, the Amazon is rich in the diversity of life it harbors. It supports more than 10% of the world's terrestrial biodiversity, including countless yet-to-be-discovered species of trees, plants, fungi, insects, birds, and mammals.

A new study published in the journal Nature has revealed that biodiversity can decline not gradually, but through sudden ecological changes. Scientists noted that forested areas generally exist as either dense rainforest or dry, open savannah, with no permanent equilibrium between these two extremes. This phenomenon, called "bipolarity," suggests that even small-scale fires or prolonged droughts in temperate regions can disrupt the ecological balance, leading to radical changes in vegetation and habitat structure.

Such changes have serious and far-reaching consequences for species survival. Many animal and plant species in the Amazon are adapted to very specific conditions, such as specific humidity, temperature, and canopy density. When forests are degraded beyond a certain limit, these species are often unable to adapt to the new conditions. As a result, extinctions occur, genetic diversity decreases, and ecological interactions that maintain forest functioning, such as pollination and seed dispersal, are disrupted.

Despite all these threats, there are still promising developments. Areas with high biodiversity, particularly in the Western and Central Amazon, are more resilient to ecosystem collapse. These regions act as guardians of ecological balance, providing resources for regeneration if surrounding lands are protected or restored. Preserving this inherent life of the forest is vital for the species that inhabit it and for the sustainability of the entire Amazon ecosystem.

Wisdom of the Land: The Role of Indigenous Peoples

While the Amazon Rainforest is renowned for its biodiversity, its true treasure lies not in its natural environment but in the people who have inhabited these lands for thousands of years. Deep within the lush greenery reside hundreds of indigenous communities who have passed down their languages, ecological knowledge, and connection to the land. Contrary to popular belief, the Amazon is not an untouched wilderness; rather, it is a landscape shaped by human intervention through traditional agricultural practices and complex settlement patterns that have existed for centuries.

Recent archaeological discoveries have significantly altered our understanding of these ancient societies. In 2024, researchers using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology uncovered extensive networks of long-lost cities in the southwestern Amazon, some dating back 2,500 years. These pre- Columbian settlements included roads, canals, civic centers, and agricultural fields. This complex urban structure, buried deep in the jungle, was concrete evidence of sophisticated urban planning . These societies, known as “garden urbanists,” lived in harmony with the ecological cycles of the rainforest, integrating with nature rather than destroying it.

Today, modern Indigenous communities remain the Amazon's most important protectors. Recent findings reveal that deforestation rates are much lower and ecosystem integrity higher in Indigenous-managed areas than elsewhere. This success stems largely from their deep knowledge, passed down from generation to generation, and their strong cultural ties to the land. Researchers and conservationists now clearly recognize that lasting and sustainable environmental protection of the Amazon is impossible without the leadership and active participation of these communities.

Blending traditional ecological knowledge with scientific research offers a way to look to the future with confidence. Local practices such as forestry , rotational agriculture, and traditional land management provide valuable models for healthy and sustainable living in rapidly changing climates. These lands, once home to advanced ancient societies, still provide habitats for resilient cultures that exist in harmony with nature today.

Protecting the Amazon isn't just about preserving wildlife or reducing carbon emissions. It also means respecting the historical and cultural elements that shape its identity. By honoring both its past and its living guardians, it allows us to think of the Amazon not simply as a forest but as a living symbol where humanity and nature exist in harmony.

Nature as a Common Living Space, Not a Resource

The Amazon's legacy continues through the indigenous communities who currently inhabit and care for the forest. Their knowledge, spiritual worldviews, and practices represent a form of governance that challenges notions of progress and resource use. In recognizing the importance of the Amazon in our lives, we are also called upon to acknowledge the identity of its indigenous peoples, who are often overlooked in global policies but who play a decisive role in preserving much of the rainforest.

The Amazon holds a mirror up to humanity, prompting us to question our relationship with nature. It challenges us to see ourselves not as mere resource users, but as part of nature and participants in this larger system. The threats facing the forest are moral issues that also touch the human conscience. Losing the Amazon means losing one of the last examples of the balance between humanity and nature.

Source

1. Lovejoy, Thomas E., and Carlos Nobre. “Amazon Tipping Point.” Science Advances , vol. 4, no. 2, Feb. 2018, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aat2340 .

2. Flores, Bernardo M., et al. “Critical transitions in the Amazon forest system.” Nature , vol. 626, no. 7999, pp. 555–64. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06970-0 .

3. Silva, Everton, et al. “The path to conserving protected areas in the Amazon lies in uniting public policy with traditional local knowledge.” Physorg , June 5, 2025, phys.org/news/2025-06-path-areas-amazon-policy-traditional.html#google_vignette .

4. Kokkinidis, Thassos. “Lost Amazon Cities: The Biggest Archaeological Discovery of 2024.” Greek Reporter , 17 Dec. 2024, greekreporter.com/2024/12/17/lost-amazon-cities-discovery-2024 .