Amazon basin

{{Short description|Major drainage basin in South America}} {{About|the drainage basin|the geologic feature|Amazon Basin (sedimentary basin)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} [[File:Amazonriverbasin basemap.png|thumb|Amazon River basin (The southern Guianas, not marked on this map, are a part of the basin.)]] thumb|Countries where the Amazon basin is present thumb|The mouth of the Amazon River The '''Amazon basin''' is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers a large area spreading across the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, as well as the territory of French Guiana.<ref name=":4">Goulding, M., Barthem, R. B. and Duenas, R. (2003). ''The Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon'', Smithsonian Books {{ISBN|1-58834-135-6 }}</ref><ref name=":5">{{cite web |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/amazon |title=Amazon |publisher=World Wildlife Fund |date=24 March 2023 |access-date=24 March 2023 |archive-date=1 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201212950/https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/amazon |url-status=live }}</ref>

Most of the basin is covered by the Amazon rainforest, also known as Amazonia. With a {{convert|6|e6km2|e6mi2|abbr=unit}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-Rainforest |title=Amazon Rainforest |website=britannica.com |date=30 May 2024 |publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica |access-date=12 June 2025 |archive-date=26 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250626053715/https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-Rainforest |url-status=live }}</ref> area of dense tropical forest, it is the largest rainforest in the world. The Amazon basin is the most biodiverse region in the world, being home to many of the Earth's plant, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish and insect species.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |title=Essays on Global Regionalism II |chapter=Essay 47: Beyond Borders: Exploring Amazonian Regionalism as a Model for Cross-Border Collaboration and Sustainable Development in Global Contexts |date=2026 |volume=31 |pages=477–487 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer Nature Switzerland |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-032-13646-6_47 |isbn=978-3-032-13645-9 |last1=Parra |first1=Efraim |last2=Siuffi-Campo |first2=Juan Carlos |editor1-last=Acharya |editor1-first=Amitav |editor2-last=De Lombaerde |editor2-first=Philippe |editor3-last=Futák-Campbell |editor3-first=Beatrix |editor4-last=Iroulo |editor4-first=Lynda Chinenye |doi-access=free }}</ref> While being very biodiverse the majority of the Amazon basin is sparsely populated by humans with the exceptions of cities such as Manaus and Belém.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Anton |first=Danilo J. |title=Thirsty cities: urban environments and water supply in Latin America |date=1993 |publisher=International Development Research Centre |isbn=978-0-88936-666-4 |location=Ottawa }}</ref> There are many indigenous communities who represent many different cultures and languages.<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last1=Lima |first1=Ademar dos Santos |last2=Mello |first2=Antonio Augusto Souza |last3=Sousa |first3=Rosineide Magalhães de |date=23 October 2020 |title=Amazonia: the last surviving Amazonian indigenous languages |url=https://doi.org/10.33774/coe-2020-hmm80 |access-date=13 March 2026 |website=doi.org |doi=10.33774/coe-2020-hmm80 |doi-access=free }}</ref> For the people living in the Amazon basin fishing and agriculture are a very important livelihood.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sirén |first=Anders Henrik |date=23 October 2007 |title=Population Growth and Land Use Intensification in a Subsistence-based Indigenous Community in the Amazon |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10745-006-9089-y |journal=Human Ecology |language=en |volume=35 |issue=6 |pages=669–680 |doi=10.1007/s10745-006-9089-y |bibcode=2007HumEc..35..669S |issn=0300-7839 |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="AAR-2021-10">{{Cite book |title=Amazon Assessment Report 2021 |chapter=Chapter 10: Critical interconnections between the cultural and biological diversity of Amazonian peoples and ecosystems |date=12 November 2021 |chapter-url=https://eng-ar21.sp-amazon.org/211112%20AR21%20Chapter%2010%20(English).pdf |access-date=13 March 2026 |publisher=UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network |doi=10.55161/iobu4861 |isbn=978-1-7348080-0-1 |last1=Athayde |first1=Simone |last2=Shepard |first2=Glenn |last3=Cardoso |first3=Thiago M |last4=van der Voort |first4=Hein |last5=Zent |first5=Stanford |last6=Rosero-Peña |first6=Martha Cecilia |last7=Almeyda Zambrano |first7=Angélica |last8=Wawaeitxapôh Suruí |first8=Gasodá |last9=Larrea-Alcazar |first9=Daniel M |editor1-last=Nobre |editor1-first=Carlos |editor2-last=Encalada |editor2-first=Andrea |editor3-last=Anderson |editor3-first=Elizabeth |editor4-last=Roca Alcazar |editor4-first=Fernando Hector |archive-date=30 October 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251030140623/https://eng-ar21.sp-amazon.org/211112%20AR21%20Chapter%2010%20(English).pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Geography == [[File:Amazon14 (5641588550).jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of the Amazon rainforest, near Manaus]]

[[File:ISS-20 Thunderstorms on the Brazilian Horizon.jpg|thumb|Amazon basin seen from the ISS]]

The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about {{cvt|7000000|km2|sqmi}},<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-River |title=Amazon River |website=britannica.com |publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica |access-date=21 August 2018 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108222644/https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-River |url-status=live }}</ref> or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /> The Amazon River begins in the Andes Mountains at the west of the basin with its main tributary the Marañón River and Apurimac River in Peru. The highest point in the watershed of the Amazon is the second biggest peak of Yerupajá at {{convert|6635|m|ft}}.

The Amazon River basin occupies the entire central and eastern area of South America, lying to the east of the Andes mountain range and extending from the Guyana Plateau in the north to the Brazilian Plateau in the south.

With a length of about 6400 km before it drains into the Atlantic Ocean, it is one of the two longest rivers in the world. A team of scientists has claimed that the Amazon is longer than the Nile,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/06/070619-amazon-river.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822042725/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/06/070619-amazon-river.html |archive-date=22 August 2007 |title=Amazon Longer Than Nile River, Scientists Say |publisher=National Geographic |date=18 June 2007 |author=Roach, John }}</ref> but debate about its exact length continues.<ref name="River Britannica">{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-River |title=Amazon River |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica |date=16 March 2018 |access-date=21 August 2018 |author1=Raymond E. Crist |author2=Alarich R. Schultz |author3=James J. Parsons |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108222644/https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-River |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Amazon system transports the largest volume of water of any river system, accounting for about 20% of the total water carried to the oceans by rivers. Some of the Amazon rainforests are deforested because of an increase in cattle ranches and soybean fields. The Amazon basin formerly flowed west to the Pacific Ocean until the Andes formed, causing the basin to flow eastward towards the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name="Amazon Pacific">{{cite web |url=https://news.mongabay.com/2006/10/amazon-river-flowed-into-the-pacific-millions-of-years-ago/ |title=Amazon river flowed into the Pacific millions of years ago |work=Mongabay |date=24 October 2006 |access-date=8 June 2014 |archive-date=12 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212085000/https://news.mongabay.com/2006/10/amazon-river-flowed-into-the-pacific-millions-of-years-ago/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Politically the basin is divided into Peruvian Amazonia, Amazônia Legal of Brazil, the Amazon natural region of Colombia, Amazonas (Venezuelan state), and parts of Bolivia and Ecuador.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+Distribution of the Amazon River basin area and discharge between countries<ref name=HyBam>{{cite web |url=http://www.ore-hybam.org |title=HyBam }}</ref><ref name="Região Hidrográfica Amazônica — Agência Nacional de Águas e Saneamento Básico (ANA)">{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.br/ana/pt-br/as-12-regioes-hidrograficas-brasileiras/amazonica |title=Região Hidrográfica Amazônica — Agência Nacional de Águas e Saneamento Básico (ANA) }}</ref> !Country !State !Area (km2) !(%) !Discharge (km3) !(%) |- |{{flagicon|Bolivia}}Bolivia | rowspan="2" | |724,000 |10.4 |291 |4.0 |- |{{flagicon|Brazil}}Brazil |4,674,619 |67.5 |4,167.3 |57.2 |- | rowspan="11" | |{{flagicon|Acre}}''Acre'' |''164,123'' |''3.5'' |''144.2'' |''2.0'' |- |{{flagicon|Amapá}}''Amapá'' |''44,870'' |''1.0'' |''57.7'' |''0.8'' |- |{{flagicon|Amazonas}}''Amazonas'' |''1,559,159'' |''33.3'' |''1,848.3'' |''25.4'' |- |''border|25px Brasília'' |''1,010'' |''0.02'' | | |- |''{{flagicon|Goiás}}Goiás'' |''212,131'' |''4.5'' |''96.7'' |''1.3'' |- |''{{flagicon|Maranhão}}Maranhão'' |''39,396'' |''0.8'' |''9.4'' |''0.1'' |- |''{{flagicon|Mato Grosso}}Mato Grosso'' |''723,470'' |''15.5'' |''490.6'' |''6.7'' |- |''{{flagicon|Pará}}Pará'' |''1,190,147'' |''25.5'' |''1,053.1'' |''14.5'' |- |''{{flagicon|Rondônia}}Rondônia'' |''237,591'' |''5.08'' |''140.6'' |''1.9'' |- |''{{flagicon|Roraima}}Roraima'' |''224,301'' |''4.8'' |''211.6'' |''2.9'' |- |''{{flagicon|Tocantins}} Tocantins'' |''278,421'' |''6.0'' |''115.1'' |''1.6'' |- |{{flagicon|Ecuador}}Ecuador | rowspan="5" | |146,688 |2.1 |258.4 |3.6 |- |{{flagicon|Guyana}}Guyana |12,224 |0.2 |8.8 |0.1 |- |{{flagicon|Colombia}}Colombia |345,293 |5.0 |755 |10.4 |- |{{flagicon|Peru}}Peru |967,176 |14.0 |1,739.5 |23.9 |- |{{flagicon|Venezuela}}Venezuela |53,000 |0.8 |60.0 |0.8 |- | colspan="6" | |- | colspan="2" |'''''Amazon basin''''' |'''''6,923,000''''' |''100.0'' |'''''7,280''''' |''100.0'' |}

== Plant life == thumb|Aerial view of part of the Amazon rainforest

The Amazon basin is home to over 40,0000 species of plants.<ref name=":6" /> Plant growth is quite dense and its variety of animal inhabitants is comparatively high due to the heavy rainfall and the dense and extensive evergreen and coniferous forests. Little sunlight reaches the ground due to the dense roof of canopy by plants. The ground remains dark and damp and only shade-tolerant vegetation will grow here. Orchids and bromeliads exploit trees and other plants to get closer to the sunlight. They grow hanging onto the branches or tree trunks with aerial roots, not as parasites but as epiphytes. Species of tropical trees native to the Amazon include Brazil nut, rubber tree and Assai palm.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Amazon |first1=Plants |title=Amazon plants and trees |url=http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/amazon/about_the_amazon/wildlife_amazon/plants/ |language=en |access-date=25 September 2017 |archive-date=25 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925132100/http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/amazon/about_the_amazon/wildlife_amazon/plants/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Coolest Plants in the Amazon Rainforest |url=https://www.rainforestcruises.com/jungle-blog/coolest-plants-in-the-amazon |website=Rainforest Cruises |access-date=25 September 2017 |archive-date=25 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925132234/https://www.rainforestcruises.com/jungle-blog/coolest-plants-in-the-amazon |url-status=live }}</ref>The lush flora of the basin is made possible in part by the ten million tonnes of Saharan dust which crosses the Atlantic each year.<ref>{{cite book |last1=DuBois |first1=Michael |last2=Hilden |first2=Katri |date=September 2012 |title=Extreme Planet |location=Footscray, Victoria, Australia |publisher=Lonely Planet Pubs. Pty. Ltd. |page=36 |isbn=978-1-7432-1424-4 }}</ref>

== Wildlife == [[File:Jaguar in Pantanal Brazil 1 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Jaguar in the area of Miranda near Amazon basin]]

=== Mammals === More than 1,400 species of mammals are found in the Amazon, the majority of which are species of bats and rodents. Its larger mammals include the jaguar, ocelot, capybara, puma, South American tapir, White-tailed deer, Amazon river dolphin, and the Amazonian manatee.

=== Birds === {{Main|Birds of the Amazon}}

About 1,500 bird species inhabit the Amazon basin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rainforests.mongabay.com/0305.htm |title=Diversities of Image |last=Butler |first=Rhett |date=31 July 2012 |website=Mongabay.com |access-date=20 December 2014 |archive-date=5 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505232239/https://rainforests.mongabay.com/0305.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The biodiversity of the Amazon and the sheer number of diverse bird species is given by the number of different bird families that reside in these humid forests. An example of such would be the cotinga family, to which the Guianan cock-of-the-rock belong. Birds such as toucans, and hummingbirds are also found here. Macaws are famous for duck gathering by the hundreds along the clay cliffs of the Amazon River. In the western Amazon hundreds of macaws and other parrots descend to exposed river banks to consume clay on an almost daily basis,<ref>Munn, C. A. 1994. Macaws: winged rainbows. National Geographic, 185, 118–140.</ref> the exception being rainy days.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Brightsmith D. J. |year=2004 |title=Effects of weather on parrot geophagy in Tambopata, Peru |journal=Wilson Bulletin |volume=116 |issue=2 |pages=134–145 |doi=10.1676/03-087b |s2cid=83509448 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/209843 |archive-date=25 July 2020 |access-date=7 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725030031/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/209843 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Reptiles === The green anaconda inhabits the shallow waters of the Amazon and the emerald tree boa and boa constrictor live in the Amazonian tree tops.

Many reptile species are illegally collected and exported for the international pet trade. Live animals are the fourth largest commodity in the smuggling industry after drugs, diamonds and weapons.<ref>{{cite web |title=Amazon Reptiles |url=https://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/reptiles.html |website=Mongabay.com |access-date=25 September 2017 |archive-date=25 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925083310/https://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/reptiles.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Amphibians === More than 1,500 species of amphibians swim and are found in the Amazon. Unlike temperate frogs which are mostly limited to habitats near the water, tropical frogs are most abundant in the trees and relatively few are found near bodies of water on the forest floor. The reason for this occurrence is quite simple: frogs must always keep their skin moist since almost half of their respiration is carried out through their skin. The high humidity of the rainforest and frequent rainstorms gives tropical frogs infinitely more freedom to move into the trees and escape the many predators of rainforest waters. The differences between temperate and tropical frogs extend beyond their habitat.{{cn|date=September 2025}}

=== Fish === [[File:Gregory Moine - Red bellied Piranha (by).jpg|thumb|Red-bellied piranha (''Pygocentrus nattereri'') is a species of piranha. This species lives in the Amazon River basin, coastal rivers of northeastern Brazil, and the basins of the Paraguay, Paraná and Essequibo Rivers.]]

About 2,500 fish species are known from the Amazon basin and it is estimated that more than 1,000 additional undescribed species exist.<ref name="Junk2007">{{citation |author1=Junk, W.J. |author2=M.G.M. Soares |author3=P.B. Bayley |year=2007 |title=Freshwater fishes of the Amazon River Basin: their biodiversity, fisheries, and habitats |journal=Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=153–173 |doi=10.1080/14634980701351023 |bibcode=2007AqEHM..10..153J |s2cid=83788515 }}</ref> This is more than any other river basin on Earth, and Amazonia is the center of diversity for Neotropical fishes.<ref name="AlbertReis2011">{{cite book |author1=James S. Albert |author2=Roberto E. Reis |title=Historical Biogeography of Neotropical Freshwater Fishes |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Suu7a-ERdMC&pg=PA308 |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-520-26868-5 |page=308 |publisher=University of California Press }}</ref> About 45% (more than 1,000 species) of the known Amazonian fish species are endemic to the basin.<ref name=Reis2016>{{cite journal |author=Reis R.E. |author2=Albert J.S. |author3=Di Dario F. |author4=Mincarone M.M. |author5=Petry P. |author6=Rocha L.A. |year=2016 |title=Fish biodiversity and conservation in South America |journal=Journal of Fish Biology |volume=89 |issue=1 |pages=12–47 |doi=10.1111/jfb.13016 |pmid=27312713 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/896303 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2016JFBio..89...12R |archive-date=29 October 2019 |access-date=11 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029151616/https://zenodo.org/record/896303 |url-status=live }}</ref> The remarkable species richness can in part be explained by the large differences between the various parts of the Amazon basin, resulting in many fish species that are endemic to small regions. For example, fauna in clearwater rivers differs from fauna in white and blackwater rivers, fauna in slow moving sections show distinct differences compared to that in rapids, fauna in small streams differ from that in major rivers, and fauna in shallow sections show distinct differences compared to that in deep parts.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Stewart D. J. |author2=Ibarra M. |year=2002 |title=Comparison of Deep-River and Adjacent Sandy-Beach Fish Assemblages in the Napo River basin, Eastern Ecuador |journal=Copeia |volume=2002 |issue=2 |pages=333–343 |doi=10.1643/0045-8511(2002)002[0333:codraa]2.0.co;2 |s2cid=86617207 }}</ref><ref>Mendonça, F. P., W. E. Magnusson, J. Zuanon and C. M. Taylor. (2005) ''Relationships between habitat characteristics and fish assemblages in small streams of Central Amazonia.'' Copeia 2005(4): 751–764</ref><ref name=Duncan>Duncan, W.P.; and Fernandes, M.N. (2010). ''Physicochemical characterization of the white, black, and clearwater rivers of the Amazon Basin and its implications on the distribution of freshwater stingrays (Chondrichthyes, Potamotrygonidae).'' PanamJAS 5(3): 454–464.</ref> By far the most diverse orders in the Amazon are Characiformes (43% of total fish species in the Amazon) and Siluriformes (39%), but other groups with many species include Cichlidae (6%) and Gymnotiformes (3%).<ref name="Junk2007"/>

In addition to major differences in behavior and ecology, Amazonian fish vary extensively in form and size. The largest, the arapaima and piraiba can reach {{cvt|3|m|ft}} or more in length and up to {{cvt|200|kg|lb}} in weight, making them some of the largest strict freshwater fish in the world.<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Arapaima | species = gigas | month =September | year = 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{FishBase | genus = Brachyplatystoma | species = filamentosum | month =September | year = 2017 }}</ref> The bull shark and common sawfish, which have been recorded far up the Amazon, may reach even greater sizes, but they are euryhaline and often seen in marine waters.<ref>{{FishBase | genus = Carcharhinus | species = leucas | month =September | year = 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{FishBase | genus = Pristis | species = pristis | month =September | year = 2017 }}</ref> In contrast to the giants, there are Amazonian fish from several families that are less than {{cvt|2|cm|in|1}} long. The smallest are likely the ''Leptophilypnion'' sleeper gobies, which do not surpass {{convert|1|cm|in|1}} and are among the smallest fish in the world.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Roberts, T.R. |year=2013 |title=Leptophilypnion, a new genus with two new species of tiny central Amazonian gobioid fishes (Teleostei, Eleotridae) |journal=Aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=85–98 }}</ref>Although the true danger they represent often is greatly exaggerated, the Amazon basin is home to several feared fish species such as piranhas (including the famous red-bellied), electric eel, river stingrays and candiru.<ref name=":0" />

Several cavefish species in the genus ''Phreatobius'' are found in the Amazon, as is the cave-dwelling ''Astroblepus pholeter'' in the far western part of the basin (Andean region).<ref name="Aldemarp2001">{{cite book |editor=Romero, Aldemaro |title=The Biology of Hypogean Fishes |year=2001 |series=Developments in environmental biology of fishes |volume=21 |isbn=978-1-4020-0076-8 }}</ref> The Tocantins basin, arguably not part of the Amazon basin, has several other cavefish species.<ref name="Aldemarp2001"/> The deeper part of the major Amazonian rivers are always dark and a few species have adaptions similar to cavefish (reduced pigment and eyes). Among these are the knifefish ''Compsaraia'' and ''Orthosternarchus'', some ''Cetopsis'' whale catfish (especially ''C. oliveirai''), some ''Xyliphius'' and ''Micromyzon'' banjo catfish,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fenolio |first1=Danté |year=2016 |title=Life in the Dark: Illuminating Biodiversity in the Shadowy Haunts of Planet Earth |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |isbn=978-1-4214-1863-6 }}</ref> and the loricariid catfish ''Loricaria spinulifera'', ''L. pumila'', ''Peckoltia pankimpuju'', ''Panaque bathyphilus'' and ''Panaqolus nix'' (these five also occur in "normal" forms of shallower waters).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lujan |first1=Nathan. K. |last2=Chamon |first2=Carine. C. |year=2008 |title=Two new species of Loricariidae (Teleostei: Silurifomes) from main channels of the upper and middle Amazon Basin, with discussion of deep water specialization in loricariids |journal=Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters |volume=19 |pages=271–282 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Thomas, M.R. |author2=L.H.R. Py-Daniel |year=2008 |title=Three new species of the armored catfish genus Loricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from river channels of the Amazon basin |journal=Neotrop. Ichthyol. |volume=6 |issue=3 |doi=10.1590/S1679-62252008000300011 |pages=379–394 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Cramer, C.A. |author2=L.H.R. Py-Daniel |year=2015 |title=A new species of Panaqolus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the rio Madeira basin with remarkable intraspecific color variation |journal=Neotrop. Ichthyol. |volume=13 |issue=3 |doi=10.1590/1982-0224-20140099 |pages=461–470 |doi-access=free |url=https://zenodo.org/record/4551377 }}</ref> The perhaps most unusual habitat used by Amazonian fish is land. The splash tetra is famous for laying its eggs on plants above water, keeping them moist by continuously splashing on them,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2013/09/27/fish-that-lay-eggs-out-of-the-water-freshwater-species-of-the-week/ |title=Fish That Lay Eggs Out of the Water |last=Howard |first=Brian Clark |date=27 September 2013 |work=National Geographic |series=Water Currents |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528110345/http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2013/09/27/fish-that-lay-eggs-out-of-the-water-freshwater-species-of-the-week/ |archive-date=28 May 2015 }}</ref> the South American lungfish can survive underground in a mucous cocoon during the dry season,<ref>{{cite web |author=SeriouslyFish |title=Lepidosiren paradoxa |url=http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/lepidosiren-paradoxa/ |access-date=30 April 2017 |archive-date=24 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924184718/http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/lepidosiren-paradoxa/ |url-status=live }}</ref> some small rivulid killifish can jump over land between water sources (sometimes moving relatively long distances, even uphill) and may deliberately jump onto land to escape aquatic predators,<ref>{{cite web |author=Vermeulen, F. |url=http://www.itrainsfishes.net/content/rivulus_introduction_001.php |title=The genus Rivulus |publisher=itrainsfishes.net |access-date=6 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430065543/http://www.itrainsfishes.net/content/rivulus_introduction_001.php |archive-date=30 April 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Turko, A.J. |author2=P.A. Wright |year=2015 |title=Evolution, ecology and physiology of amphibious killifishes (Cyprinodontiformes) |journal=Journal of Fish Biology |volume=87 |issue=4 |pages=815–835 |doi=10.1111/jfb.12758 |pmid=26299792 |bibcode=2015JFBio..87..815T }}</ref> and an undescribed species of worm-like ''Phreatobius'' catfish lives in waterlogged leaf litter near (not in) streams.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=646 |title=Cat-eLog: Heptapteridae: ''Phreatobius'': ''Phreatobius'' sp. (1) |author=Planet Catfish |publisher=Planet Catfish |access-date=30 April 2017 |archive-date=23 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061023092123/http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=646 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Henderson, P.A. |author2=I. Walker |year=1990 |title=Spatial organization and population density of the fish community of the litter banks within a central Amazonian blackwater stream |journal=Journal of Fish Biology |volume=37 |issue=3 |pages=401–411 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8649.1990.tb05871.x |bibcode=1990JFBio..37..401H }}</ref>

Some of the major fish groups of the Amazon basin include:<ref name="Sleen2017">{{cite book |veditors=van der Sleen P, Albert JS |year=2017 |title=Field Guide to the Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-17074-9 }}</ref> * Order Gymnotiformes: Neotropical electric fishes * Order Characiformes: characins, tetras and relatives * Family Potamotrygonidae: river stingrays * Family Arapaimidae: bonytongues * Family Loricariidae: suckermouth catfishes * Family Callichthyidae: armored catfishes * Family Pimelodidae: pimelodid catfishes * Family Trichomycteridae: pencil catfishes * Family Auchenipteridae: driftwood catfishes * Subfamily Cichlinae: pike cichlids, peacock cichlids and relatives * Subfamily Geophaginae: Eartheaters and Neotropical dwarf cichlid * Subfamily Poeciliinae: guppies and relatives

=== Insects === {{See also|List of butterflies of the Amazon River basin and the Andes}}

More than 90% of the animal species in the Amazon are insects,<ref>{{cite web |title=Amazon Insects |url=https://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/insects.html |website=Mongabay.com |access-date=25 September 2017 |archive-date=25 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925132257/https://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/insects.html |url-status=live }}</ref> of which about 40% are beetles (Coleoptera constituting almost 25% of all known types of animal life-forms.)<ref name=insenc>Powell (2009)</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Species Diversity in Space and Time |author=Rosenzweig, Michael L. |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-49952-1 |year=1995 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Hunt, T. |title=A Comprehensive Phylogeny of Beetles Reveals the Evolutionary Origins of a Superradiation |journal=Science |volume=318 |issue=5858 |pages=1913–1916 |year=2007 |pmid=18096805 |doi=10.1126/science.1146954 |bibcode=2007Sci...318.1913H |last2=Bergsten |first2=J. |last3=Levkanicova |first3=Z. |last4=Papadopoulou |first4=A. |last5=John |first5=O. St. |last6=Wild |first6=R. |last7=Hammond |first7=P. M. |last8=Ahrens |first8=D. |last9=Balke |first9=M. |last10=Caterino |first10=M. S. |last11=Gomez-Zurita |first11=J. |last12=Ribera |first12=I. |last13=Barraclough |first13=T. G. |last14=Bocakova |first14=M. |last15=Bocak |first15=L. |last16=Vogler |first16=A. P. |s2cid=19392955 |display-authors=etal }}</ref>

Whereas all of Europe has some 321 butterfly species, the Manú National Park in Peru (4,000 hectare-survey) has 2,300 species, while Tambopata National Reserve (5,500 hectare-survey) has at least 1,231 species.

== Climate == thumb|Amazon rainforest in Colombia The Amazon River basin has a low-water season, and a wet season during which, the rivers flood the adjacent, low-lying forests. The climate of the basin is generally hot and humid. In some areas, however, the summer months (June–September) can bring cold snaps, fueled by Antarctic winds traveling along the adjacent mountain range. The average annual temperature is around 25-degree and 28 degree Celsius with little to no distinction between summer and winter season.

== Human lifestyle == [[File:Amazonas floating village, Iquitos, Photo by Sascha Grabow.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|A floating village in Iquitos, Peru]]

Amazonia is sparsely populated. There are scattered settlements inland, but most of the population lives in a few larger cities on the banks of the Amazon and other major rivers, such as in Iquitos – Loreto in Peru, Manaus-Amazonas State, and Belém, Pará. In many regions, the forest has been cleared for soya bean plantations and ranching (the most extensive non-forest use of the land); some of the inhabitants harvest wild rubber latex, and Brazilian nuts. This is a form of extractive farms, where the trees are not cut down. These are relatively sustainable operations in contrast to lumbering or agriculture dependent on clearing the rainforest. The people live in thatched houses shaped liked beehives. They also build apartment-like houses called "Maloca", with a steeply slanting roof.

== Languages == The most widely spoken languages in the Amazon are Portuguese and Spanish. There are hundreds of native languages still spoken in the Amazon, most of which are critically endangered.<ref name=":7" />

== Indigenous peoples == {{Seealso|Indigenous peoples in Brazil|List of Indigenous territories (Brazil)|List of Indigenous peoples of South America}} [[File:Indigenous_brazil.jpg|right|thumb|Proposed and approved Indigenous territories in Brazil {{As of|2008|lc=y}}]] Many tribal groups live in the Amazon basin, often in relative isolation. It is estimated 400 or more tribal groups have lived in the Amazon basin for hundreds of years with their own culture, language, and lifestyle. The total population of Amazon basin is estimated at 1.5 million distributed people. There are an estimated 100 uncontacted tribal groups. The largest organization fighting for the indigenous peoples in this area is COICA. It is a supra organization encompassing all indigenous rights organizations working in the Amazon basin area, and covers the people living in several countries.

== River commerce == The river is the principal path of transportation for people and produce in the regions, with transport ranging from balsa rafts and dugout canoes to hand built wooden river craft and modern steel hulled craft.

== Fisheries ==

The Amazon basin has an incredibly high diversity of species in its rivers,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jézéquel |first1=Céline |last2=Tedesco |first2=Pablo A. |last3=Bigorne |first3=Rémy |last4=Maldonado-Ocampo |first4=Javier A. |last5=Ortega |first5=Hernan |last6=Hidalgo |first6=Max |last7=Martens |first7=Koen |last8=Torrente-Vilara |first8=Gislene |last9=Zuanon |first9=Jansen |last10=Acosta |first10=Astrid |last11=Agudelo |first11=Edwin |last12=Barrera Maure |first12=Soraya |last13=Bastos |first13=Douglas A. |last14=Bogotá Gregory |first14=Juan |last15=Cabeceira |first15=Fernando G. |date=19 March 2020 |title=A database of freshwater fish species of the Amazon Basin |journal=Scientific Data |language=en |volume=7 |issue=1 |article-number=96 |doi=10.1038/s41597-020-0436-4 |pmid=32193422 |issn=2052-4463 |pmc=7081286 |bibcode=2020NatSD...7...96J }}</ref> every year it is estimated over 500 thousand tons of fish are caught within the Amazon basin, being very hard to accurately count due to the remote nature of the majority of these fisheries.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2 February 2024 |title=Aquaculture and Fisheries as a Food Source in the Amazon Region - A Review |url=https://www.gavinpublishers.com/article/view/aquaculture-and-fisheries-as-a-food-source-in-the-amazon-region---a-review |journal=Food & Nutrition Journal |volume=9 |issue=1 |doi=10.29011/2575-7091.100186 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The Amazon basin consistently falls around the 6th biggest freshwater fishery in the world.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/ca9229en |title=The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020 |date=2020 |publisher=FAO |isbn=978-92-5-132692-3 |language=en |doi=10.4060/ca9229 |doi-broken-date=19 May 2026 |archive-date=7 October 2021 |access-date=16 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007122503/http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/ca9229en |url-status=live }}</ref> These fisheries act as one of the main livelihoods for the inhabitants of the Amazon basin, giving an important food source and providing around 200,000 jobs.<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal |last1=Lopes |first1=Giulia Cristina dos Santos |last2=Catarino |first2=Michel Fabiano |last3=Lima |first3=Álvaro Carvalho de |last4=Freitas |first4=Carlos Edwar de Carvalho |date=30 December 2016 |title=A pesca de pequena escala na bacia Amazônica: padrões gerais e diversidade pelos desembarques de cinco sub-bacias |url=https://institutodepesca.org/index.php/bip/article/view/1186 |journal=Boletim do Instituto de Pesca |volume=42 |issue=4 |pages=889–900 |doi=10.20950/1678-2305.2016v42n4p889 |issn=1678-2305 |doi-access=free |archive-date=18 February 2026 |access-date=16 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260218081321/https://institutodepesca.org/index.php/bip/article/view/1186 |url-status=live }}</ref> Of the roughly 2,500 described aquatic spices of the Amazon basin<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Junk |first1=Wolfgang J. |last2=Soares |first2=Maria Gercilia Mota |last3=Bayley |first3=Peter B. |date=8 June 2007 |title=Freshwater fishes of the Amazon River basin: their biodiversity, fisheries, and habitats |url=https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/aehm/article/10/2/153/170858/Freshwater-fishes-of-the-Amazon-River-basin-their |journal=Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management |language=en |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=153–173 |doi=10.1080/14634980701351023 |bibcode=2007AqEHM..10..153J |issn=1463-4988 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=12 July 2024 |access-date=16 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712035003/https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/aehm/article/10/2/153/170858/Freshwater-fishes-of-the-Amazon-River-basin-their |url-status=live }}</ref> roughly 575 of these species are being exploited by fisheries.<ref name=":8" /><ref name="Analysis of Ornamental Fish Exports" /> Highlighting these species being exploited, 93% of the fishery landings within the Amazon basin are upon migratory fish.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Duponchelle |first1=Fabrice |last2=Isaac |first2=Victoria J. |last3=Rodrigues Da Costa Doria |first3=Carolina |last4=Van Damme |first4=Paul A. |last5=Herrera-R |first5=Guido A. |last6=Anderson |first6=Elizabeth P. |last7=Cruz |first7=Rivetla E.A. |last8=Hauser |first8=Marilia |last9=Hermann |first9=Theodore W. |last10=Agudelo |first10=Edwin |last11=Bonilla-Castillo |first11=César |last12=Barthem |first12=Ronaldo |last13=Freitas |first13=Carlos E.C. |last14=García-Dávila |first14=Carmen |last15=García-Vasquez |first15=Aurea |date=May 2021 |title=Conservation of migratory fishes in the Amazon Basin |url=https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00686/79763/ |journal=Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems |language=en |volume=31 |issue=5 |pages=1087–1105 |doi=10.1002/aqc.3550 |bibcode=2021ACMFE..31.1087D |issn=1052-7613 |archive-date=26 June 2025 |access-date=28 May 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250626043216/https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00686/79763/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Commercial fisheries === Commercial fishing remains one of the most significantly important classifications of fisheries in the Amazon basin contributing to a large portion of local and regional economic distribution towards national markets and local supply.<ref name=":3">Ruffino, Mauro. (2014). RUFFINO, M.L. 2014. Status and trends of fishery resources of the Amazon Basin in Brazil. pp. 1-20. Welcomme, R.L., Valbo-Jorgensen, J. & Halls A.S. (eds). 2014. Inland fisheries evolution and management – case studies from four continents. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No. 579. Rome, FAO. 77</ref> Commercial fishing within the Amazon generates an annual income of $73,544,915 USD with the commercial fleet itself generating 62 million.<ref>Almeida, Oriana T., Kai Lorenzen, and David McGrath. "Commercial fishing sector in the regional economy of the Brazilian Amazon." ''Proceedings of the second international symposium on the management of large rivers for fisheries''. Vol. 1. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand. FAO/RAP Publication 2004/16/17, 2004.</ref> Commercial fishing produces occupational opportunities for local and individuals within the region of the Amazon basin providing 23 percent of over 155,000 jobs regarding fisheries.<ref name=":3" /> Overharvesting poses a major threat to large species within the Amazon basin declining populations of high-value species such as Arapaima, Tambaqui, and Catfish.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Duponchelle |first1=Fabrice |last2=Isaac |first2=Victoria J. |last3=Rodrigues Da Costa Doria |first3=Carolina |last4=Van Damme |first4=Paul A. |last5=Herrera-R |first5=Guido A. |last6=Anderson |first6=Elizabeth P. |last7=Cruz |first7=Rivetla E.A. |last8=Hauser |first8=Marilia |last9=Hermann |first9=Theodore W. |last10=Agudelo |first10=Edwin |last11=Bonilla-Castillo |first11=César |last12=Barthem |first12=Ronaldo |last13=Freitas |first13=Carlos E.C. |last14=García-Dávila |first14=Carmen |last15=García-Vasquez |first15=Aurea |date=May 2021 |title=Conservation of migratory fishes in the Amazon basin |url=https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00686/79763/ |journal=Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems |language=en |volume=31 |issue=5 |pages=1087–1105 |doi=10.1002/aqc.3550 |bibcode=2021ACMFE..31.1087D |issn=1052-7613 |archive-date=26 June 2025 |access-date=28 May 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250626043216/https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00686/79763/ |url-status=live }}</ref> With overharvesting presenting this threat, the depletion of these top predatory species can inflict significant impacts upon food webs in the Amazon basin.<ref name=":2" /> These impacts consist of biomass increase of prey fish along with a decrease in invertebrate biomass.<ref name=":2" />

However, in Bolivian Amazon regulations are set to combat overharvesting by banning fisheries during high water seasons same with Brazil banning fisheries during migratory periods as 80% of commercial landings in the Amazon are upon migratory species.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Goulding |first1=Michael |last2=Venticinque |first2=Eduardo |last3=Ribeiro |first3=Mauro L. de B. |last4=Barthem |first4=Ronaldo B. |last5=Leite |first5=Rosseval G. |last6=Forsberg |first6=Bruce |last7=Petry |first7=Paulo |last8=Lopes da Silva-Júnior |first8=Urbano |last9=Ferraz |first9=Polliana Santos |last10=Cañas |first10=Carlos |date=January 2019 |title=Ecosystem-based management of Amazon fisheries and wetlands |journal=Fish and Fisheries |language=en |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=138–158 |doi=10.1111/faf.12328 |issn=1467-2960 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2019FiFi...20..138G }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Doria |first1=Carolina R. C. |last2=Duponchelle |first2=Fabrice |last3=Lima |first3=Maria Alice L. |last4=Garcia |first4=Aurea |last5=Carvajal-Vallejos |first5=Fernando M. |last6=Méndez |first6=Claudia Coca |last7=Catarino |first7=Michael Fabiano |last8=Freitas |first8=Carlos Edwar de Carvalho |last9=Vega |first9=Blanca |last10=Miranda-Chumacero |first10=Guido |last11=Van Damme |first11=Paul A. |date=2 October 2018 |title=Review of Fisheries Resource Use and Status in the Madeira River Basin (Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru) Before Hydroelectric Dam Completion |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23308249.2018.1463511 |journal=Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture |language=en |volume=26 |issue=4 |pages=494–514 |doi=10.1080/23308249.2018.1463511 |bibcode=2018RvFSA..26..494D |issn=2330-8249 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=13 November 2024 |access-date=17 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113032034/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23308249.2018.1463511 |url-status=live }}</ref> Commercial fishing for Arapaima also inflicts conflict with indigenous communities in Bolivian Amazon granted 80% of commercial landings are Arapaima mostly in indigenous territories.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Macnaughton |first1=Alison E. |last2=Carvajal-Vallejos |first2=Fernando M. |last3=Argote |first3=Adalid |last4=Rainville |first4=Tiffanie K. |last5=Van Damme |first5=Paul A. |last6=Carolsfeld |first6=Joachim |date=December 2015 |title="Paiche reigns!" species introduction and indigenous fisheries in the Bolivian Amazon |journal=Maritime Studies |language=en |volume=14 |issue=1 |article-number=11 |doi=10.1186/s40152-015-0030-0 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2015MarSt..14...11M |issn=2212-9790 }}</ref>

=== Sport fisheries === thumb|Sport fisherman holding peacock bass in the Amazon basin Sport or recreational fishing is the act of fishing used as entertainment rather than a source of income or subsistence.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Recreational fishing; recreational fisheries |url=https://www.unescwa.org/sd-glossary/recreational-fishing-recreational-fisheries |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260119130759/https://www.unescwa.org/sd-glossary/recreational-fishing-recreational-fisheries |archive-date=19 January 2026 |access-date=17 March 2026 |work=United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> Worldwide the demand for sport fishing has increased, with a new focus on eco-tourism, this demand is forecasted to continue to grow.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ltd |first=Research and Markets |title=Research and Markets - Market Research Reports - Welcome |url=https://www.researchandmarkets.com/ |access-date=8 March 2026 |website=www.researchandmarkets.com |language=english }}</ref> In the Amazon basin, sport fishing mainly consists of tours,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lubich |first1=Chiara |last2=Siqueira-Souza |first2=Flávia |last3=Freitas |first3=Carlos |date=6 July 2023 |title=Sport fishing in Brazil: the current state |url=https://institutodepesca.org/index.php/bip/article/view/1745 |journal=Boletim do Instituto de Pesca |volume=49 |doi=10.20950/1678-2305/bip.2023.49.e715 |issn=1678-2305 |doi-access=free |archive-date=15 March 2026 |access-date=16 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260315134923/https://institutodepesca.org/index.php/bip/article/view/1745 |url-status=live }}</ref> the most common target is the peacock bass, followed by species such as large migratory catfish, silver arowana, Matrinxã, pike-characins, Payara, and Dogtooth characin.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Freire |first1=K. M. F. |last2=Tubino |first2=R. A. |last3=Monteiro-Neto |first3=C. |last4=Andrade-Tubino |first4=M. F. |last5=Belruss |first5=C. G. |last6=Tomás |first6=A. R. G. |last7=Tutui |first7=S. L. S. |last8=Castro |first8=P. M. G. |last9=Maruyama |first9=L. S. |last10=Catella |first10=A. C. |last11=Crepaldi |first11=D. V. |last12=Daniel |first12=C. R. A. |last13=Machado |first13=M. L. |last14=Mendonça |first14=J. T. |last15=Moro |first15=P. S. |date=June 2016 |title=Brazilian recreational fisheries: current status, challenges and future direction |url=http://ainfo.cnptia.embrapa.br/digital/bitstream/item/161729/1/Freire-et-al-2016-Fisheries-Management-and-Ecology.pdf |journal=Fisheries Management and Ecology |language=en |volume=23 |issue=3–4 |pages=276–290 |doi=10.1111/fme.12171 |bibcode=2016FisME..23..276F |issn=0969-997X |url-access= |archive-date=3 December 2023 |access-date=28 May 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231203050639/https://ainfo.cnptia.embrapa.br/digital/bitstream/item/161729/1/Freire-et-al-2016-Fisheries-Management-and-Ecology.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 June 2020 |title=Amazon River Fish – A Game Angler's Species Guide |url=https://www.amazon-angler.com/fish-species/ |access-date=8 March 2026 |language=en-GB |archive-date=13 January 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260113100541/https://www.amazon-angler.com/fish-species/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The typical season for sport fishing is dependent on when the waters are low.<ref name="Ruffino-Comanagement" /><ref name=":10" /> Low waters force fish species to the main river channels and lakes, during the remainder of the year many target species inhabit the flooded forests. the months when waters are low is highly dependent on the region of the Amazon the river is in.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Arantes |first1=Caroline C. |last2=Winemiller |first2=Kirk O. |last3=Asher |first3=Alex |last4=Castello |first4=Leandro |last5=Hess |first5=Laura L. |last6=Petrere |first6=Miguel |last7=Freitas |first7=Carlos E. C. |date=13 November 2019 |title=Floodplain land cover affects biomass distribution of fish functional diversity in the Amazon River |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=9 |issue=1 |article-number=16684 |doi=10.1038/s41598-019-52243-0 |pmid=31723146 |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=6853970 |bibcode=2019NatSR...916684A }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=J. Parsons |first=James |title=Hydrology of the Amazon River |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-River/Hydrology |website=britannica |access-date=8 March 2026 |archive-date=14 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231014092545/https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-River/Hydrology |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Sport fishing economy ==== Sport fishing attracts around 10,000 tourists every year directly providing an estimated 1,000 jobs to Brazilians. This generates an estimated $400 million USD for Brazil's economy when including indirect spendings.<ref name="Ruffino-Comanagement">{{Cite book |last=Ruffino |first=Mauro Luis |title=The Amazon Várzea |chapter=Comanagement of the Application of Fisheries Resources in the Amazon: Present Status and Challenges for Management and Conservation |date=6 November 2010 |pages=145–165 |chapter-url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0146-5_11 |chapter-url-access=subscription |access-date=11 March 2026 |place=Dordrecht |publisher=Springer Netherlands |doi=10.1007/978-94-007-0146-5_11 |isbn=978-94-007-0145-8}}{{twlac|doi=10.1007/978-94-007-0146-5_11 }}</ref> Most commonly tourists will book a trip through local tourism companies. The majority of these trips take place on a hotel boat that floats along the river, although some tourism companies operate out of eco lodges, taking guest on daily excursions, these tours cost an average of $3,000 USD per 7 days.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Freire |first1=K. M. F. |last2=Tubino |first2=R. A. |last3=Monteiro-Neto |first3=C. |last4=Andrade-Tubino |first4=M. F. |last5=Belruss |first5=C. G. |last6=Tomás |first6=A. R. G. |last7=Tutui |first7=S. L. S. |last8=Castro |first8=P. M. G. |last9=Maruyama |first9=L. S. |last10=Catella |first10=A. C. |last11=Crepaldi |first11=D. V. |last12=Daniel |first12=C. R. A. |last13=Machado |first13=M. L. |last14=Mendonça |first14=J. T. |last15=Moro |first15=P. S. |date=June 2016 |title=Brazilian recreational fisheries: current status, challenges and future direction |url=http://ainfo.cnptia.embrapa.br/digital/bitstream/item/161729/1/Freire-et-al-2016-Fisheries-Management-and-Ecology.pdf |journal=Fisheries Management and Ecology |language=en |volume=23 |issue=3–4 |pages=276–290 |doi=10.1111/fme.12171 |bibcode=2016FisME..23..276F |issn=0969-997X |url-access=}}{{twlac|doi=10.1111/fme.12171 }}</ref>

==== Impacts of sport fishing ==== Several species targeted by sport fishing in the Amazon basin have been introduced for the sport fishing industry, most notably being Peacock bass and Golden Dourado.<ref name="Imminent threat of the predator" /> Both of these species are native to South America, but were introduced across the Amazon basin.<ref name="Imminent threat of the predator">{{Cite journal |last1=Ribeiro |first1=Vinícius Ricardo |last2=Silva |first2=Pedro Rogério Leandro da |last3=Gubiani |first3=Éder André |last4=Faria |first4=Larissa |last5=Daga |first5=Vanessa Salete |last6=Vitule |first6=Jean Ricardo Simões |date=April 2017 |title=Imminent threat of the predator fish invasion Salminus brasiliensis in a Neotropical ecoregion: eco-vandalism masked as an environmental project |journal=Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation |language=en |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=132–135 |doi=10.1016/j.pecon.2017.03.004 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2017PEcoC..15..132R }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Carvalho |first1=D. C. |last2=Oliveira |first2=D. A. A. |last3=Sampaio |first3=I. |last4=Beheregaray |first4=L. B. |date=January 2009 |title=Microsatellite markers for the Amazon peacock bass ( Cichla piquiti ) |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02425.x |journal=Molecular Ecology Resources |language=en |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=239–241 |doi=10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02425.x |pmid=21564614 |issn=1755-098X |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Both of these species are relatively large predatory species and often outcompete the local species and prey on smaller native fish species in areas where they are introduced.<ref name="Imminent threat of the predator" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Franco |first1=Ana Clara Sampaio |last2=García-Berthou |first2=Emili |last3=Santos |first3=Luciano Neves dos |date=March 2021 |title=Ecological impacts of an invasive top predator fish across South America |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0048969720368273 |journal=Science of the Total Environment |language=en |volume=761 |article-number=143296 |doi=10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143296 |pmid=33187704 |bibcode=2021ScTEn.76143296F |url-access=subscription |archive-date=6 January 2026 |access-date=16 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260106163848/https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0048969720368273 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Often times owners of sport fishing businesses will pay off the fishers in indigenous villages to release the peacock bass they catch, deals like this often create conflict within these communities, as food scarcity is an issue in the region.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Amazon Assessment Report 2021 |chapter=Chapter 30: The new bioeconomy in the Amazon: Opportunities and challenges for a healthy standing forest and flowing rivers |date=12 November 2021 |chapter-url=https://eng-ar21.sp-amazon.org/211112%20AR21%20Chapter%2030%20(English).pdf |access-date=16 March 2026 |publisher=UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network |doi=10.55161/ughk1968 |isbn=978-1-7348080-0-1 |last1=Abramovay |first1=Ricardo |last2=Ferreira |first2=Joice |last3=de Assis Costa |first3=Francisco |last4=Ehrlich |first4=Marco |last5=Castro Euler |first5=Ana Margarida |last6=Young |first6=Carlos Eduardo F |last7=Kaimowitz |first7=David |last8=Moutinho |first8=Paulo |last9=Nobre |first9=Ismael |url=https://www.theamazonwewant.org/spa-reports/ |editor1-last=Nobre |editor1-first=Carlos |editor2-last=Encalada |editor2-first=Andrea |editor3-last=Anderson |editor3-first=Elizabeth |editor4-last=Roca Alcazar |editor4-first=Fernando Hector }}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite journal |last=Sobreiro |first=Thaissa |date=January 2015 |title=Urban-Rural Livelihoods, Fishing Conflicts and Indigenous Movements in the Middle Rio Negro Region of the Brazilian Amazon |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/blar.12259 |journal=Bulletin of Latin American Research |language=en |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=53–69 |doi=10.1111/blar.12259 |issn=0261-3050 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=12 August 2021 |access-date=7 February 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812110827/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/blar.12259 |url-status=live }}</ref> Sport fishing often takes place in indigenous fishing grounds; many indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin oppose practices such as catch-and-release fishing, and the excessive use of motorboats as they believe it negatively impacts fish habitat.<ref name=":10" /> These rural communities has very little power in this conflict with very little government support while sport fisheries have strong lobbying efforts and in cities like Barcelos where sport fishing is has a large economic income the sports fisheries have become intertwined with local government.<ref name=":52">{{Cite journal |last=Sobreiro |first=Thaissa |date=January 2015 |title=Urban-Rural Livelihoods, Fishing Conflicts and Indigenous Movements in the Middle Rio Negro Region of the Brazilian Amazon |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/blar.12259 |journal=Bulletin of Latin American Research |language=en |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=53–69 |doi=10.1111/blar.12259 |issn=0261-3050 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=12 August 2021 |access-date=7 February 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812110827/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/blar.12259 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Ornamental fishing === [[File:Paracheirodon innesi neon tetra.jpg|thumb|254x254px|A Cardinal Tetra, the most exported ornamental fish from the Amazon basin.]] The ornamental fish trade is a industry that makes around $10 billion USD profit each year world wide<ref name="Analysis of Ornamental Fish Exports">{{Cite journal |last1=Tribuzy-Neto |first1=Ivan Azevedo |last2=BeltrãO |first2=Hélio |last3=Benzaken |first3=Zehev Schwartz |last4=Yamamoto |first4=Kedma Cristine |date=26 March 2021 |title=Analysis of the Ornamental Fish Exports from the Amazon State, Brazil |url=https://institutodepesca.org/index.php/bip/article/view/1470 |journal=Boletim do Instituto de Pesca |volume=46 |issue=4 |doi=10.20950/1678-2305.2020.46.4.554 |issn=1678-2305 |doi-access=free |archive-date=2 April 2026 |access-date=8 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260402223138/https://institutodepesca.org/index.php/bip/article/view/1470 |url-status=live }}</ref> in the Amazon basin there are an estimated 375 species that are target by the ornamental fish trade.<ref name="Analysis of Ornamental Fish Exports" /> The fish caught the most are Cardinal Tetra accounting for 64% of exports. Other common exports include Green neon tetra 7.5%, rummy-nose tetra 5%, Golden Otocinclus 4.6%, Hoppe's Otocinclus 2.8%, Schwartz's catfish 2.2%, Zebra Loach 1.9%, Dwarf Suckermouth Catfish 1.5%.<ref name="Analysis of Ornamental Fish Exports" />

==== Ornamental fishing economy ==== The majority of the fish exported from the Amazon basin in the aquarium trade are exported to North America and Europe, with the majority of exports going to Germany, Taiwan and the United States of America.<ref name="Analysis of Ornamental Fish Exports" /> The Amazonas State of Brazil exported an estimated $2.5 million USD of ornamental fish between 2006 and 2014.<ref name="Analysis of Ornamental Fish Exports" /> When compared to other forms of income in the Amazon basin ornamental fishing pays well, providing average daily wages of close to $19 USD per day, as compared to other occupations in the region which on average pay slightly over $4 USD per day.<ref name=":11">{{Cite journal |last1=Moreau |first1=Marie-Annick |last2=Coomes |first2=Oliver T. |date=March 2007 |title=Aquarium fish exploitation in western Amazonia: conservation issues in Peru |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0376892907003566/type/journal_article |journal=Environmental Conservation |language=en |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=12–22 |doi=10.1017/S0376892907003566 |bibcode=2007EnvCo..34...12M |issn=0376-8929 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> In the Peruvian Amazon ornamental fisheries provide nearly 10,000 people with income, many of these people being intermediaries, expedition workers, independent collectors and rural fishers.<ref name=":11" /> Although being very profitable in comparison to other occupations it is not very accessible to many people as around $2,600 has to be invested into new gear to start ornamental fishing.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Araújo |first1=Janayna Galvão de |last2=Santos |first2=Marcos Antônio Souza dos |last3=Rebello |first3=Fabrício Khoury |last4=Prang |first4=Gregor |last5=Almeida |first5=Morgana Carvalho de |last6=Isaac |first6=Victoria Judith |date=May 2020 |title=Economic analysis of the threats posed to the harvesting of ornamental fish by the operation of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam in northern Brazil |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0165783619303388 |journal=Fisheries Research |language=en |volume=225 |article-number=105483 |doi=10.1016/j.fishres.2019.105483 |bibcode=2020FishR.22505483A |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Furthermore, the income can be very unstable with the demand changing often and the target species can be hard to find, especially during times when the rivers are flooded as they often reside in the flooded forests.<ref name=":11" />

==== Impact of ornamental fishing ==== Within the Amazon basin there are 12 know introduced species that have been associated with the aquarium trade,<ref name="Silent Threat of Non-native Fish">{{Cite journal |last1=Doria |first1=Carolina Rodrigues da Costa |last2=Agudelo |first2=Edwin |last3=Akama |first3=Alberto |last4=Barros |first4=Bruno |last5=Bonfim |first5=Mariana |last6=Carneiro |first6=Laís |last7=Briglia-Ferreira |first7=Sylvio Romério |last8=Nobre Carvalho |first8=Lucélia |last9=Bonilla-Castillo |first9=César Augusto|last10=Charvet|first10=Patricia |last11=dos Santos Catâneo |first11=Dayana Tamiris Brito |last12=da Silva |first12=Hugmar Pains |last13=Garcia-Dávila |first13=Carmen Rosa |last14=dos Anjos |first14=Hélio Daniel Beltrão |last15=Duponchelle |first15=Fabrice |date=10 June 2021 |title=The Silent Threat of Non-native Fish in the Amazon: ANNF Database and Review |journal=Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |volume=9 |article-number=646702 |doi=10.3389/fevo.2021.646702 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2021FrEEv...946702D |issn=2296-701X |url=https://hal.umontpellier.fr/hal-03413510v1/document }}</ref> most notably the guppy (poecilia reticulata).<ref>{{Cite book |title=Amazon Assessment Report 2021 |chapter=Chapter 20: Drivers and impacts of changes in aquatic ecosystems |date=12 November 2021 |chapter-url=https://eng-ar21.sp-amazon.org/211112%20AR21%20Chapter%2020%20(English).pdf |access-date=16 March 2026 |publisher=UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network |doi=10.55161/idmb5770 |isbn=978-1-7348080-0-1 |last1=Fearnside |first1=Philip |last2=Berenguer |first2=Erika |last3=Armenteras |first3=Dolors |last4=Duponchelle |first4=Fabrice |last5=Mosquera Guerra |first5=Federico |last6=Jenkins |first6=Clinton N |last7=Bynoe |first7=Paulette |last8=García-Villacorta |first8=Roosevelt |last9=Macedo |first9=Marcia |editor1-last=Nobre |editor1-first=Carlos |editor2-last=Encalada |editor2-first=Andrea |editor3-last=Anderson |editor3-first=Elizabeth |editor4-last=Roca Alcazar |editor4-first=Fernando Hector |archive-date=12 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260312093016/https://eng-ar21.sp-amazon.org/211112%20AR21%20Chapter%2020%20(English).pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Although there is little research done on the impacts of these species in the region, non-native species used in the ornamental fishing trade have potential to be harmful to local ecosystems.<ref name="Silent Threat of Non-native Fish" /> The silver arowana is a species heavily targeted by the aquarium trade with high demand in Asia<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Silva |first1=Themis Jesus |last2=Machado |first2=Valéria Nogueira |last3=Soares |first3=Emerson Carlos |last4=Hrbek |first4=Tomas |last5=Farias |first5=Izeni Pires |date=2025 |title=Genetic variability and population structure of Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (Osteoglossiformes: Osteoglossidae) in the Amazon Basin |journal=Neotropical Ichthyology |volume=23 |issue=2 |article-number=e240085 |doi=10.1590/1982-0224-2024-0085 |issn=1982-0224 |doi-access=free }}</ref> where it is called the dragon fish.<ref name=":14">{{Cite journal |last1=Guzmán Maldonado |first1=Adriana |last2=Macedo Lopes |first2=Priscila Fabiana |last3=Rodríguez Fernández |first3=Carlos Alberto |last4=Lasso Alcala |first4=Carlos Andrés |last5=Sumalia |first5=Ussif Rashid |date=February 2017 |title=Transboundary fisheries management in the Amazon: Assessing current policies for the management of the ornamental silver arawana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0308597X16305772 |journal=Marine Policy |language=en |volume=76 |pages=192–199 |doi=10.1016/j.marpol.2016.11.021 |bibcode=2017MarPo..76..192G |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The silver arowana is very suspectable to over exploitation as it has a long life cycle, with a late sexual maturity and produces relatively few eggs when it spawns.<ref name=":14" /> The harvesting method of silver arowana is unsuitable as males care for eggs by mouth brooding.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Souza |first1=Fernando Henrique Santos de |last2=Perez |first2=Manolo Fernandez |last3=Bertollo |first3=Luiz Antônio Carlos |last4=Oliveira |first4=Ezequiel Aguiar de |last5=Lavoué |first5=Sebastien |last6=Gestich |first6=Carla Cristina |last7=Ráb |first7=Petr |last8=Ezaz |first8=Tariq |last9=Liehr |first9=Thomas |last10=Viana |first10=Patrik Ferreira |last11=Feldberg |first11=Eliana |last12=Cioffi |first12=Marcelo de Bello |date=9 September 2019 |title=Interspecific Genetic Differences and Historical Demography in South American Arowanas (Osteoglossiformes, Osteoglossidae, Osteoglossum) |journal=Genes |language=en |volume=10 |issue=9 |page=693 |doi=10.3390/genes10090693 |doi-access=free |issn=2073-4425 |pmc=6771150 |pmid=31505864 }}</ref> Fishers will kill these males and take the eggs from there mouth to sell. In areas such as Colombia, overfishing has caused the populations to become depleted.<ref name=":14" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Silva |first1=Themis Jesus |last2=Machado |first2=Valéria Nogueira |last3=Soares |first3=Emerson Carlos |last4=Hrbek |first4=Tomas |last5=Farias |first5=Izeni Pires |date=2025 |title=Genetic variability and population structure of Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (Osteoglossiformes: Osteoglossidae) in the Amazon Basin |journal=Neotropical Ichthyology |volume=23 |issue=2 |article-number=e240085 |doi=10.1590/1982-0224-2024-0085 |issn=1982-0224 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Between ornamental fisherman there is conflict over the price tetra are sold for as many traders want to raise the price due to the high demand.<ref name=":15">{{Cite journal |last1=Vieira |first1=T. S. G. |last2=Lubich |first2=C. |last3=Soares |first3=N. N. |last4=Zumaeta |first4=G. S. |last5=Aguiar-Souza |first5=L. |last6=Yamamoto |first6=K. |date=2025 |title=Territoriality and conflicts between artisanal fishers and tourism operators over the use of fishery resources in the middle Negro River, Brazilian Amazon |journal=Brazilian Journal of Biology |volume=85 |article-number=e297583 |doi=10.1590/1519-6984.297583 |issn=1678-4375 |doi-access=free |pmid=41259474 }}</ref> According to research that was done in the Rio Negro region, conflict between ornamental and other fisherman was limited, because there is little overlap of the spices they target and locations they fish at, however conflict can occur when territories do overlap with those of other fishers.<ref name=":15" /><ref name=":10" /> [[File:Spear fishing Peru.jpg|thumb|248x248px|A man using a leister to catch a catfish in the Peruvian Amazon.]]

=== Subsistence fishing === Subsistence fishing is the practice of using fishing as means to provide food for an individual, their family and community.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Nguyen |first1=Vivian Mai-Anh |last2=Fiorella |first2=Kathryn J |last3=Castello |first3=Leandro |last4=Badhon |first4=Mahatub Khan |last5=Beaudoin |first5=Christine |last6=Coffin-Schmitt |first6=Jeanne |last7=Cooke |first7=Steven J |last8=Fisk |first8=Aaron T |last9=Nyboer |first9=Elizabeth|last10=O'Keefe|first10=Daniel M |last11=Rice |first11=Emma D |last12=Stedman |first12=Richard |last13=Venker |first13=Nicole |last14=Macneil |first14=Aaron |date=22 August 2025 |title=Provisioning fisheries: A framework for recognizing the fuzzy boundary around commercial, subsistence, and recreational fisheries |url=https://academic.oup.com/fisheries/article/50/8/366/8006542 |journal=Fisheries |language=en |volume=50 |issue=8 |pages=366–379 |doi=10.1093/fshmag/vuae031 |issn=0363-2415 |doi-access=free }}</ref> In the Amazon basin there are an estimated 2.2 million indigenous people. Fishing is one of the most important forms of livelihood for the indigenous communities of the Amazon basin,<ref name="AAR-2021-10" /> with the average resident of the Brazilian Amazon consuming 23Kg (50.7lbs) of fish each year.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=de Lacerda |first1=Luiz Drude |last2=de Almeida |first2=Ronaldo |last3=Bastos |first3=Wanderley Rodrigues |date=10 February 2024 |title=A 35-Year Record (1987–2022) of Hg Concentrations in Two of the Fish Species Most Consumed by People Living in the Upper Madeira River Basin, Brazilian Amazon Region |journal=Toxics |language=en |volume=12 |issue=2 |page=144 |doi=10.3390/toxics12020144 |doi-access=free |issn=2305-6304 |pmc=10892673 |pmid=38393239 |bibcode=2024Toxic..12..144D }}</ref> For subsistence fishers, gillnets are the most used method of fishing, with methods such as fishing poles and cast nets also being commonly used, other methods such as bow and arrow, beach seine, leister, handline, longline and harpoon are used more rarely.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Santana |first1=IF. |last2=Freitas |first2=CEC. |date=February 2013 |title=A time series analysis of Prochilodus nigricans landings caught by small-scale fisheries in the lower stretch of the Amazon River |journal=Brazilian Journal of Biology |volume=73 |issue=1 |pages=53–59 |doi=10.1590/s1519-69842013000100007 |issn=1519-6984 |doi-access=free |pmid=23644788 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mesquita |first1=EMC. |last2=Isaac-Nahum |first2=VJ. |date=August 2015 |title=Traditional knowledge and artisanal fishing technology on the Xingu River in Pará, Brazil |journal=Brazilian Journal of Biology |volume=75 |issue=3 suppl 1 |pages=138–157 |doi=10.1590/1519-6984.01314bm |pmid=26691086 |issn=1519-6984 |url=http://repositorio.ufpa.br/jspui/handle/2011/8271 |archive-date=17 September 2024 |access-date=28 May 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240917001633/https://www.repositorio.ufpa.br/jspui/handle/2011/8271 |url-status=live }}</ref> These fishers mostly target species such as tambaqui, tacunaré, curimatã and pacu, there are many other presences across the Amazon basin depending on region.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Costa Sousa |first1=Raniere GARCEZ |last2=Souza |first2=Lucirene Aguiar de |last3=Frutuoso |first3=Márcia Elane |last4=Freitas |first4=Carlos Edwar de Carvalho |date=15 June 2017 |title=Seasonal Dynamic of Amazonian Small-Scale Fisheries Is Dictated by the Hydrologic Pulse |url=https://institutodepesca.org/index.php/bip/article/view/1230 |journal=Boletim do Instituto de Pesca |volume=43 |issue=2 |pages=207–221 |doi=10.20950/1678-2305.2017v43n2p207 |issn=1678-2305 |doi-access=free |archive-date=17 January 2026 |access-date=17 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260117183536/https://institutodepesca.org/index.php/bip/article/view/1230 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Dias |first1=G. K. S. |last2=Siqueira-Souza |first2=F. K. |last3=Souza |first3=L. A. |last4=Freitas |first4=C. E. C. |date=2023 |title=The consumption of fish by the riverine population of the lower Solimões River, Amazonas, Brazil |journal=Brazilian Journal of Biology |volume=83 |article-number=e271572 |doi=10.1590/1519-6984.271572 |issn=1678-4375 |doi-access=free |pmid=37098963 }}</ref>

Subsistence fishing is predominantly the main source for fishing in Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Ecuador regarding the Amazon basin.<ref name="Quantifying fish catches">{{Cite journal |last1=Sirén |first1=Anders |last2=Valbo-Jørgensen |first2=John |date=1 January 2022 |title=Quantifying fish catches and fish consumption in the Amazon Basin |url=https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/aehm/article/25/1/59/315231/Quantifying-fish-catches-and-fish-consumption-in |journal=Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management |language=en |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=59–71 |doi=10.14321/aehm.025.01.59 |bibcode=2022AqEHM..25...59S |issn=1463-4988 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=3 February 2023 |access-date=17 March 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203172249/https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/aehm/article/25/1/59/315231/Quantifying-fish-catches-and-fish-consumption-in |url-status=live }}</ref> Representing significant proportions of subsistence fishing out of total landings, Peru and Bolivia produce more than 50% of their total landings from subsistence fishing, while Venezuela and Ecuador produce almost 100% from their total landings.<ref name="Quantifying fish catches" /> However, subsistence fishing has barely reached half of the maximum catch level in the Amazon basin's floodplains.<ref>Castello, Leandro, David G. McGrath, and Pieter SA Beck. "Resource sustainability in small-scale fisheries in the Lower Amazon floodplains." ''Fisheries Research'' 110.2 (2011): 356-364max catch</ref>

==== Pollution ==== Large quantities of mercury have entered rivers as a result of the many gold mining operations within the Amazon basin.<ref name="Mercury Dynamics">{{Cite journal |last1=Domingues |first1=Vitor Sousa |last2=Colmenero |first2=Carlos |last3=Vinograd |first3=Maria |last4=Oliveira-da-Costa |first4=Marcelo |last5=Balbueno |first5=Rodrigo |date=18 August 2024 |title=Mercury Dynamics and Bioaccumulation Risk Assessment in Three Gold Mining-Impacted Amazon River Basins |journal=Toxics |language=en |volume=12 |issue=8 |page=599 |doi=10.3390/toxics12080599 |doi-access=free |issn=2305-6304 |pmc=11359172 |pmid=39195701 |bibcode=2024Toxic..12..599D }}</ref> This contamination has caused many fish species to have amounts of mercury that exceed the heathy limit, thus many people within indigenous fishing villages communities in the Amazon basin have heightened mercury exposure.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Martoredjo |first1=Irvin |last2=Calvão Santos |first2=Lenize Batista |last3=Vilhena |first3=Jéssica Caroline Evangelista |last4=Rodrigues |first4=Alex Bruno Lobato |last5=de Almeida |first5=Andréia |last6=Sousa Passos |first6=Carlos José |last7=Florentino |first7=Alexandro Cezar |date=7 March 2024 |title=Trends in Mercury Contamination Distribution among Human and Animal Populations in the Amazon Region |journal=Toxics |language=en |volume=12 |issue=3 |page=204 |doi=10.3390/toxics12030204 |doi-access=free |issn=2305-6304 |pmc=10974390 |pmid=38535937 |bibcode=2024Toxic..12..204M }}</ref> In Adults High chronic exposure to high amounts of mercury can lead to mental and neurological and cognitive issues such as depression, irritability, motor issues, and more. Some research has shown suggests there is a long link between mercury consumption and the development of diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.<ref name="Health Risk Assessment">{{Cite journal |last1=de Vasconcellos |first1=Ana Claudia Santiago |last2=Ferreira |first2=Sylvio Romério Briglia |last3=de Sousa |first3=Ciro Campos |last4=de Oliveira |first4=Marcos Wesley |last5=de Oliveira Lima |first5=Marcelo |last6=Basta |first6=Paulo Cesar |date=31 August 2022 |title=Health Risk Assessment Attributed to Consumption of Fish Contaminated with Mercury in the Rio Branco Basin, Roraima, Amazon, Brazil |journal=Toxics |language=en |volume=10 |issue=9 |page=516 |doi=10.3390/toxics10090516 |doi-access=free |issn=2305-6304 |pmc=9504189 |pmid=36136481 |bibcode=2022Toxic..10..516D }}</ref><ref name="Mercury Dynamics" /> Mercury contamination can also lead to a cardiovascular issues such as systolic blood pressure and heart attack. The highest risk from the mercury poisoning is to children and childbearing women as it can cause fetal and early childhood development issues such as motor and sensory losses and cognitive loss.<ref name="Health Risk Assessment" />

== Agriculture == Seasonal floods excavate and redistribute nutrient-rich silt onto beaches and islands, enabling dry-season riverside agriculture of rice, beans, and corn on the river's shoreline without the addition of fertilizer, with additional slash and burn agriculture on higher floodplains. Fishing provides additional food year-round, and free-range chickens need little or no food beyond what they can forage locally. Charcoal made largely from forest and shoreline deadfall is produced for use in urban areas. Exploitation of bushmeat, particularly deer and turtles is common.

[[File:Operação Hymenaea, Julho-2016 (29399454651).jpg|thumb|Deforestation and increased road-building bring human encroachment upon wild areas, increased resource extraction and threats to biodiversity.]] Extensive deforestation, particularly in Brazil, is leading to the extinction of known and unknown species, reducing biological diversity and adversely impacting soil, water, and air quality. A final part of the deforestation process is the large-scale production of charcoal for industrial processes such as steel manufacturing. Soils within the region are generally shallow and cannot be used for more than a few seasons without the addition of imported fertilizers and chemicals.

== Global ecological role / Function for climate change == "Over past 20 years (2021), the Brazilian Amazon emitted 13% more CO2 than it absorbed".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Rapid deforestation outweighs carbon capture by remaining trees |url=https://www.economist.com/interactive/graphic-detail/2022/05/21/the-brazilian-amazon-has-been-a-net-carbon-emitter-since-2016 |access-date=10 June 2023 |newspaper=The Economist |date=21 May 2022 |archive-date=10 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610220049/https://www.economist.com/interactive/graphic-detail/2022/05/21/the-brazilian-amazon-has-been-a-net-carbon-emitter-since-2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Anna Jean |last=Kaiser |date=27 August 2019 |title=Explainer: Role of the Amazon in global climate change |url=https://phys.org/news/2019-08-role-amazon-global-climate.html |access-date=12 February 2023 |publisher=phys.org |language=en |archive-date=12 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212190259/https://phys.org/news/2019-08-role-amazon-global-climate.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Amazon vegetation holds around 56.8 billion metric tons of carbon above ground. The slash and burn cycle is causing the Amazon to release more carbon than it takes in.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 August 2024 |title=Amazon rainforest stores carbon for the world, but this carbon sink is at risk, a study finds |url=https://apnews.com/article/amazon-carbon-climate-change-deforestation-1bc52c85c90dd4c8b04de4c8cd77394e |access-date=22 June 2025 |website=AP News |language=en |archive-date=31 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250531122218/https://apnews.com/article/amazon-carbon-climate-change-deforestation-1bc52c85c90dd4c8b04de4c8cd77394e |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Amazon basin holds 10% of the world's biodiversity and about 15% of the worlds river discharge. The Amazon functions as a carbon sink due to photosynthesis where carbon dioxide is converted into oxygen. The role the vegetation plays in the water cycle is very important. 50% to 80% of the water remains locked within the basin due to the complex role vegetation, rivers and the atmosphere play with each other. Without trees the Amazon basin's ability to hold onto the water will disappear and will lead to Desertification.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Complex Role of the Amazon Rainforest- Greenly |url=https://greenly.earth/en-us/blog/ecology-news/the-complex-role-of-the-amazon-rainforest |access-date=22 June 2025 |website=greenly.earth |language=en-us |archive-date=4 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250804063001/https://greenly.earth/en-us/blog/ecology-news/the-complex-role-of-the-amazon-rainforest |url-status=live }}</ref>

"Amazon biodiversity also plays a critical role as part of global systems, influencing the global carbon cycle and thus climate change, as well as hemispheric hydrological systems, serving as an important anchor for South American climate and rainfall. It also produces 20% oxygen of the Earth."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why the Amazon's Biodiversity is Critical for the Globe: An Interview with Thomas Lovejoy |url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2019/05/22/why-the-amazons-biodiversity-is-critical-for-the-globe |access-date=12 February 2023 |website=World Bank |language=en }}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== Further reading == * Acker, Antoine. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160815062131/https://www.uni-bielefeld.de/cias/wiki/a_Amazon.html "Amazon"] (2015). Center for InterAmerican Studies, University Bielefeld. * {{cite book |last1=Dematteis |first1=Lou |last2=Szymczak |first2=Kayana |title=Crude Reflections/Cruda Realidad: Oil, Ruin and Resistance in the Amazon Rainforest |date=June 2008 |publisher=City Lights Publishers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YW0oAQAAIAAJ |isbn=978-0-87286-472-6}}

== External links == * [http://www.pacificwestcom.com/amazon Herndon and Gibbon Lieutenants United States Navy]—An except from the book ''The First North American Explorers of the Amazon Valley'', by historian Normand E. Klare. Actual reports from the explorers are compared with present Amazon Basin conditions. * [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/03/AR2010090302302_pf.html "Scientists find Evidence Discrediting Theory Amazon Was Virtually Unlivable"] by ''The Washington Post'' * [https://www.loc.gov/item/2021668298/ "The Course of the River of the Amazons, Based on the Account of Christopher d'Acugna"] from 1680 (map

Category:Amazon basin