Did you know that a region of Acre is home to the greatest diversity of amphibians in Brazil? Understand

The Estadão newspaper highlighted this week a study conducted and coordinated by a researcher from Tel Aviv University, in Israel, with the participation of several scientists from around the world, including the University of São Paulo (USP). The data focuses on some regions of the planet with the greatest biodiversity.

Amazonian biodiversity is one of the richest in the world Photo: Milan – stock.adobe.com

“One of the areas with the greatest wealth is the Amazon Basin – in the Andes region – and the northeast of the tropical forest. The African Great Lakes and much of Southeast Asia also appear as regions with high species diversity”, published the website.

The results were cataloged in the scientific journal Zoological Society of London in December last year.

Among the highlights of the study is Acre. Marcio Martins, professor at the USP Bioscience Institute and one of the authors of the research states:

“In Brazil, the highest diversity of amphibians is in Serra do Divisor, in Acre, which is 200 km from the Andes Mountains.” The same biodiversity, however, was not found in areas higher than 4,000 meters in the Andes, as the cold makes it difficult for animals to survive.

Scientific name: ‘Ameerega trivittata’/Photo: Miguel Monteiro

Amphibians are animals popularly known as toads, frogs, tree frogs, salamanders, newts, blind snakes and caecilians. They are all part of the Amphibia Class, which is divided into three Orders.

Places with greater rainfall tend to have greater diversity of mammal and bird species. They are part of the group of endothermic animals, therefore, they maintain their body temperature with the heat generated by their own bodies. This way, these animals can live in both hot and cold places.

On the other hand, as they produce heat all the time, they need food continuously and in large quantities to survive. And rain has significant impacts on food availability.

Even without the ability to produce heat through their own bodies, as they are ectotherms (“cold-blooded” animals), amphibians had the highest correlation with the presence of precipitation. They depend on water and humidity to carry out physiological activities and processes essential for their existence.

Of all tetrapods, the only one in which the relationship between species diversity and rainfall was not recorded was reptiles. This group is also ectothermic, that is, it is more vulnerable to environmental temperatures. They can, however, live in drought conditions.

“Reptiles have their bodies covered in scales, they do not lose water into the air”, explains the professor to USP. Therefore, according to him, reptiles are quite present in Australia, even though there are large deserts.

Read the full study in the Zoological Society of London magazine.

With information from Estadão.