The Amazon Rainforest Produces 20% of the World's Oxygen

The nickname 'lungs of the Earth' paints a powerful picture, but the idea that the Amazon generates a fifth of our planet's breathable air is a popular misconception. While its immense scale means it does produce a staggering amount of oxygen via photosynthesis, it also consumes nearly the same amount. The trees themselves respire, and the decomposition of fallen leaves and other organic matter by microbes on the forest floor uses up vast quantities of oxygen. Over a long-term cycle, the Amazon's net contribution to the world's oxygen supply is actually very close to zero.

The rainforest's true global significance lies not in oxygen production, but in its role as a colossal carbon sink and a regulator of climate. Its trillions of trees have absorbed and now store immense amounts of carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere where it would contribute to global warming. The Amazon also influences weather patterns across continents by releasing huge volumes of water vapor, creating atmospheric "rivers." In fact, most of the Earth's net oxygen comes from a much smaller source: tiny marine organisms called phytoplankton, which are responsible for at least half of the oxygen we breathe.