Tropical rainforests are the most important land-based ecosystems on Earth and contain the greatest and richest biodiversity of the world, due to the fact that they house an enormous amount of species, from practically all taxonomic groups. In spite of covering only between 6 and 7% of the earth's surface, it is estimated that they house more than 60% of the total species of living organisms. The Latin American rainforests are the most diverse ecosystem of the planet.