NEWS

• Severe droughts in Peru, fires in the Amazon, and struggling hydroelectric dams in Ecuador linked to disruption of “flying rivers”.
• Scientists warn continued deforestation could push southwestern Amazon regions from rainforest to savanna, threatening ecosystems, agriculture, and water security.

HIGHLIGHTS

What are Flying Rivers?

• Term coined by Carlos Nobre in 2006.
• Refers to water vapor transported from the Atlantic Ocean across South America by trade winds.
• Amazon trees act as pumps, absorbing water from soil and releasing it into the atmosphere, relaying rainfall thousands of miles inland.
• Disruption of these “flying rivers” weakens rainfall patterns, increasing drought risk.

 Importance of the Amazon Rainforest

• Largest tropical rainforest: spans 9 South American countries, ~60% in Brazil.
• Biodiversity hotspot: 10% of known wildlife species.
• Carbon storage: 150–200 billion tonnes of carbon; acts as “lungs of the planet” by absorbing CO₂ and releasing oxygen.
• Provides water, food, and livelihoods to Indigenous communities and regional populations.

 Causes of Drought and Environmental Stress

• Deforestation reducing forest density → weaker water vapor transport.
• Climate change: rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns.
• Hydroelectric and land-use changes affecting river flows.
• Potential tipping point: rainforest could shift to savanna, reducing tree cover and carbon absorption.

Scientific Observations

• Tree size in the Amazon increasing by >3% every 10 years due to carbon fertilisation effect (higher atmospheric CO₂ → increased photosynthesis).
• Flying rivers essential for maintaining regional rainfall, agriculture, and river flow.

 Significance

• Weakened flying rivers threaten:
  • Biodiversity and species survival.
  • Indigenous communities’ livelihoods.
  • Agriculture and water supply in South America.
  • Global climate stability, as Amazon stores vast carbon.
• Highlights urgent need to stop deforestation and protect rainforest ecosystems.