Flying rivers: the importance of the Amazon for rainfall territorial distribution

The humidity produced in the Amazon is essential for the distribution of rainfall in the south and southeast regions of Brazil. The so-called “Flying Rivers phenomenon” originates in the tropical areas of the Atlantic Ocean and is fed by the humidity that evaporates from the Amazon Rainforest, is subsequently distributed to the other regions of South America.

Deforestation affects this process directly since the changes in the rainfall regime in the last few years have already been partially attributed to such deforestation. The fewer trees standing up, the lower humidity exchange. A tree with a treetop of 20 meters in diameter, for example, breathes an average of 1,000 liters per day.

According to the experts, changes in the rainfall regime due to growing deforestation and Amazon forest degradation contribute to increase extreme events in vulnerable areas such as São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro and may cause natural disasters in the future, such as landslides and floods in urban and rural areas.

You can help conserving the Amazon forest by offsetting CO2 emissions of your company with our REDD+ projects.

Source: https://bbc.in/2NAEz93