The Amazon rainforest in South America is one of the most important and complex environments in the world. It is by far the biggest river on the planet in terms of volume and width, reaching a span of nearly 30 miles (48 kilometers) in some parts during the rainy season. There are many unique species of animals, trees and plants in the river and basin.
According to the New World Encyclopedia, the journey of the Amazon River begins high in the Andes. The mountains block the warm, moist air moving in from the east, resulting in heavy persistent rain that feeds the Amazon. The river goes through thousands of miles of rainforests and lowlands until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean on the northeastern coast of Brazil.
The second longest river in the world is the Amazon River. It is slightly shorter than the Nile River, but it is difficult to say which river is actually longer since measuring methods vary and there is still some dispute over their true sources.
According to the book Tropical Rainforest Responses to Climate Change, the Amazon River has the largest drainage system in the world. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, one-fifth of the water that runs on the Earth is carried by the Amazon River. It has more discharge than the next six largest rivers combined.
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During the dry season from June to November, the width of the Amazon River is between 2 to 6 miles, and in the wet season from December to April, it can reach up to 30 miles (48 kilometers). The current can travel up to 6.4 km/h at the height of wet season.
According to the book Explorers of the Amazon, the first European to explore the length of the river was a Spanish soldier named Francisco de Orellana. The Amazon was named after him because he encountered and engaged in battles with female warriors who reminded him of the Amazons in Greek mythology.
The Amazon basin is a large area of land that empties into the Amazon River. According to the book Biology of Hevea Rubber, it occupies 38 percent of the total area of South America.
Every year the lowlands around the river flood, enriching the surrounding soil. The rainforest covers more than two-thirds of the basin. The basin is located in parts of six countries, according to the Center for Global Environmental Education. Most of the basin is located in Brazil.
Belem, Brazil, is located at the mouth of the Amazon River and is home to 1.3 million people, while Santarem, Brazil, is located at the junction of the Amazon River and the Tapajos River.
According to the Amazon Aid Foundation, Indigenous people live in approximately 28 percent of the Amazon basin. More than 60 of the 350 ethnic groups are essentially isolated according to the Coordinator of Indigenous Organization of the Amazon Basin.
The Amazon River contains more than 5,600 known species of fish, including 100 species of electric fish and up to 60 species of piranhas. One of the largest freshwater fish in the world, the arapaima or pirarucu, is found here.
How do fish breathe?
The Amazon River dolphin is the largest species of river dolphin in the world and its color changes with age from gray to pink to white. The giant otter is found in these waters.
An international team of scientists discovered a coral reef system thriving in the Amazon River's plume, the area where the river empties into the ocean.
When river water enters the ocean, it can have a significant impact on the environment, making it very unfavorable for reef growth. This is especially true in the Amazon, which can reach as far north as the Caribbean Sea.
One of the scientists on the Amazon River expedition is an associate professor of marine sciences at the University of Georgia.
She explained that the reefs are located a few hundred feet below the Amazon's turbid plume, which is about 20 m thick.
As with the Amazon rainforest, these unique reefs are susceptible to human activity.
The reefs are well within the tropical surface layer, so they are likely to be experiencing ocean warming and acidification from human-driven CO2 emissions. Climate change is impacting the tropical water cycle and the Amazon River, but we are still investigating those connections.
According to NASA, the Amazon River is the largest rainforest on Earth, covering 80% of the basin.
More than one-third of the world's known species are found in the Amazon rainforest. According to the Biology of Hevea Rubber, there are as many as 100 arboreal species found on a single acre. The lungs of the Earth are the Amazon rainforest, which acts as an enormous air machine, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing vast amounts of life-supporting oxygen.
According to World Atlas, the rainforest has a unique system of layers: the canopy, the understory, and the forest floor. 70% of life in the rainforest can be found in the canopy. The crowns of these trees form a tight continuous canopy that can reach as high as 120 feet. The branches are covered with plants. The canopy helps regulate temperature and humidity.
The emergent layer is created by individual gigantic trees that peak out from the canopy. The trees can reach heights up to 200 feet above ground. The scarlet macaw, capuchin monkey and the harpy eagle are some of the animals that live in the emergent layer.
According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, the understory layer is very dark and only 2-15 percent of the sunlight is visible. The understory is less dense than the canopy because of the lack of sunlight, and it usually consists of young trees and plants that don't need much sunlight to thrive.
The forest floor is the layer with the least amount of sunlight. It consists of a thin layer of fallen leaves and branches.
The Amazon rainforest has been the focus of fervent preservation efforts within the last three decades as human activities have begun to threaten the delicate balance of the area. According to a report by The Guardian, the cattle industry in Brazil is responsible for 80 percent of Amazon destruction.
The Nature Conservancy says that the Amazon River is still a primary mode of transportation for many people in this land. People, tourists, and goods can be shuttled from one area of the Amazon to another by river boats and ships.
As the population continues to depend on the river for transportation, it has exposed more people to piracy.
The population boom and rise of drug gangs in the Amazon basin have led to more hijacking opportunities, according to a report in the New York Times.
Many slower moving boats are sitting ducks for the faster boats that are often manned by thieves. Local governments and police forces are struggling to keep things under control as ships are often seized after nightfall.
You can find more information about the Amazon on the WWF website.
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