Amazon Rainforest's 'Flying Rivers' Crucial for Regional Rainfall, Threatened by Deforestation
The Amazon rainforest is characterized by unique 'flying rivers,' which are atmospheric currents that transport moisture released by the forest for hundreds to thousands of miles. This phenomenon is vital for generating rainfall within the Amazon Basin and in distant regions. Trees in the Amazon draw water from the soil, releasing it as vapor through transpiration, a process that, along with evaporation from other surfaces, is known as evapotranspiration. This moisture then forms clouds and falls as rain, with some of it being reabsorbed by vegetation, perpetuating the cycle. While the Atlantic Ocean is a significant moisture source, a considerable portion of rainfall within the Amazon, up to 50% in some areas, depends on this internal moisture recycling. Dr. Wei Weng, Assistant Professor at National Taiwan University, highlights that these 'flying rivers' are preferential pathways of moisture transport, often directed towards the La Plata Basin, making regions like Bolivia and Peru particularly reliant on... 
