Drought brings Amazon tributary to lowest level in a century

One of the most important tributaries of the Amazon river has fallen to its lowest level in over a century, following a fierce drought that has isolated tens of thousands of rainforest inhabitants and raised concerns about the possible impact of climate change on the region.

Photo courtesy of Raimundo Valentim/EPA/CORBIS

Amazon confusion: new research shows forest is resilient to drought, but is this the whole picture?

Given the differing opinions, more research may be needed before consensus can be reached on how the Amazon will react to climate change, especially in light of other threats such as deforestation.

Photo courtesy of sibauch/Flickr

Deforestation Pushing Amazon to Its Ecological Limits

When you don’t know the effects of damaging a highly complex, invaluably important ecological system, make sure not to damage it.

Photo courtesy of Leonardo Freitas/Flickr

Amazon River Water Being Stolen and Bottled Abroad

A recently published report is exposing some shocking exploitation of the Amazon's natural resources--and this time it's water being stolen. Where is this water headed? According to the report, "tankers are quietly removing water" to be bottled and sold in Europe and the Middle East.

Photo courtesy of Brian Ritchie/Flickr

The Amazongate fiasco

"The IPCC could have picked a better citation than the WWF report, but the data were there, published in a few places to support their statement," Nepstad told mongabay.com. "The latest attack on the IPCC is bizarre and unfounded."

Photo courtesy of Luis Vasconcelos/AP

Biodiversity: The Amazon Is Not Eternal

Lovejoy, head of the committee responsible for this major scientific investigation, said the Amazon has already lost 17 to 18 percent of its forests. Furthermore, "it has a remarkable hydrogeological system where the forest generates at least half of its own rainfall."

Photo courtesy of Lalo de Almeida/NY Times

Brazil's river of death

The once free-flowing Manaquiri River, which runs through the state of Amazonas in northwest Brazil, is in the fight of its life against a spell of dry weather - and it appears to be losing the battle.

[Photograph by: Bruno Kelly/REUTERS/Amazonaspress]

Sad Photo: Drought causes death of thousands of fish in the Amazon River

Resident Manoel da Silva paddles his canoe through dead fish in the Parana de Manaquiri River, a tributary of the Amazon, near the city of Manaquiri November 22, 2009. After a rainy season that caused some of the worst flooding in recent history the seasonal drought that followed is proving to be especially bad as well.

[Photograph by: Bruno Kelly/A Crítica/Agência Estado]

Why the Amazon should quit smoking

The Amazon is the largest remaining rainforest on Earth and plays a major role in regulating the planet's climate. But tens of thousands of square kilometres of Amazon rainforest are destroyed each year by slash-and-burn practices, which local people use to clear land for farming.

[Photograph by: Dado Galdier/AP]