Drought, Floods, Climate Change, and Forest Loss in the Amazon Region: A Present and Future Danger?

Abstract

The Amazon is the world's largest rainforest and it plays an important role in global and regional climate, including the exchange of water between the rainforest and the atmosphere. Extremes of climate, such as droughts or floods, can be dangerous for both humans and natural systems. Droughts and floods may alter the moisture exchange between forests and the atmosphere and can aaect the survival of the Amazon forest. Actions to avoid or to reduce global warming and forest loss are discussed in this article.