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Amazon Rainforest River
Water is arguably one of the most defining characteristics of the rainforest, with all rainforests receiving at least 68 inches of rainfall each year. The large amounts of precipitation, combined with the warm, humid environment, allow the different organisms that call the rainforest home to flourish.
Heavy rains occur daily in the rainforest, and while some of the water is used by plants and animals, much of it washes into the rivers and streams coursing through the forest.
Some of the best-known rivers in the world run through tropical rainforests. Some examples include the Amazon Rainforest River, Mekong, and Negro Rivers. The massive amounts of precipitation in the rainforest mean that these rivers are enormous, and are fed by numerous tributaries and streams. The Amazon River alone has more than 1,100 tributaries, and carries more than one-fifth of the total freshwater on earth, easily making it the largest river in the world.
The rivers of the rainforest are home to a large variety of different plants and animals, and are important sources of food and water for the organisms living in the rainforest. A large variety of different fish and amphibians live in these rapids, while countless animals use the river to hunt for their food. From time to time the river's course will change, which results in free-standing ponds and lakes. These too a
In addition to their ecological importance, the rivers of the rainforest are vital to the livelihood of the people who live near them. For thousands of years, the rivers of the rainforests have served as the primary method of transportation for the tribes living along the water. Large settlements along the rivers in tropical rainforests were once commonplace, but after the arrival of European settlers, many of these large settlements disappeared. Nevertheless, several communities still exist along the rivers of the rainforest.
Beyond their use as a means for transportation, many groups of people use the rivers of the rainforest to earn a living. The rich variety of different fish living in these waters are often caught and sold by individuals living along the water. For example, in the Amazon Rainforest River alone, there are more than 3,000 different species of fish. Furthermore, many of the goods created by the people living in the rainforest are sold along the river. Several ports have developed along the rivers of the rainforests, where the people of the forests sell and trade their goods and products with individuals living on the outside.
Regardless of whether they are being used by humans for commerce and transportation, or being utilized by the animals and plants that make up the rainforest, the rivers that run through these rich environments are truly vital to the existence and structure of the rainforest. The protection of these rivers is an incredibly important task, as doing so allows the communities that rely on these rivers to counting to flourish. Additionally, the preservation of these precious resources will protect the future of the rainforest.
There are more species of fish in the Amazon River alone, than in the entire Atlantic Ocean! One of the best known fish of the rainforest is the piranha. Learn about Amazon Rainforest Fish
