The Role of Lakes and Rivers as Sources of Evaporated Water to the Atmosphere in the Amazon Basin

Due its magnitude, the water cycle in the Amazon basin plays a key role in the biogeochemical cycles of the region, as well as affecting regional and global climate. Despite its importance, the Amazon region is under constant pressure because of its natural resources, and deforestation accounts for a major part of this human influence. The continental freshwater system in the region is not highly threatened, although human occupation follows roads and rivers pathways. Several urban and agricultural activities take place by the river's banks. Over the past 30 years, riparian regions have been cleared for agriculture and human settlements, and the floodplains are being intensely used for cattle grazing during the low water season and for fishing during high water, putting at risk highly diverse and abundant fisheries stocks in the region as whole. The floodplains are an important spawning habitat for several species. Thus understanding of biogeochemical and nutrient dynamic of the floodplains is crucial to sustain the ecological health of those systems. Identification of physical process patterns (i.e, evaporation, wind, water current) and sources of water to the floodplains are key to this knowledge. The main objective of this work was to investigate the role of the Amazon floodplains lakes and rivers as sources of evaporated water to the atmosphere. (author)