The Amazon River runs for more than 4,000 miles (6,600 km), and its many tributaries and streams are home to the greatest diversity of freshwater fish on the planet. (Image credit: DeAgostini via Getty Images)
Even a slight slowdown in one of Earth's key ocean currents could nearly halve rainfall in some tropical forest areas, leading to droughts that could accelerate climate change, a new study warns.
The Atlantic Meridional Circulation (AMC), including the Gulf Stream, plays an important stabilizing role in the planet's climate system. However, a number of studies point to a slowdown in this current, while some even predict its possible catastrophic collapse.
A new study examined climate data from the past 17,000 years to link the weakening of the current to its impact on the planet's tropics. The study, published Wednesday (July 30) in the journal Nature, suggests the potential impacts pose a “significant risk” that could lead to droughts in a range of normally wet regions, including the Amazon rainforest and elsewhere.
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Sourse: www.livescience.com
