The Amazon rainforest drought of 2005 had such devastating effects on the habitat that scientists believed it was a "once in a century" event. This belief held strong until October 2010, when the river dropped to the lowest recorded level in 108 years. The river's low water levels prompted more than 20 municipalities dependent on the Amazon as a water source to declare a state of emergency.
Trees died, raising concerns about the area's ability to absorb carbon dioxide and thus curb climate change.
The disastrous consequences of last year's drought left researchers working at identifying a cause to design a means of prevention.
To monitor the effect of greenhouse gas emissions on the drought, scientists used the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, a satellite located near the equator. After the 2005 drought, scientists determined that low levels of rainfall corresponded to higher emissions of carbon. Recurring droughts can cause escalated carbon dioxide levels when dying trees stop absorbing carbon dioxide and start pumping out gases. This can create a self-aggravating process, since the damaged forests become less capable of handling these increased emissions. Scientists have found evidence indicating the Amazon's shifting weather may be caused by global climate change, which would turn one of the world's largest absorber of greenhouse gases into a major emitter of carbon dioxide.
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-compiled by Diana Burk
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