The Amazon

The Amazon is a land of superlatives. The complex ecosystem covers an area about the size of the continental U.S. The Amazon River discharges 57 million gallons of water per second¿in two hours, this would be enough to supply all of New York City''s 7.5 million residents with water for a year. Its flora and fauna are abundant. Approximately one of every four flowering plant species on earth resides in the Amazon. A single Amazonian river may contain more fish speciesthan all the rivers in Europe combined. It is home to the world''s largest anteater, armadillo, freshwater turtle, and spider, as well as the largest rodent (which weighs over 200 lbs.), catfish (250 lbs.), and alligator (more than half a ton). The rainforest, which contains approximately 390 billiontrees, plays a vital role in stabilizing the global climate by absorbing massive amounts of carbon dioxide¿or releasing it into the atmosphere if the trees are destroyed. Severe droughts in both Brazil and Southeast Asia have be