Aquatic Life Zones

By: Catherine Gonzalez, Sophie Moody, and Regina James

Rivers

• The Amazon River• The Nile River

The Amazon River • Amazon River was named by a Spanish explorer, Francisco de Orellana in

1541. • It is the 2nd longest river in the world.• Its width ranges from 1 mile to 35 miles.• The Amazon rain forest occupies 40% of Brazil’s total geographical area. • In Drainage Area, the Amazon has the most square miles in the world ( 2,

270, 000 ) • 120, 000 cubic meters (about 20 swimming pools worth) of water flows

out of its mouth EVERY second• During the wet season, the Amazon River can reach over 190 kilometers

(120 miles) in width • Its rains about 100 inches per year and about half of it, its is own rainfall.

The Amazon’s Animals

• The Amazon rainforest is the home of over 300 species of mammals, thousands of freshwater fish.

• Examples• Jaguars, Spider Monkeys, and Capybara• Macaws , Toucans• Amazonian Manatee, Pink River Dolphins • Giant Horned Frogs, Passion Arrow Frog• Anacondas, Piranhas, and Black Caimans

Pictures!

The Amazon’s Plants

• Tens of thousands of trees and nearly a hundred thousand other plant species.

• Examples• Wild Nutmeg• Sensitive Plant• Ormosia• Pokeweed• Monkey’s Brush

Pictures!

Amazon Rainforest: Half of Remaining Rainforest Could Soon Disappear

The Amazon is not in the headlines today as much as when the media first covered it widespread destruction in 1980’s but that doesn’t mean it has been fixed. Actually 20% of the original rainforest is already gone.

Brazil’s government – host of the “Rio+20” UN Conference on Sustainable Development devoted to sustainable development and sustaining ecosystems – is planning to build 60 dams on tributaries to the Amazon -- including the controversial $11 billion Belo Monte project. Industrial destruction of intact primary rainforest ecosystems based upon ecocide and genocide is not “the future we want” – a motto of Rio+20. These plans for massive Amazon dam construction reveal Brazil’s meaningless rhetoric regarding environmental sustainability and sustainable development, as they hypocritically continue destroying key regional and global ecosystems. Brazil’s deceptive doublespeak regarding sustaining ecology must not be allowed to stand unchallenged during Rio+20. Stand with brave indigenous protestors who recently dismantled a portion of Belo Monte’s construction, as we call upon all Rio+20 delegates to demand Brazil cancel Belo Monte and other Amazon rainforest destroying dams, embracing instead a program of sustainable development based upon standing primary rainforests.

Amazon Chart

Continent South America

Countries it flows through Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia

Length 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles)

Number of Tributaries Over 200

Source Lago Villafro in the Andes Mountains, Peru

Mouth Brazil into the Atlantic Ocean (delta)

The Nile River • The name Nile comes from the Greek word “neilos” which

means valley.• The Nile was both the Egyptians friend and foe. If it rose too

much it would sweep away their houses, and destroy their crops.• The longest river in the world.• Its average discharge is 3.1 million liters (680, 000 gallons) per

second. • The largest source for the Nile is Lake Victoria.• Every year the Nile floods. Almost the same time of the year (July

15) • The rainfall in this region varies form 10 to 21 inches annually

Nile’s Animals

• 1000’s of animals habit by or in the Nile river like venomous snakes, aggressive hippopotami, six meter long crocodiles, and lethal scorpions.

• Examples• Black Manba, Saw-scaled Viper, Egyptian Cobra• Hippopotamus, Hyenas, Lions• Crocodiles• Yellow Fattail Scorpion

Pictures!

Nile’s Plants

• The Nile is surrounded by amazing plants which we don’t see very often

• Examples• Cyperus papyrus• Paper reed• Fig• Date palm• Mulberry• Lotus

Pictures!

IssuesWater use issues have long been a source of contention among the Nile Basin

countries, who disagree on what is an equitable distribution of the river’s waters.For decades the answer to that question has been determined by an agreement that’s

recently re-negotiated and that could alter the historic water-sharing arrangements for the Nile. Entitled the Cooperative Framework Agreement, it was signed in late February by Burundi, which joins other countries -- Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Rwanda – that are seeking what they consider a more equitable share of the river waters. Egypt, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo are still mulling over the framework’s provisions.

The accord was prepared during 11 years of negotiations among nine of the 10 countries in the basin. Eritrea did not participate directly in these negotiations but did serve as an observer. Last May, the document was put forward for signature by the participating governments. Richard N. Tutwiler, a research professor and director of the Desert Development Center at the American University in Cairo, says with Burundi’s signing, the countries can move on to ratification.

Nile River Chart

Continent Africa

Countries it flows through Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Burundi, Egypt

Length 6,695 kilometers (4,160 miles)

Number of Tributaries 2

Source Burundi, central Africa

Mouth Egypt into the Mediterranean Sea

Differences

Amazon River Nile River

History

Amazon - Traditionally considered as a virgin Rainforest, with few native tribal settlements. Amazonia was not heavily populated.

Nile - The Nile was the lifeline of the Egyptian civilization. Most of the population of Egypt and all of its cities,, lie along those parts of the Nile valley north of Aswan.

Transportation

Amazon – The Amazon river passes through large series of rapids and cataracts, making downstream navigation difficult and dangerous in many places. Wind flows in all directions making upstream navigation impossible

Nile - The calm waters of the Nile from Aswan to the Mediterranean were ideal for downstream boat transportation. The Nile flowed from south to north at an average speed of about four knots during inundation season.

Temperature

Amazon – The average temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. At night, it drops to about 50.

Nile – All along it's the weather reaches 40 degrees C in summer, and winters are generally mild. Although the temperature change between night and day can be quite severe, and can feel very cold for the unprepared.

Sites

• http://www.unique-southamerica-travel-experience.com/amazon-rainforest-animals.html

• http://www.naturetours.com/Am_lispl.html• http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Ho

mework/egypt/nile.htm• http://www.niletrip.com/dangers.html• http://library.thinkquest.org/16645/the_land/

nile_ch.shtml