Freshwater ecosystems account for half of global emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Rivers and streams, especially, are thought to emit a substantial amount of that methane but the rates and patterns of these emissions at global scales remain largely undocumented. Now, thanks to an international effort to better …
The Belo Monte Dam, located in the Amazon Rainforest on Brazil’s Xingu River, is one of the largest hydroelectric facilities in the world. It is also likely the most studied, thanks to an ambitious research effort carried out by a global team of scientists. As part of a long-term monitoring program funded by Norte Energia, …
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Advocates of huge hydroelectric dam projects on the Amazon, Congo, and Mekong rivers often overestimate economic benefits and underestimate far-reaching effects on biodiversity, according to an article in the Jan. 8 issue of Science by a cadre of scientists representing 30 academic, government, and conservation organizations in eight countries. “These three river …