There is a different kind of boiling water river in the Amazon forest of South America. The water temperature of this river called ‘Scaling’ is about 98.88 degrees Celsius or 210 degrees Fahrenheit; as a result, the water literally boils. Due to the hot water, all the biodiversity near this river is facing destruction. Located in the Peruvian rainforest or in the Mayantuacu region of central Peru, this four-mile-long river has a very strange course. There are many legends about this river, which is only 20 feet wide in some places.
A group of scientists led by Riley Fortier of the University of Miami in the United States surveyed 70 locations of this river. Riley Fortier said that the results of the survey, published in Global Change Biology, “We have the opportunity to know what effect rising temperatures will have on forest formation in the future.” The study found that biodiversity decreases by about 11 percent when the average temperature increases by 1.8 Fahrenheit. And therefore, scientists believe that the river’s groundwater is connected to the earth’s geothermal energy. The temperature of this river is so high because the heat coming from a hole in the crust is released through the liquid water of the river. It is believed that after rainwater enters the ground, the sedimentary rocks become very hot underground. Then the river water is carried as a hot spring.
The boiling river is locally known as Shenei-Timpishka, which means the river boiled by the heat of the sun. Many locals consider the river a place of reverence. Riley Fortier said that overall, the number of trees in this area is quite low, and therefore the diversity is low. Fewer species are found in hot areas. The structure of the forest here is different because it is the hottest place.
As global temperatures rise, scientists believe similar changes could spread to other lowland rainforests. So they are keen to monitor the river over time to see what the future holds for it as it warms.
Source: Prothom Alo
