The Amazon rain forest draws water from the ground and releases the moisture into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration. Transpiration is evaporation, but it is evaporation of water that has gone through the trees. Think of it like blood in our veins – but unlike blood, the tree water is then pushed up into the sky as a kind of water vapor…

If correct, the [bionic pump] theory would explain how the deep interiors of forested continents get as much rain as the coast, and how most of Australia turned from forest to desert. It suggests that much of North America could become desert – even without global warming. The idea makes it even more vital that we recognize the crucial role forests play in the well-being of the planet.

~ New Scientist: Rainforests May Pump Winds Worldwide

Samanea Saman Tree, Thailand – photo from bigstockphoto.com