Tropical forests in South America lose their ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere when conditions become exceptionally hot and dry, according to new research. For a long time, tropical forests have acted as a carbon sink, taking more carbon out of the air than they release into it, a process that has moderated the impact of climate change. But new research found that in 2015 -- 2016, when an El Niño climate event resulted in drought and the hottest temperatures ever recorded, South American forests were unable to function as a carbon sink.
Evidence that most forest areas withstand periods of severe droughtTropical forests in South America lose their ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere when conditions become exceptionally hot and dry, according to new research.
El Niño occurs when sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean increase sharply, triggering a major shift in the world's climate system. In 2015-2016, the result was exceptionally hot weather for South America. A similar event is underway now. Professor Beatriz Marimon, of Brazil's Mato Grosso State University, added"Here in the southeastern Amazon on the edge of the rainforest, the trees may have now switched from storing carbon to emitting it. While tree growth rates resisted the higher temperatures, tree mortality jumped when this climate extreme hit."Of the 123 plots studied, 119 of them experienced an average monthly temperature increase of 0.5 degrees Celsius. 99 of the plots also suffered water deficits.
"Where tree mortality increased was in the drier areas on the Amazon periphery where forests were already fragmented. Knowing these risks, conservationists and resource managers can take steps to protect them.
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