Tropical forests are important regulators of the flux and storage of carbon, water, and energy in the Biosphere, and they are the habitat of more than three-fourths of the world’s plant and animal species. These ecosystems are also undergoing rapid conversion through pasture formation, shifting cultivation and timber highgrading as the people of tropical nations turn to forestlands for sustenance and wealth.
Projections of future meteorological drought and wet periods in the Amazon
Projections of future meteorological drought and wet periods in the Amazon
Future intensification of Amazon drought resulting from climate change may cause increased fire activity, tree mortality, and emissions of carbon to the atmosphere across large areas of Amazonia. To provide a basis for addressing these issues, we examine properties of recent and future meteorological droughts in the Amazon in 35 climate models.