news agency
Deforestation reduces rainfall in tropical areas, study reveals

Deforestation reduces rainfall in tropical areas, study reveals

The deforestation on a large scale in jungle regions such as the amazonthe Congo Basin or Southeast Asia reduces tropical rainfall, indicates a study published this Thursday by the Nature magazine.

The area at greatest risk is the Congo Basin, threatened by rapid deforestation, where the rainfall regime could be reduced by 10% before the end of the century, the researchers warn.

“We could reach a point where tropical forests can no longer renew themselves”said the report’s lead author, Callum Smith, of the University of Leeds.

Smith and his colleagues collected satellite data between 2013 and 2017 in the Amazon, Congolese, and Southeast Asian biomes and found that massive logging disrupts the water cycle and significantly reduces rainfall, mainly in wet seasons.

This happens because the leaves of the trees release water vapor, which can cause localized rains.

Previous research suggested that small-scale deforestation could increase rainfall in some regions.

But if it is practiced on a large scale, “there is less moisture reaching the atmosphere, which reduces precipitation”says Smith.

The scientist recalls that the restoration of destroyed forests can reverse the phenomenon and urges to increase preservation efforts.

In the Amazon, the largest tropical biome on the planet, climate change, associated with deforestation, can lead to a “point of no return” that would bring the jungle closer to a state of savannah.

Studies have already shown the importance of tropical forests for the planet’s climate (since they absorb large amounts of greenhouse gases), but the impact of deforestation on local climates had only been observed in a few specific regions.

The study was published during the One Forest Summit, which brings together scientists and political leaders in Gabon to find answers mainly to the challenges of the Congo Basin, the second largest tropical forest biome on the planet.

Deforestation in that region is accelerating due to the development of cattle ranching, the timber industry and the cultivation of palm and soybeans, which also have a great impact on the native communities.

The decrease in rainfall could, however, end up affecting crop yields and the drought would at the same time increase the frequency of forest fires, warn specialists.

Source: AFP

Source: Gestion

You may also like

Hot News

TRENDING NEWS

Subscribe

follow us

Immediate Access Pro