The Amazon rainforest has evolved over millions of years and even through ice ages.
The Amazon rainforest has evolved over millions of years and even through ice ages. Yet today, human influences and global climate change put this huge ecosystem at risk of large-scale dieback – with major consequences for its capability as a global CO2 sink. New research published in Nature Geoscience now reveals a key player in shaping the resilience of the Amazon and finds that regions with generally higher rainfall variability are more resilient to current and future climate disturbances. However, despite this 'training effect', the Amazon rainforest might not be able to keep up with the pace of ongoing climate change, the study shows.
"Considering the vital importance of the Amazon rainforest for our climate and biodiversity, it is astounding how much we still don't know about its ability to adapt to changing environments through the ages," lead author Catrin Ciemer from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) says. With ongoing global warming there will probably be a higher frequency of droughts in the Amazon basin, which might increase tree mortality and fire risks. "We set to uncover a mechanism that increases the ecosystem's resilience. It turns out that regions of the Amazon rainforest that were exposed to more variable rainfall conditions seem to be equipped with a higher ability to resist to and recover from climatic disturbances."
Read more at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
