20,000 tree ring samples shows remarkable growth resilience to droughts, but tree death could result in equivalent of Germany’s annual CO2 emissions.
20,000 tree ring samples shows remarkable growth resilience to droughts, but tree death could result in equivalent of Germany’s annual CO2 emissions.
Tropical trees are only minimally affected by drought conditions, but climate change threatens to affect a fine balance according to new research.
In a global study published in Science, a research team led by Wageningen University and including the University of Birmingham have used the largest collection of tropical tree-ring data to date, using more than 20,000 tree-ring series from nearly 500 locations in 36 countries and using data since 1930.
The tree-ring data were collected at 483 locations spread across the tropics: from wet and warm Amazonian forests to dry forests in southern Africa and cooler Asian mountain forests. First, the researchers determined the driest years since 1930 for all locations. They then calculated how much narrower the tree rings were during those years compared to normal years.
Read More: University of Birmingham
Photo Credit: M71 via Pixabay
