A decrease in tropical forest biomass stemming from changes in climate may lead to increased carbon emissions that could accelerate global warming, according to a new study co-authored by YSE postdoctoral associate Maria del Rosario Uribe and Paulo Brando, associate professor of ecosystem carbon capture.
A decrease in tropical forest biomass stemming from changes in climate may lead to increased carbon emissions that could accelerate global warming, according to a new study co-authored by YSE postdoctoral associate Maria del Rosario Uribe and Paulo Brando, associate professor of ecosystem carbon capture.
Tropical ecosystems store over half of the world’s above-ground carbon in their biomass, which includes vines, trunks, and leaves. A decrease in biomass reduces the capacity of these ecosystems to capture and store carbon. The research team said the decrease likely stems from prolonged and intense dry periods in the forests from climate change.
“Wetter regions have much more biomass, or carbon, than drier regions. If wetter tropical areas shrink due to climate change, then you’re likely to lose the massive amount of carbon they store as well,” says Uribe, who led the study that was published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
Read more at: Yale University
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