From the Amazon to the rainforests of Africa and Southeast Asia, large-scale deforestation threatens to reduce rainfall in the tropics, according to new research.
The threat is most acute in the Congo Basin – predicted to suffer rapid deforestation in the coming years – which could reduce rainfall by up to ten percent by the end of the century, researchers found.
The study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, used satellite observations over the past decade to confirm predictions in computer models of climate change that rainfall will decrease in the tropics as more forests are cut down.
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The findings raise concerns that “we could be reaching a point where rainforests can’t sustain themselves,” said the study’s lead author, Callum Smith of the University of Leeds.
They called for increased commitment to conservation, with researchers concluding that restoring large areas of degraded forest could reverse some of the rain loss.
the Amazon rainforest
While the importance of tropical forests for the global climate is known – because they absorb and store carbon dioxide that warms the planet – the impact of tree loss on local weather conditions is only observed in certain areas.
The research comes as leaders and experts from around the world gather in Gabon for the Forest Summit with the aim of protecting the world’s forests.
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The main focus of the conference is the Congo Basin, an important carbon “sink” and refuge for rare species that is second in size to the Amazon rainforest.
Deforestation – driven by commodity crops such as oil palm and soya, cattle grazing and timber exploitation – threatens to exacerbate climate change and destroy important biodiversity.
It is also dangerous for society.
Despite the growing agricultural footprint, researchers say crop yields may decline along with forest cover, while increased drought may increase the frequency of fires, leading to reduced productivity in tropical forested areas.
Deforestation disrupts the water cycle
Using data collected in the tropical Amazon, Congo and Southeast Asia between 2003 and 2017, Smith and his colleagues found that large-scale deforestation disrupted the water cycle and led to a significant decrease in rainfall, with the greatest losses during the rainy season.
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Trees release water vapor into the air through their leaves, which can cause local precipitation.
In the Amazon basin, the world’s largest tropical biome, climate change coupled with deforestation is pushing tropical forests to a “tipping point” where they will transition to a savannah-like state, scientists warn.