Global Warming Could Reduce Rainforest Tree Growth by 50 Percent

Category: Environmental Health
Sunday, August 12, 2007 at 11:31:17 AM
 Font Size 
Data collected on forests in Panama and Malaysia has revealed that global warming could reduce the growth of trees in tropical rainforests by 50 percent, besides severely affecting their ability to remove carbon dioxide from the air.


According to Ken Feeley of Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum in Boston, the study shows that rising average temperatures have reduced growth rates by up to 50 percent in the two rainforests, which have both experienced climate warming above the world average over the past few decades.

Feeley, who presented his research at an annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America in San Jose, California, warned that if other rainforests follow suit as world temperatures rise, important carbon stores such as the pristine old-growth forests of the Amazon, could conceivably stop storing as much carbon.

The amount of carbon that a forest stores depends on the balance between the rate at which it draws carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and the rate at which it gives carbon dioxide back through respiration.

In carbon sinks, which are mostly found at high latitudes, photosynthesis outstrips respiration and the amount of carbon stored increases. In general, tropical forests are today thought to act as stable stores of carbon, with their photosynthetic input and their respiratory output more or less in balance.

Some scientists and environmentalists have suggested that, given the way carbon dioxide spurs plant growth, tropical forests could in time come to act as a sink, offsetting some of the man-made carbon dioxide build-up.
Page 1 Page 1 | 2  Next
       Email Email      RSS Feeds RSS Feeds      Print this page Print      Save this page Save      Link Link      Syndicate Syndicate      Comments Comments
  
Comment & Contribute
Be the first to comment
* Your comment can be maximum of 2500 characters
Notify me when reply is posted   

Environmental Health Related News

.
Continuation of Rise in Sea Level may Make Earth a 'Waterworld'
.
Regenerative Ability in Salamanders is Similar to Healing in Man
.
US Embassy In China Set Up Its Own Air Monitoring System
.
Pedestrians and Cyclists" UK's New 'Mobile Pollution Sensors'
Read More

Related Links

Medindia on Global Warming Now Accelerates?
Concern over global warming intensifies as reports say that the area of floating ice in the Arctic has shrunk more than in any summer.

Read More...

For More Information
Global Warming Emissions can Be Reduced by New Combustion Technology
Role of Climate Change in Siberian Forest Fires Explored
500 + Health news categories
Latest Health News From Leading Resources
Updated every 30 minutes
Latest Headlines
Australia To Hold 'Harmony March' In Solidarity With Indian Students (8 hrs ago)
Rare Sheep Perfect Blood Donors for Diagnosing Infectious Disease in Developing World (8 hrs ago)
Intensive Dietary Advice Improves Blood Sugar Control In Type 2 Diabetes (8 hrs ago)
Spanish Winemakers Look To Higher Ground (9 hrs ago)
Doctor Advises 'Skinny' Courtney Love To Start Eating (9 hrs ago)
Women Flocking Australian Town Craving for Nicole Kidman's 'fertility Water' (9 hrs ago)
Gazans Brave Nasty Rashes For A Dip In Poisoned Beaches (9 hrs ago)
All Latest News
Popular News Topics
News Archive
Date :
Category :
Keyword :
Medindia Special Reports
world-asthma-day-2009.jpg
interview-Dr-srinivasan.jpg
world-blood-donor-day-09.jpg
world-hepatitis-day-2009.jpg
dr-suresh.jpg
Web Medindia  Advanced Search
Feedback
Last Updated - - Designed & Content Managed by Medindia Health Network Pvt Ltd. Hosted & Technical Support by FrontPoint Systems
DisclaimerThe contents of this site are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified physician for any doubts.
To Read full Disclaimer Click Here!
Best viewed with resolution 1024x768 px.
Advertise with us |  Medindia Copyright |  Privacy Policy |  © All Rights Reserved 1997 - 2009