About Careers MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Climate Change can Affect Forests in a Much Greater Way

by Kalyani Thivakaran on December 26, 2014 at 12:00 AM
Font : A-A+

 Climate Change can Affect Forests in a Much Greater Way

Forests around the world are affected by man-made climate change, suggesting that degradation of woods cannot be ruled out for the future, a new study has revealed.

Taking a risk perspective, a team of scientists of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) caution that global warming puts additional pressure on some of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth.

Advertisement

Lead-author Christopher Reyer said that forests are probably more at risk than previously thought and the observed changes affect forests as important as the Amazon, but also forests on all continents, possibly pushing some of them towards tipping points.

Reyer added that it is scary how little they still know about the resilience of forests, despite all the scientific progress we present in this special issue and from a risk perspective, climate change puts additional pressure on an exceptionally valuable ecosystem whose stability up to now cannot be properly assessed.
Advertisement

Researcher Milena Holmgren of the University of Wageningen said that some tropical forests, such as the Amazon, are also key for regional water cycles, adding that how dense these forests are, affects the amount of rainfall that is recycled and also the amount of water that is retained. When forests become less dense, a smaller amount of water is recycled as rain and also less water is retained in the soil and the growth of grass which burns easily in dry seasons is facilitated.

Holmgren continued that fire can change the rules of the game drastically because grass burns easily and recovers fast whereas trees are very sensitive and need more time. So once a forest has been opened and starts burning, the end result can be a system that resembles a savanna with much grass and fewer trees. This changes the habitat for plants, animals and people.

Holmgren added that the fate of forests is important also because they store huge amounts of the greenhouse gas CO2 and loosing forests and releasing carbon to the atmosphere contributes to climate warming and to the impacts we start to see in many regions of the world.

The study will be published in the Journal of Ecology.

Source: ANI
Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Reading

Latest Environmental Health

Canadian Food Packaging Contain High Levels of Toxic PFAS 'Forever Chemicals'
High levels of toxic PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' are found in Canadian fast-food packaging.
Phthalate Alternative may Pose a Huge Threat to Brain Health
Are phthalate alternatives safe for human health? Acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC), used as a phthalate substitute, may affect brain health.
 Global Warming Rising Deadly Waterborne Bacteria Infection
Climate change caused raise in fatal bacterial infection by Vibrio vulnificus from about 10 a year to about 80 over 30 years along the U.S. East Coast.
New Device Helps Measure Air Pollution
Air pollution is a major global threat. Scientists have developed a new device to measure the air quality.
Do Dry Cleaning Chemicals Trigger Parkinson's Disease?
Trichloroethylene (TCE), a common dry cleaning chemical is more likely to increase Parkinson's disease risk.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Climate Change can Affect Forests in a Much Greater Way Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests