The Amazon forest also known as the ‘Lungs of the World’ is facing drought conditions. Scientists have warned that the climate change in the Amazon is leading to a climate change. Trees in the region are absorbing up to a tenth less carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during the droughts and the forest is actually emitting more carbon dioxide than it captures.
The last drought in 2010 , saw the forest release eight billion tonnes which is as much as the annual emissions of Russia and China combined. On an average basis, the region absorbs 1.5 billion tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere and dry spells will soon become a common phenomenon in the region.
It was found that the photosynthesis process had slowed down by 10 percent in the past six months. The drought in 2005 was called as a once in a century event, but then an even worse one followed soon and increased the concerns on the region’s capacity to continue soaking up carbon Di Oxide.
Both the droughts were a result of the warm seas in the Atlantic Ocean on the Brazilian coast and was a suspected result of manmade emissions. The drought conditions will become a common phenomenon in the Amazon. Some tremblings have also been noticed in the region after which a number of trees were seen dying.
Photo Credits: reutersmedia
