Rainforests are known to be our savior from global warming, but a new revelation has sent shivering waves around the globe. It has been found that global warming impacts rainforests badly. Meaning that our saviors are themselves under threat.
For long, it has been surmised that rainforests act as carbon sinks, taking most of the carbon emissions, thereby lessening the burden on the environment. However, these lungs of the world are themselves finding it hard to survive amidst the global surge in temperatures, which is badly affecting the growth of the trees. The revelation contradicts earlier assertions that tree growth is assisted by rise in temperatures. Such a development would mean stunted trees, biodiversity at risk and lesser forest yield as timber, wood and rubber.
Stunted growth would also mean lesser intake of carbon dioxide, the main protagonist in global warming.
Rainforests catch fire during dry seasons and with global warming heating the atmosphere more, forest fires can become recurrent, destroying forest wealth of flora and fauna.
More so, it also means that our very weapon of fighting climate change or global warming is itself blunted, urging us to stop polluting the atmosphere or be ready to face devastating consequences, which would turn earth into a dead planet.
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Via: Mongabay
