April 01, 2022
Based on information from satellites, scientists fear that the Amazon rainforest is losing its ability to bounce back from calamities like droughts and fires. According to research, over the past two decades, more than 75% of the forest has lost its ability to recover from such extreme events. This could lead to a mass dieback of trees, which could flip the forest into a savanna-like environment.
Climate tipping points are critical limits beyond which systems reorganise themselves irreversibly. The decline in the forest’s resilience is evidence that the Amazon has reached this critical point. Scientists believe that deforestation and climate change could be the main reasons for this decline. Resilience is being lost faster in parts of the forest with less rainfall as well as those that are closer to human activity.
Did You Know?
A Slovenian named Martin Strel swam the entire length of the Amazon River–6,400kms–in 2007.
