By CNBCTV18.com Mar 11, 2022 6:17:40 AM IST (Published)
Tipping points are points or events where even small changes can completely ‘tip’ the system into becoming completely different. A study based on real-world data over the last 3 decades suggests the Amazon rainforest is headed in that direction, as it now takes much longer to recover from natural events like droughts and wildfires.
The Amazon rainforest is quickly approaching a climate tipping point which can result in the total loss of one of the world’s largest biospheres. The latest analysis is based on satellite observations that have recorded real-world data over the past three decades. The research paper titled, ‘Pronounced Loss of Amazon Rainforest Resilience Since the Early 2000s,’ was published in the journal, Nature Climate Change.
The new analysis highlights that nearly 75 percent of the forest has lost its stability and takes much longer to recover from natural events like droughts and wildfires. The loss of stability has been exacerbated since the 2000s. Most of the loss of stability has been recorded near areas like farms, roads and other urban areas. Dried regions have also suffered the loss of stability, leading scientists to believe that deforestation and global warming are behind the loss of stability.
Dieback and tipping points explained