The Amazon rainforest is under serious threat from ongoing deforestation. By 2022, statistics show that 26% of the area will have been lost, a shocking result for ecologists and environmentalists alike. Rainforests are characterised by their incredible biodiversity and their significant impact on climate. One of the most important roles of these rainforests is to sequester and convert huge amounts of carbon dioxide into oxygen.
Recently, researchers at the University of Hamburg studied the consequences of a possible complete deforestation of the Amazon. Their simulations showed that if all the forests were cut down, it would fundamentally change the weather patterns in the region. According to the researchers, the Amazon rainforest's trees play an essential role in rainfall formation, as these plants release huge amounts of moisture into the air through evaporation.
The study also showed that disruptions to the ecosystem can have irreversible consequences. In the Amazon, the composition and amount of precipitation comes from two main sources: evaporation from vegetation and soil, and atmospheric moisture. If the Amazon were destroyed, evaporation would be drastically reduced, resulting in a drier climate, which could have catastrophic effects on the flora and fauna living there.
Previous studies have confirmed that deforestation negatively affects rainfall patterns. Within the Amazon, the diversity and richness of vegetation allows for significant water retention, which in turn allows much of the rainfall to return to the atmosphere by evaporation. Deforestation disrupts this natural cycle, resulting not only in less rainfall, but also in an uneven distribution of rainfall.
The Amazon is particularly sensitive to temperature and humidity conditions, and any change in these can trigger a domino effect. For example, a decrease in rainfall leads to soil drying, which further reduces plant viability and accelerates deforestation and desertification.
Understanding the relationship between deforestation and precipitation is essential to address the complex issues of climate change, says the vision. Without this, it can lead to ping-pong ball-like responses, where solving one problem brings a new problem to the surface. Maintaining the health of natural ecosystems is vital for global climate stability.
