Heavy Precipitation in Tropical Rainforest Related to Carbon Exchange, Study Finds

Researcher finds that a heavy precipitation in the rainforest has played the major role in the increase of the carbon dioxide uptake. Recent findings show that a short-term decline in carbon exchange is related to the drought in the Amazon Basin.

The research was conducted by the team of researchers from the University of Montana, Northern Arizona University, the University of Colorado and the University of Nevada-Reno. Professor Cory Cleveland from the Department of Ecosystems & Conservation Sciences at the University of Montana leads the research with Professor Philip Taylor from the University of Colorado Boulder as the lead author. According to the news release from the University of Montana, the research finds that heavy precipitation in the rainforest has accelerated the carbon exchange in tropics. That means the increase of rainfall would cause the decline in plant growth.

“Our work is based on real measurements of trees, not from computer models," Professor Cleveland said about his recent study in the rainforest. "Therefore may offer the most realistic picture of how much forests grow now, and how they may respond to changing temperature and climate."

Professor Cleveland further explained that the research has found a significant implication to the climate changes in the rainforest. As the changes in rainfall and temperature will affect the plant growth, while the plants are important to remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. On the other hand, similar changes also affect the decomposition of organic matter, that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The research has been published in the Ecology Letter on April 17. Other researchers are William Wieder and Alan Townsend, from the University of Colorado Boulder, Benjamin Sullivan from the University of Nevada-Reno, Christopher Doughty from the Northern Arizona University and Solomon Dobrowski from the University of Montana.

Amazon rainforest and other rainforest have a very important role to remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Besides its ecological function, the Amazon rainforest also has an amazing biodiversity with 12,000 types of trees. Watch the report below: