The Amazon forest has been a reliable carbon sink, soaking up some of humanity’s carbon emissions, but a severe drought in 2023 adds to growing concern that this ecosystem service is at risk.
drought
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Drought Drove the Amazon’s 2023 Switch to a Carbon Source
The change was caused by thirsty vegetation taking up less carbon than normal, not by the year’s extended fire season, new research shows.
Posted inResearch & Developments
We Are “Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means,” UN Report Warns
Humanity has overspent and depleted freshwater in the world’s aquifers, glaciers, wetlands, and other natural reservoirs to an irreversible degree, according to a new United Nations report.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
How Satellite Data Helped Avoid Hunger from Drought
Satellites detecting anomalies of the spectral reflectance of crops in Uganda successfully foretold imminent crop failure and automatically triggered timely governmental disaster relief.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
An Ecosystem Never Forgets
A new study in southwestern China shows how ecosystems may exhibit “hydrological memory,” which affects how they react to extreme climate events such as heat and drought.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Climate Variations in Tropical Oceans Drive Primarily Extreme Events
Severe droughts and floods are primarily driven by climate variations in tropical oceans, with interannual and decadal patterns playing key roles.
Posted inNews
Grandes Sequias Coincidieron con el Colapso Maya Clásico
El entendimiento de cómo las ciudades individuales respondieron al estrés climático ayudará a crear imágenes holísticas de cómo estas sociedades funcionaban.
Posted inNews
Are “Day Zero Droughts” Closer Than We Think? Here’s What We Know
A new study warns that day zero droughts—when reservoirs fail to supply taps—could become common within this decade.
Posted inNews
Fire, Not Deforestation, Is Now the Amazon’s Biggest Carbon Emitter
Forest degradation in the Amazon increased by 400% in 2024. It was largely driven by wildfires during the forest’s worst fire season in more than 20 years.
Posted inNews
Major Droughts Coincided with Classic Maya Collapse
Understanding how individual cities responded to climate stress will help create holistic pictures of how these societies functioned.