Undisturbed tropical rain forests are experiencing more frequent droughts, but the ecosystems are isolated and difficult to assess. Scientists are using remote sensing to expand the depth and scope of monitoring efforts.
tropics
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Tropical Wetlands Emit More Methane Than Previously Thought
Climate models could be vastly underestimating methane emissions from the world’s tropical wetlands, according to observational surveys of wetlands in Zambia.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Why Does It Rain So Much Over Tropical Land?
Analyses of observations show that tropical land receives more rain than its fair share, owing to a proposed negative feedback that is not captured in current climate models.
Posted inNews
Major Investment in Air-Conditioning Needed to Address Future Heat Waves
More than 80% of urban residents will need AC by the 2050s, but many of the world’s poorer countries may struggle to meet that demand.
Posted inFeatures
Lina C. Pérez-Ángel: Proud to Study Paleoclimate in Colombia
As a young Latina, Pérez-Ángel brings a fresh perspective to paleoclimatology.
Posted inNews
Peeking at Peatlands: Satellite Data Fuel New Findings
Researchers are combining hard-to-get field measurements with satellite imagery to gain new insight into where peatlands are and how they work.
Posted inNews
Los beneficios climáticos de los bosques van mucho más allá del secuestro de carbono
Los bosques son “esencialmente sistemas de aire acondicionado” gracias a procesos biofísicos como la evapotranspiración y la rugosidad del dosel forestal.
Posted inNews
Open and Fair Data in Tropical Forests
People who gather ground data on tropical forests are highly disadvantaged compared to the users of such data. A new paper suggests long-term collaborations as a path forward.
Posted inNews
Climate Benefits of Forests Go Far Beyond Carbon Sequestration
Forests are “essentially air-conditioning systems” thanks to biophysical processes like evapotranspiration and canopy roughness.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Understanding Abrupt Climate Change in the Late Quaternary
During the late Quaternary period, a series of abrupt climate changes in the tropics and sub-tropics driven by changes in ocean circulation were both dramatic and disruptive.