Amazon forests green-up during 2005 drought.
Coupled climate-carbon cycle models suggest that Amazon forests are vulnerable to both long- and short-term droughts, but satellite observations showed a large-scale photosynthetic green-up in intact evergreen forests of the Amazon in response to a short, intense drought in 2005. These findings suggest that Amazon forests, although threatened by human-caused deforestation and fire and possibly by more severe long-term droughts, may be more resilient to climate changes than ecosystem models assume.
Saleska
Scott R
SR
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. saleska@email.arizona.edu
Didan
Kamel
K
Huete
Alfredo R
AR
da Rocha
Humberto R
HR
D001838:Bolivia; D001938:Brazil; D004190:Disasters; D017753:Ecosystem; D010568:Peru; D010788:Photosynthesis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D011891:Rain; D012621:Seasons; D014197:Trees / Q000378:metabolism; D014329:Tropical Climate