The drought in the Amazon rainforest looks to be extending into a second year.
~
Last year’s drought, which left rivers dry, stranded thousands of villagers, and put regional commerce at a standstill, was the worst on record.A second year of drought is of great concern to researchers studying the Amazon ecosystem.
~
Scientists are not certain as to the cause of the current drought, although warmer water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean are a leading suspect.
~
Some local officials believe deforestation may also be playing a role in the drought.
Since parts of the Amazon are now entering a second year of drought ~, the assumption ~ was that trees will start dying forest-wide next year should the drought continue.
~
This is incorrect for a number of reasons. Firstly, drought conditions are not the same as no rain at all – the rainfall deficit in the middle of the Amazon is significant, but not close to 100%! Secondly, the rainfall deficits are quite regionally variable, so a forest-wide response is highly unlikely. Also, the trees won’t all die in just one more year and could recover, depending on yearly variation in climate.While this particular article is exaggerated, there are, however, some issues that should provoke genuine concern.