Tropical Trees In Australia Affected By Climate Change

Intiqab Rawoof

May 16, 2022

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The tropical forests of Australia’s northeast coast are some of the country’s natural wonders, rich with lush plants and rare animals, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. But like many of Australia’s other iconic ecosystems, from its bleaching Great Barrier Reef to its fire-swept brushlands, its future is threatened by climate change.

Research finds that the tropical trees of North Queensland have been dying at faster rates for nearly 40 years now. Since the mid-1980s, the average risk of tree death has approximately doubled.

The exact causes are difficult to pin down, the scientists say. But warming is likely to blame. The atmosphere has been growing drier in this part of Australia, which is a source of stress for trees a drier atmosphere sucks more water out of plants and into the air. At the same time, the study finds that the risk of tree mortality is higher in drier spots