Tropical forests are dying at an alarming rate, and not just from deforestation. Even intact forests are losing trees, threatening biodiversity, carbon storage, and the global climate. While drought and rising temperatures are often blamed, new research points to a surprising culprit: thunderstorms.
These intense, short-lived convective storms, common in the tropics, are increasing due to climate change. With strong winds and lightning, they can snap trees, strip canopies, and kill even the most robust tree specimens.
In a perspective paper recently published in the journal Ecology Letters, a research team led by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies argues that thunderstorms, often overlooked in carbon storage research, may be the leading cause of tree death in tropical forests. The research team estimates that storms have caused 30 to 60% of tree mortality in the past, a number that is likely rising as storm activity increases 5 to 25% each decade.
Including storm data in forest carbon studies changes the picture significantly. Earlier models showed that carbon levels dropped sharply when temperatures rose beyond a certain point. But when storm impacts were added, that pattern disappeared, suggesting that storms – not just heat – may be a key factor in carbon loss.
Understanding which species are most vulnerable is critical for reforestation and conservation efforts. Mature trees store the most carbon, so if they’re lost to storms, future forests may fall short of their carbon storage potential.
As storm activity increases each decade, the stakes grow higher. Accounting for storms could reshape how we protect, restore, and plan for the future of our forests.
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Photo, posted July 2, 2017, courtesy of Anna & Michal via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio
