A network of more than 100 researchers tracked trees for up to 30 years in forest plots across South America, enabling estimation of the impacts of record temperatures and drought on carbon dynamics. The carbon sink in these forests ceased during the 2015–2016 El Niño, with drier forests losing the most carbon.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Phillips, O. L. et al. Drought sensitivity of the Amazon Rainforest. Science 323, 1344–1347 (2009). This paper reports impacts of the 2005 Amazon drought on aboveground biomass.
Lewis, S. L. et al. The 2010 Amazon drought. Science 331, 554 (2011). This paper estimates impacts of the 2010 drought on the Amazon carbon balance.
ForestPlots.net et al. Taking the pulse of Earth’s tropical forests using networks of highly distributed plots. Biol. Conserv. 260, 108849 (2021). A review article that presents the key priorities, successes and findings of collaborations involving long-term forest plots.
Tavares, J. V. et al. Basin-wide variation in tree hydraulic safety margins predicts the carbon balance of Amazon forests. Nature 617, 111–117 (2023). This paper reports hydraulic traits across the Amazon.
Bennett, A. C. et al. Resistance of African tropical forests to an extreme climate anomaly. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 118, e2003169118 (2021). This paper reports impacts of the 2015–2016 El Niño on African tropical forests.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This is a summary of: Bennett, A. C. et al. Sensitivity of South American tropical forests to an extreme climate anomaly. Nat. Clim. Change https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01776-4 (2023).
Supplementary information
Supplementary Information
Supplementary Portuguese and Spanish translations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Impact of the 2015–2016 El Niño on the carbon dynamics of South American tropical forests. Nat. Clim. Chang. 13, 905–906 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01777-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01777-3