The Amazon Basin has long been considered a huge ally in the fight against global warming due to in enourmous capicity to soak up carbon dioxide through its rainforest vegetation. This scenario is rapidly changing due to the warming sea water of the North Atlantic sucking moisture away from the equatorial regions of South America. The ensuing drought has dramitacally affected the regions ability to filter CO2 from the atmosphere by stunting vegatation growth by as much as 25%.
This is bad news for the global outlook if the pattern continues. As the drought continues, the Amazon Basin may turn from a leading carbon consumer, to a carbon producer. The additional carbon in the atmosphere would add to global warming trends, heating the North Atlantic even more, and prolonging the drought.
Additionally, as the region becomes drier, it becomes more susceptible to fire, which belches more carbon in to the atmosphere - fueling the cycle.
The causes are global in scale, as well as the implications.
'Got Ice Cap?' merchandise is now available in the Everybody's Weather online store. T-shirts, Sweatshirts, mugs, posters and printed materials are now available. Products that allow front and back printing show the 2005 minimum arctic sea ice extent image on the front and the 1979 minimum arctic sea ice extent on the back. Got Ice Cap? GET IT.
Don't forget to check out our
Interactive Polar Ice Cap Melter!
Man's impact on the global climate is the biggest danger that the human race faces today. We as a species have to overcome many preconceived notions to face this dilemma and we should know a few things about our enemy. The climate sees no borders, and does not discriminate based on politcal beliefs, religion, skin color, or sexuality, and will surely affect all of us in ways that we cannot imagine in the years to come.
Thing are happening on this planet right now that have dire consequences of for all humans. Accelerating Polar Ice Melt, the deforestation of the Amazon Basin and other large tropical forests, rising sea surface temperatures, massive coral die-offs, droughts, floods and stronger hurricanes are all interconnected and seem to be spinning out of control. For us to really make a difference in our affect on Global Climate Change, we are all going to have to work together as a species.
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