Scientists have discovered that tropical rainforests in Queensland, Australia, have transitioned from absorbing carbon dioxide to releasing it, a shift driven by rising temperatures and prolonged droughts.
This transformation, affecting the above-ground parts of the trees such as trunks and branches but sparing the root systems, reportedly started around a quarter of a century ago, as detailed in a recent study featured in Nature.
The findings suggest significant consequences for global climate patterns, highlighting the vulnerability of these ecosystems to climate stressors.
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