Amazon to become savannah

Subject: Environment

Context:

Amazon could be on the verge of losing its distinct nature and switching from rainforest to an open savana as resulting climate change.

Concept:

• The Amazon forest in Brazil has experienced 74,155 fires since January 2019 and it became worst in a decade with the 60% increase in fire hotspot compared with last year.
• Rainforest support vastly greater number of species than a savannah and play a much greater role in absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
• Rainforest are highly sensitive to changes in rainfall and moisture levels, fires and prolonged droughts can result in areas to Savana like mix of woodland and grassland.
• The continued destruction of human activities (fire and loggers) would bring the region closer to a tipping point where rainforest could turn to savannah.

Advantages of rainforest:-

• It is the most biologically diversified forest on the earth which is efficient to produce their own self – sustaining rainfall in the region.
• The trees like mahogany, rosewood, mangroves are found in the forest and also different species of mammals, reptiles found in the forest.

Effects of savannah climate on Amazon forest:-

• Lost of large area of the rainforest will drastically reduce the rainfall level in the region.
• About 40% of the forest is now reduced to the level could be expected to as savannah instead.
• Drier condition make it harder for the forest to recover and increase the inflammability of the eco system, worst scenario is that it will take decade long to return to their original state.