Tropical Forests Face Rising Risks of Critical Temperature Exposure

Tropical forests facing increasing risks of exposure to critical temp thresholds

We analyzed satellite data to map thermal safety margins for thousands of tropical tree species across South America, Southeast Asia, and Central Africa from 2001 to 2020. Our findings reveal a consistent global decline in these margins, with South America experiencing the sharpest drop. As heat waves intensify, vast forest areas are now exceeding critical temperatures that disrupt photosynthesis, threatening biodiversity and global carbon cycles.

"Our results indicate declining thermal safety margins and an increasing extent of areas exceeding critical temperatures, underlining the growing exposure to risks to biodiversity in tropical regions."