Rainforests rise to climate challenge

THE world’s tropical forests are less likely to lose biomass, or plant material, this century due to the effects of global warming than previously thought, it has been claimed.

A paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience adds to growing evidence that rainforests might be more resilient to the effects of climate change than feared.

Tropical forests play an important role in the world’s climate system because they absorb greenhouse-effect gas carbon dioxide and use it to grow leaves, branches and roots.