A collaboration involving 80 scientists has identified the regions of the Amazon rainforest where trees are most likely to face the greatest risk from drier conditions brought about by climate change.

Based on the analysis, the scientists predict trees in the western and southern Amazon face the greatest risk of dying.

They also warn that previous scientific investigations may have underestimated the impact of drought on the rainforest because those studies focused on the central-eastern part of the forest, which is the least vulnerable to drought.

The latest study provides the first assessment across the entire Amazon Forest of how different areas are likely to respond to a climate that could get warmer and drier, and it comes as some studies predict the rainforest will experience increased periods of drought.

Read more at: University of Leeds

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