New research indicates that convective storms and increasing atmospheric dryness are accelerating biomass turnover in the Amazon. This process shortens the amount of time carbon remains stored in vegetation, potentially weakening the rainforest's ability to act as a long-term carbon sink. Using satellite data and machine learning, researchers found that extreme weather events have a more significant impact on tree mortality than drought alone. Under high-emissions scenarios, carbon residence time could drop by as much as 15% by the end of the century.
