Primeval Forests Now Releasing More Carbon Than They Absorb, Study Finds
Queensland, Australia – A decades-long analysis of tropical forests in Queensland, Australia, reveals a disturbing trend: these once-vital carbon sinks are now emitting more carbon dioxide than they absorb, marking a critical shift in the fight against climate change. The research, published recently, provides the first conclusive evidence of this phenomenon occurring in intact forests over an extended period.
Researchers, led by Patrick meir, examined approximately fifty years of growth data from queensland’s tropical forests. Their findings indicate that around the year 2000, emissions from decaying trees surpassed the amount of carbon dioxide captured and stored in new growth.
“This is the first analysis to show that this is happening in intact forests and has been going on for years,” said Meir, describing the results as “vrey concerning.”
Climate modeling points to extreme temperatures driven by climate change as the primary cause, impacting atmospheric moisture levels and increasing the frequency of severe droughts. Intensifying cyclones also contributed to the widespread tree mortality.
The Queensland findings mirror similar research in the Amazon rainforest, which has demonstrated that the progressive decline of trees diminishes a forest’s capacity to store carbon dioxide, according to David Bauman, a researcher at the National Advancement Research Institute (INRD) and a co-author of the study.
“The gradual destruction of trees weakens the ability of forests to store carbon dioxide,” Bauman stated.
While the study focuses on Queensland, researchers suggest other tropical forests may be experiencing similar transformations, though further data collection is needed to confirm this.
The revelation comes as Australia, a major coal exporter, continues to financially support fossil fuel industries and maintains the highest per capita carbon dioxide emissions globally, according to World Bank data.
(Cover image: Illustration. cover image source: Getty Images)
