VulnerAmazon: Assessing the resilience and biodiversity of the Amazon in response to changes in rainfall patterns
Science
Current projections indicate that rainfall patterns in the Amazon basin may change, including an increase in extreme drought and flood events and a lengthening of the dry season. These changes already affect the various forests within the basin and could have even more severe impacts. This project proposes a novel approach by establishing a link between the Amazon’s vast biodiversity and its resilience to potential shifts in the basin’s rainfall patterns. The aim is to quantify the persistence and adaptability of different types of forests within the Amazon to drought conditions. Based on this quantification, the project plans to use mathematical models to extrapolate plant characteristics measured at a local scale to the entire Amazon basin. This approach will help us better understand how the Amazon might respond to anticipated changes.
