Once upon a time, scientists did a study that “suggests” something, because this isn’t science, unless it’s social science or political science
Parts of tropical rainforests could get too hot for photosynthesis, study suggests
Some leaves in tropical forests from South America to South East Asia are getting so hot they may no longer be able to photosynthesize, with big potential consequences for the world’s forests, according to a new study.
Leaves’ ability to photosynthesize – the process by which they make energy from carbon dioxide, sunlight and water – begins to fail when their temperature reaches around 46.7 degrees Celsius (116 Fahrenheit).
While this may seem high, leaves can get much hotter than the air temperature, according to the report published Wednesday in Nature by a group of scientists from countries including the US, Australia and Brazil.
The scientists used temperature data beamed down from thermal satellite sensors on the International Space Station, 400 kilometers (nearly 250 miles) above the Earth. They combined this with on-the-ground observations from leaf-warming experiments, in which scientists climbed into the canopy to painstakingly add sensors to leaves.
Rather than looking at average temperatures, the scientists were looking at extremes, said Christopher Doughty, associate professor in ecoinformatics at Northern Arizona University and a report author. They found that average forest canopy temperatures peaked at 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit) but some exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
Currently, 0.01% of leaves are passing the critical temperature threshold beyond which their ability to photosynthesize breaks down, the report found, potentially killing the leaf and the tree.
How did these trees deal with previous Holocene warm periods, many of which were warmer? Of course, the study suggests it is going to get even more doomy, so, ignore the .01%
Tropical forests can withstand around 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 Fahrenheit) of additional global warming before they reach a tipping point in terms of their ability to photosynthesize, according to the report.
GTF out of here. It’s just 1.5F since 1850. The Earth will flip into a cool period well before this 7.2F happens. But, no one is going to fund the “scientists” unless they’re fearmongering.
Read: Doom Today: Rainforests Could Maybe Possibly Get Too Hot For Photosynthesis »