A recent study published in the Nature journal highlights new dangers posed by climate change to tropical forests.
The study suggests that rising temperatures could lead to a phenomenon known as “mass leaf death”.
This detonates that the leaves of tropical trees die or cease photosynthesis due to extreme heat.
Even small temperature changes brought on by climate change could significantly impact plant species.
The study found that some tropical regions have experienced an average temperature increase of 0.5 degrees Celsius per decade.
If individual leaf temperatures surpass a critical threshold (around 46.7 degrees Celsius), photosynthesis stops, and leaves may die if the exposure to such temperatures is prolonged.
The study warns that prolonged heat exposure could lead to the collapse of tropical forests.