Assessment of the Risk of Amazon Dieback by Walter Vergara & Sebastian M. Scholz

Author:Walter Vergara & Sebastian M. Scholz [Vergara, Walter; Scholz, Sebastian M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8213-8621-7
Publisher: The World Bank
Published: 2011-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Changes in Transpiration

Another aspect of vegetation changes in the Amazon basin is the contribution of forest to the convective precipitation that plays an important role in the region for water supply (Malhi et al. 2008). Vegetation in Amazonia is dominated by tropical and mixed forests that maintain high transpiration rates of ~850 mm yr -1 (~2.3 mm d1) under current climate conditions, with annual precipitation of 1200–3000 mm and temperatures of 20–28°C. Figure 4.13 illustrates that tropical forests have a lower plasticity when it comes to accommodation to drier conditions. They remain only in areas with still high precipitation and maintain high transpiration rates. Mixed forests are able to adapt to drier conditions and their transpiration rates decrease under drier conditions and with higher temperatures. However, the ecosystem shifts toward degraded forest types with less forest cover and lower biomass, such as woodland and shrubs. These types transpire less and therefore reduce the contribution to convective precipitation.

Figure 4.13. Transpiration (in mm yr -1) for the Different Vegetation Types Is Dependent on Precipitation and Temperature

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