Widespread decline of Congo rainforest greenness in the past decade

摘要: The long-term drying trend in central African rainforests might help to explain satellite-detected large-scale vegetation browning the Congolese forests. Congo are second largest on Earth, after Amazon, but little is known about their response recent climate change. Liming Zhou et al. use remote sensing data show that of past decade associated with a decline forest greenness. This gradual process however, contrast abrupt drought episodes have occurred Amazon. could be causing shifts community composition towards more drought-tolerant species. Tropical forests global epicentres biodiversity and important modulators change1, mainly constrained by rainfall patterns1,2,3. severe short-term droughts recently Amazonia drawn attention vulnerability tropical climatic disturbances4,5,6,7,8,9. rainforests, second-largest experienced trend10,11 whose impacts dynamics remain mostly unknown because situ observations very limited. forest, its drier conditions higher percentage semi-evergreen trees12,13, may tolerant reduction than wetter forests11, for there critical thresholds water availability below which higher-biomass, closed-canopy transition open, lower-biomass forests1,2,14. Here we present observational evidence widespread greenness over based analyses satellite (optical, thermal, microwave gravity) from several independent sensors basin. greenness, particularly northern generally consistent decreases rainfall, terrestrial storage, content aboveground woody leaf biomass, canopy backscatter anomaly caused changes structure moisture upper layers. It also increases photosynthetically active radiation land surface temperature. These multiple lines indicate this browning, or loss photosynthetic capacity, partially attributable trend. Our results suggest continued capacity driven persistent alter favour spread species1,2,14.