A study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in collaboration with the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUST) finds that deforestation in the Amazon leads to increased local rainfall during the rainy season, but significant reductions in precipitation in areas up to 60 kilometers away, and reduced local rainfall during the dry season due to decreased evapotranspiration, which can lead to wildfire risk and vegetation degradation. The study warns that the combined effects of deforestation and climate change may trigger a “rainforest dieback” feedback mechanism.
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