Biomass Mortality : Recently, a study published in Ecology Letters revealed that short-lived yet intense convective storms are significantly accelerating tree mortality in tropical regions, especially in the Amazon.
o Though they cover relatively small areas compared to hurricanes or typhoons, their high wind speeds and lightning strikes can cause disproportionate destruction:
ü Wind damage: Uproots or breaks trees, which often crash into and damage neighboring trees.
ü Lightning strikes: A single bolt can damage up to 24 trees and kill five, even without fire.
o These storms may account for 12% to 118% of the observed rise in biomass mortality.
o Wind and lightning from these storms are estimated to be responsible for 30–60% of total tropical tree mortality.
o Lethal Role of Lightning: A single lightning strike can affect 24 trees and kill five, even without causing fire. Tropical forests face 35–67 million lightning strikes annually, killing billions of trees.
o Thunderstorm activity in the tropics has increased by 5–25% per decade over the past 50 years, a trend expected to worsen with global warming.
o Carbon Sink at Risk: Rising storm-related tree deaths are weakening the carbon absorption capacity of tropical forests, making storms as destructive as droughts and heat stress in terms of forest carbon balance.
Refine your answer writing skills and elevate your UPSC preparation with personalized support and expert feedback.
Fill out the form to get started with the program or any other enquiries !
Are you dreaming of becoming an IAS officer? Then, IAShub can be your best guide. It is one of the Best IAS Coaching in Delhi. Many students who want to clear the UPSC exam join IAShub for learning. The institute gives both online and offline classes. Their teachers are experienced and helpful. They easily explain every topic. Students also get notes, tests, and tips to do well in the exam.
IAShub is in Delhi and is trusted by many UPSC students. It offers coaching for every part of the UPSC exam – Prelims, Mains, and Interview. The classes are simple and easy to understand. The teachers are experts and guide students in the right way. IAShub is also known for its helpful notes, test series, and answer-writing practice. IAShub is the best coaching in Delhi and also gives UPSC Online Classes. This helps students from any place in India to learn. The online classes are live and also recorded. So, students can watch them anytime. These classes cover the full UPSC syllabus.
Here are some important services provided by IAShub:
The UPSC Civil Services Exam has three parts:
This exam is tough, but with the right guidance, it becomes easy to manage. Students must study smart and stay regular.
IAShub supports students from the beginning to the end. It gives the right books, tests, and notes. The classes are easy to follow, and the teachers are always ready to help. Students get personal doubt sessions too. The test series and answer checking help students learn where they need to do better. Also, free study materials save time and money.
IAShub also guides students during the final stage – the interview. Experts take mock interviews and give useful tips. This full support makes IAShub one of the best IAS coaching in Delhi.