The postdoctoral research fellow with Western Sydney University\u2019s Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment said the findings could have broader implications for tackling climate change.<\/p>\n
While geographically small compared with comparable ecosystems in other parts of the world such as the Amazon, Carle said Australia\u2019s tropical forests occupied a climate space that was \u201ca bit more extreme\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a bit drier and warmer than what tropical forests on other continents experience, and so it perhaps lends itself to giving an idea of what we might expect to see elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a bit more like a climate future.\u201d<\/p>\n
While too early to tell if Australia is a true bellwether for comparable ecosystems, the findings build on existing research suggesting tropical rainforests are becoming weaker carbon sinks.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a trend that could pose challenges for a global community reliant on the lush, green landscapes to help keep the climate stable.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe think a lot about natural ecosystems helping us fight climate change,\u201d Carle said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut in this case, I feel like the science suggests that we need to do something about climate change in order to protect the capacity of these ecosystems to help us mitigate it.\u201d<\/p>\n