Context:
A new study has found that rising Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are linked to changes in rainfall and impacts on Biodiversity Hotspots.
More on the news:
- The research study was conducted by scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) and was published in the journal Geoscience Frontiers.
- BSIP is an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology.
Key Highlights
Impact of Greenhouse Gases on Equatorial Rainfall and Biodiversity
- The study has revealed that a global increase in greenhouse gases can lead to decreased rainfall in the equatorial region with associated shifts in vegetation
- It can also replace India’s biodiversity hotspots consisting of evergreen forests in the Western Ghats, northeast India and the Andamans with deciduous forests
Deep Time Hyperthermal Events as Climate Prediction Analogs
- Deep-time hyperthermal events are considered potential analogs for future climate predictions.
- However, data on these events primarily come from mid- and high-latitude regions, with a significant lack of quantitative data from equatorial or tropical areas.
Research Methodology
- Researchers utilized fossil pollen and carbon isotope data from the Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 (ETM-2) to quantify the terrestrial hydrological cycle during that period.
- This period, also known as H-1 or Elmo (Eocene Layer of Mysterious Origin), is a period of global warming that occurred around 54 million years ago.
Significance of the Indian Plate
- During the ETM-2, the Indian plate was near the equator, making it an ideal natural laboratory to study the vegetation-climate relationship.
The Indian Plate, a minor tectonic plate, originally part of Gondwana, which broke apart around 100 million years ago. It was during ETM-2 that the Indian plate lingered near the equator during its journey from the southern to northern hemisphere. - Researchers selected the Panandhro Lignite Mine in Kutch, Gujarat, due to the availability of fossils from the ETM-2, and collected fossil pollen for analysis.
Significant Findings
- The analysis revealed that when atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration exceeded 1000 ppmv near the paleo-equator, rainfall decreased significantly.
- This reduction in rainfall led to the expansion of deciduous forests in place of evergreen forests.
Implications for Future Conservation
- Research Published in the journal Geoscience Frontiers, raises critical questions about the survival of equatorial and tropical rainforests and biodiversity hotspots under increased carbon emissions.
- Understanding the relationship between CO2 levels and the hydrological cycle can aid in the future conservation of these vital biodiversity hotspots.
Deep-Time Hyperthermal Events
- “Deep time hyperthermal events” refer to periods in Earth’s distant past when the planet experienced significant and prolonged increases in temperature.
- These events are studied because they can provide valuable insights and serve as models for understanding and predicting potential future climate changes.
Biodiversity Hotspots
- Biodiversity hotspots are regions of the world that are exceptionally rich in plant and animal diversity but also face significant threats from human pressures.
- There are 36 biodiversity hotspots, covering 2.5% of Earth’s surface, but they support more than half of the world’s plant species as endemics — i.e., species found no place else — and nearly 43% of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species as endemics.