📷 Image Credits: Highland Post
The dense rainforests of Meghalaya, known as biodiversity hotspots of India, are under threat from the global increase in greenhouse gases. A recent study highlights the potential impacts of unprecedented global greenhouse gas increase on rainfall patterns and vegetation shifts in the equatorial region, leading to the transformation of India’s biodiversity hotspots into deciduous forests. Researchers from Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences conducted a study using fossil pollen and carbon isotope data from the Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 to investigate the terrestrial hydrological cycle during a period of global warming around 54 million years ago.
The research focused on the Panandhro Lignite Mine of Kutch in Gujarat, where fossil pollen samples were collected. Analysis of the pollen indicated a significant decrease in rainfall and expansion of deciduous forests when atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was high, leading to important questions about the survival of equatorial rainforests and biodiversity hotspots under increased carbon emissions.
The study, published in the journal Geoscience Frontiers, sheds light on the relationship between carbon dioxide levels and the hydrological cycle, offering insights that can aid in the conservation of biodiversity hotspots. These findings underscore the importance of understanding the impacts of greenhouse gases on the ecosystems, emphasizing the need for sustainable restoration practices to mitigate the effects of climate change on fragile ecosystems like the rainforests of Meghalaya.
