Heat and drought change what forests breathe out
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Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-Dec-2025 15:11 ET (3-Dec-2025 20:11 GMT/UTC)
Researchers from the University of Sydney and Université Grenoble Alpes have found that the Earth system flips between two distinct modes that determine the pace of climate recovery from carbon shocks. They combined plate-tectonic reconstructions, global surface processes and climate simulations, with ecological modelling to reconstruct shallow-water carbonate production back to the Triassic Period.
A new FAU survey finds that 36% of Floridians have moved or are considering moving due to hazards such as hurricanes, flooding and extreme heat. Nearly a quarter of North Floridians say weather hazards have influenced their past moves and about 20% of respondents in the rest of the Peninsula south say they are considering a move at least in part due to weather hazards. More than 60% are concerned about stronger storms and flooding, and nearly half are concerned about homeowner’s insurance costs.
The first major study into public attitudes toward degrowth – the notion that high-income economies should prioritise wellbeing over growing production – reveals significant public support for its key ideas across both the UK (74-84%) and US (67-73%).
Climate change threatens agricultural production across sub-Saharan Africa, where most farmers rely on rainfall. A study by researchers at the University of Göttingen and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre shows that Ghanaian cocoa farmers who cultivate cocoa under shade trees – a practice known as agroforestry – are better able to withstand periods of reduced rainfall. However, the study also finds that these benefits are confined to Ghana’s wetter regions, which have a climate that better suits growing cocoa. In drier regions, where water is already scarce, the researchers find no significant advantages of agroforestry in maintaining yields during times of less rainfall. The results were published in the journal Agricultural Systems.
A research team from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS) has produced the first continent-wide map of tree-ring oxygen isotopes (δ¹⁸OTR) in Asia. Published in National Science Review, the study provides a comprehensive new perspective of how atmospheric circulation, rainfall isotopes, and topography shape the isotopic fingerprints of trees—offering new opportunities for understanding past climate changes and tracing wood origins.