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What happens to rainforests if there's no rain?
BBC Wildlife
|July 2025
THE HEAVY RAINFALL THAT POWERS rainforests is caused by the complex interaction of multiple geographic and climatic factors, including mountain ranges, ocean and wind currents, and the intensity of solar exposure. The forests themselves contribute to rainfall, with evaporation from plant biomass contributing significantly to the water cycle.
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Disruptions to any of these factors can lead to drought – altering the delicate balance that sustains them. Periodic droughts are normal in rainforests but they regenerate in short order once the rains return. However, they are increasingly stressed by decreased rainfall resulting from climate change and deforestation.
This story is from the July 2025 edition of BBC Wildlife.
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