West Africa forest biomass 'on rise despite drought'

[xchrom]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19332960


The findings widen the current thinking on how droughts affect forests and carbon storage

The carbon storage capacity of protected forests in West Africa has increased despite the region suffering a 40-year drought, a study suggests.

A team of UK and Ghanaian researchers found that the tree composition in these areas favoured species that were able to cope with drier conditions.

Previous studies suggested that drought conditions resulted in less carbon being stored as vegetation died.

[NickB79]

1. Slower decomp. rates for biomass due to less moisture?

That was my first thought, that the drier weather may reduce the decomposition rates of biomass to a larger degree than it reduced plant growth.