Forests significantly affect local rainfall and climate
Extensive scientific literature confirms that forests play a vital role in regulating local and regional rainfall, moisture recycling, and climate patterns.
Multiple recent studies consistently demonstrate that forest cover and deforestation directly impact local and regional precipitation, atmospheric moisture transport, and climate stability, providing robust empirical support for the claim.
Qin Y, Wang D, Ziegler AD, Fu B, Zeng Z. Impact of Amazonian deforestation on precipitation reverses between seasons.. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08570-y
Paper 0 demonstrates that tropical deforestation alters precipitation patterns across seasons via local and nonlocal atmospheric effects.
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Cui J, Piao S, Huntingford C, Wang T, Spracklen DV. Historical deforestation drives strong rainfall decline across the southern Amazon basin.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68361-z
Paper 1 links historical deforestation to significant regional rainfall declines in the Amazon basin.
Wunderling N, Sakschewski B, Rockström J, Flores BM, Hirota M, Staal A. Deforestation-induced drying lowers Amazon climate threshold.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10456-0
Paper 2 uses modeling to show how deforestation-induced drying accelerates regional climate tipping points.
David Ellison, Emory Ellis. Forest Cover, Windspeed, and Precipitation: A South American Case Study of the Impact of Forest Ecosystems on Wind and Rainfall Patterns. 2020. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-22235
Paper 4 shows that forest cover slows windspeed and enhances moisture recycling, thereby increasing rainfall.
Kan F, Lian X, Xu H, Tang S, Cui J, Huntingford C, Sun M, Li X, Piao S. Latitudinal divergence in runoff responses to global forestation due to forest-atmosphere feedbacks.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68945-9
Paper 5 highlights that forest-atmosphere feedbacks strongly influence regional precipitation and runoff responses.
Li X, Wu T, Xia K, Tang H, Wang X, Wang S, Lyne V, Zu Y. Forest loss intensifies meteorological drought in more than half of Earth's climate zones.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adv7998
Paper 6 finds that global forest loss intensifies meteorological drought across majority of climate zones.
Marion T. Jackson, James E. Newman. Indices for Expressing Differences in Local Climates due to Forest Cover and Topographic Differences. 1967. https://doi.org/10.1093/forestscience/13.1.60
Paper 9 evaluates variations in local climates driven by vegetation cover and canopy development.
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