Dieback due to climate change and deforestation is hampering the Amazon rainforest’s ability to soak up and store carbon, which could accelerate the pace of global warming. The average growth rate of tree species is the main risk factor behind Amazon tree death, according to a new study published on 9 November in Nature Communications. “Understanding the main drivers of tree death allows us to better predict and plan for future trends”, said lead author Dr Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert of the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research. However, the Amazon is home to more than 15,000 different tree species, which makes this a huge undertaking … To determine which factors control tree mortality rates in Amazon forests and why tree mortality is increasing across the Amazon basin, the team of researchers used long-term records gathered by the international RAINFOR network to perform the largest analysis of causes of tree death in the Amazon to date.