Leaf Area Index, South America

The Amazon Rainforest is a tangle of multiple layers of vegetation stretching from the ground to the top of the forest canopy. Layer upon layer of leaves intercept sunlight, inhale carbon dioxide, and exhale oxygen and water vapor. In 2007, a team of scientists discovered that behind its evergreen exterior, the Amazon was hiding a seasonal secret: large, previously unknown swings in leaf surface area between the wet season and the dry season.

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NASA map by Robert Simmon, based on MODIS data from the Boston University Climate and Vegetation Research Group.

Published May 23, 2007

Source:

Terra > MODIS