New Delhi, July 4 -- Drought stress, rising carbon dioxide, global heating and wildfires are widely recognised as major causes of tree death in tropical forests. But a new study points to a lesser-known culprit: The growing frequency of thunderstorms, now emerging as a significant driver of forest mortality.

Based on historical trends, these convective storms may account for up to 50 per cent of the reported rise in biomass mortality across the Amazon, stated the study published in the journal Ecology Letters on July 1, 2025. Depending on the assumptions used, the impact could range anywhere from 12 per cent and go up to as high as 118 per cent.

Convective storms, which are small-scale weather events covering tens to hundreds of square ...