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Tropical forests mitigate extreme weather events


December 18, 2013

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Tropical forests reduce peak runoff during storms and release stored water during droughts, according to researchers working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. Their results lend credence to a controversial phenomenon known as the "sponge effect," which is at the center of a debate about how to minimize flood damage and maximize water availability in the tropics.Full Story

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Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

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