Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – Researchers have found that tropical forests in Southeast Asia are more resilient to climate change than forests in other parts of the world. During the Ice Age, about 23,000 to 19,000 years ago, Southeast Asia’s tropical forests were more resilient.
The study by University of Sydney researchers was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. To look at the past of Southeast Asia’s tropical rains, the researchers studied biochemical data from 59 paleoecological sites across Southeast Asia.
They studied fossilized pollen that had settled on the lake bed to see what species of flora had flourished in the past. Then, they conducted isotopic analysis to see the ratio of grasses to woody plants during the Ice Age. They also analyzed animal feces and bat guano that had settled to get a more holistic picture.
As a result, their findings differ from previous theories. From previous theories, during the ice age, extreme climate change caused Southeast Asia’s tropical forests to change drastically from forests to savanna grasslands.
Quoted from ForestDigest, February 2025, in the University of Sydney study, it was seen that Southeast Asian tropical forests underwent a smooth and orderly transition. Instead of turning into savanna, Southeast Asian tropical forests transformed into seasonal dry forests. This is evidenced by fossils and isotopes, although grasses are abundant, traces of woody plants are quite supportive.
This shows that during the ice age, Southeast Asia’s tropical forests transitioned into seasonally dry forests with lots of grass underneath. Meanwhile, the mountain forests that exist 1,000 meters above sea level actually expanded to higher ground. The findings suggest that Southeast Asian tropical forests are remarkably resilient and able to adapt to large-scale disturbances. Unlike South American tropical forests, which are vulnerable to large-scale disturbances. Once they pass a “tipping point,” forests will undergo a permanent shift to grasslands that are difficult to recover.
Meanwhile, in Southeast Asian forests, the “tipping point” is still vague, with unclear boundaries. Instead of turning into grasslands, Southeast Asian forests will transition to seasonally dry forests in response to large-scale disturbances. The resilience of Southeast Asia’s forests has allowed them to survive slash-and-burn agriculture and shifting cultivation in the past. Looking back, it seems that Southeast Asia’s tropical forests can survive the climate crisis we face. With caveats, of course.
Although Southeast Asia’s tropical forests are remarkably resilient, they are not 100% immune. Destructive human activities, especially on a large scale, will erode the resilience of Southeast Asia’s tropical forests. Moreover, Southeast Asia’s tropical forests have been lost since 1990. Between 1990 and 2010, Southeast Asia’s forests were lost at a rate of 1.6 million hectares per year. Forest cover that was originally 268 million hectares was reduced to 236 million hectares.
The rise of development, opening of road access, conversion to agriculture and plantations are factors in the reduction of Southeast Asia’s forests. Not to mention many forests in this region that have not received protection status. Making it vulnerable to encroachment.
According to a study , forests in Southeast Asia have the potential to shrink by 5.2 million hectares by 2050. The above-ground forest carbon stock will decrease by 790 million tons by 2050, 21% due to the loss of old tropical forests that store carbon for tens of thousands of years. Not to mention the potential loss of 40% of biodiversity in Southeast Asia’s forests.
This insight is a call and a warning for us to preserve Southeast Asia’s forests. Especially as we are part of Southeast Asia. By giving Southeast Asia’s forests the best chance to survive, we will have a better chance of surviving climate change.
