Tropical forests face ‘massive leaf death’ from global heating, study finds

Some kinds of tree leaf could become too hot to be able to conduct photosynthesis, researchers warn

Tropical forests could become so hot that some kinds of leaves will no longer be able to conduct photosynthesis, according to a study published in the journal Nature.

The photosynthetic machinery in tropical trees begins to fail at about 46.7C on average. The research suggests that forests may be nearing dangerous temperature thresholds sooner than expected.