Deforestation has long been recognized for its role in raising temperatures in local regions, but a new study released on Tuesday reveals a potentially broader influence on monsoon rains. In addition to releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, deforestation also alters the amount of light reflected off the earth's surface and the level of moisture in the atmosphere due to plant transpiration. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore utilized a model that mimicked atmospheric circulation, as well as processes such as photosynthesis, transpiration, ocean surface warming, and ice melting. The authors stated that they sought to gain a fundamental understanding of how large-scale deforestation in various locations affects monsoon rainfall. To investigate, they conducted three deforestation experiments by eliminating all trees in tropical, temperate, and high-latitude regions. Deforestation in temperate and high latitudes has led to changes in atmospheric circulation, causing the monsoon rains to shift southward. This has resulted in a significant decrease in precipitation in regions such as East Asia, North America, North Africa, and South Asia, while there have been moderate increases in rainfall in regions like South Africa, South America, and Australia. A recent study has shown that deforestation in mid- and high-latitudes can have a greater impact on tropical rainfall than local tropical deforestation. The South Asian monsoon region is expected to be the most affected, with a projected 18 percent decline in precipitation over India. The authors of the study emphasize the importance of considering remote impacts, such as changes in rainfall patterns, when evaluating the climate benefits of planting trees in deforested areas. The research observed that the amount of land dedicated to crops and pastures has grown on a global scale, from 620 million hectares in the 1700s (equivalent to approximately 7 percent of the total land area worldwide) to 4,690 million hectares in the year 2000, which now accounts for about one-third of the Earth's land surface.