Deforestation has long been recognized for its ability to raise temperatures in local regions, but a recent study published on Tuesday reveals a potentially broader influence on monsoon rains. In addition to releasing carbon dioxide into the air, deforestation alters the amount of light reflected by the Earth's surface and the moisture in the atmosphere due to plant transpiration. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore utilized a model that simulated atmospheric circulation, as well as processes such as photosynthesis, transpiration, ocean surface warming, and ice melt. The authors aimed to gain a fundamental understanding of how large-scale deforestation in various locations affects monsoon rainfall. They conducted three deforestation experiments by removing all trees in tropical, temperate, and high-latitude regions to assess the impacts. Deforestation in temperate and high latitudes has altered atmospheric circulation patterns, leading to a shift in monsoon rains towards the south. This has resulted in decreased precipitation in northern hemisphere monsoon regions like East Asia, North America, North Africa, and South Asia, while southern hemisphere monsoon regions such as South Africa, South America, and Australia have seen modest increases in rainfall. The study suggests that deforestation in mid- and high-latitudes can have a greater impact on tropical rainfall than local deforestation. The South Asian monsoon region, particularly India, would experience the most significant decline in precipitation, with an 18 percent decrease. The authors emphasize the importance of considering remote impacts, such as changes in rainfall, when evaluating the climate benefits of reforestation efforts. The research observed that the amount of land dedicated to growing crops and raising livestock has grown on a global scale from 620 million hectares in the 1700s, which accounted for approximately 7 percent of the Earth's land area, to 4,690 million hectares by the year 2000, representing around one-third of the world's total land area.