The effects of climate change (for example) include sea level rises, and increased frequencies of droughts, storms, and extreme temperatures.
The effects of seasonal drought on background canopy-gap disturbance in the tropics are expected to be substantially compounded by the effects of major disturbances.
Future global warming may also have an impact by increasing drought stress and mortality among defoliated trees.
Therefore, we can hypothesize that severe droughts induce leaf shedding and flushing in the tropical rain forest.
Small drought events would lead to nothing more than the population having to forage more intensely, while the resource base recovered.
Pollen records poorly reflect cyclical droughts seen in isotopic records, as natural vegetation has adapted to these fluctuations.
Its hegemony lasted until about 1450 when, during a period of severe drought and cold, its vassals revolted and destroyed the city.
Some areas of moderate drought were completely surrounded by areas of severe devastation.
