AI Summary

Earth’s forests once required roughly 100,000 years to rebound after a major climate shock that began 56 million years ago, when warming of up to 11 °F (6 °C) caused heat and drought stress that killed large numbers of trees and thinned dense canopies. The loss of canopy cover increased sunlight reaching the forest floor and changed water flow across the landscape. This historical recovery timeline highlights how current climate change is accelerating forest turnover at a rate ten times faster than that ancient event.

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