Experts have already agreed on the fact that climate change can be correlated with significant ecosystem shifts. At this point in time, this phenomenon is also being associated with an excessive drought that has affected up to 500 million trees only in Texas.
Unfortunately, its impact goes beyond the condition of the tree population, since the severe drought has also killed cattle, compromised harvests, decreased the profit margins of farmers and generated a series of devastating fires, Mongabay informs.
At this point in time, experts have blamed the influence of La Niña for the current situation experienced not only in Texas, but all across the Southern US, exposed to a high level of dryness. Scientists say bad weather conditions might have destroyed up to 10% of the surfaces covered with woodland in Texas.
Also, they warn that the threat is still present and the environmental destruction is far from being over.
Even if rain were to contribute to solving this problem, experts say forest degradation would still continue, especially since drought effects will be noticeable during the next six months.
After analyzing the trees' rings scientists have reached the conclusion that this is the worst natural phenomenon of this kind, recorded since 1789.
Under these circumstances, farmers and companies operating in the agricultural sector will still have to fear for their profit. Moreover, these unwanted changes could affect Texas on long-terms, since a mature tree requires up to three decades to re-grow.
While trying to identify the main cause of this severe drought, experts have indicated a combination of natural factors and man-made elements, like deforestation and unsustainable farming techniques.
The series of devastating fires generated by excessive dryness have been anticipated in a report issued almost three years ago, highlighting their harmful influence on agriculture and woodlands all across the Southern US.
"When a drought comes, often temperatures are already higher than they would have been 50 years ago and so the effects of the drought are magnified by higher evaporation rates," declared Katherine Hayhoe, a climatologist expert from Texas for Climate Progress.