Lianas are taking over the rainforests, and it's visible from space

Useful context: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Liana" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Liana</a><p>&gt; “The word liana does not refer to a taxonomic grouping, but rather a habit of plant growth – much like tree or shrub.“

There is a tree that survives lightning strikes, and thrives, because the lightning kills all the surrounding lianas, and also other competing trees. <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.npr.org&#x2F;2025&#x2F;04&#x2F;11&#x2F;nx-s1-5357412&#x2F;lightning-tree-dipteryx-oleifera" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.npr.org&#x2F;2025&#x2F;04&#x2F;11&#x2F;nx-s1-5357412&#x2F;lightning-tree-...</a>

&gt; &quot;All plants grow faster with more CO₂, but lianas benefit even more.&quot;<p>I have read other articles (by climate scientists) that say that the increase on CO₂ is not sufficient for this to be significant.<p>&gt; &quot;We shouldn&#x27;t intervene until we fully understand their ecological role&quot;<p>Given the dramatic damage he says it is doing in some areas, surely cutting them in at least those areas would make sense?

I have observed the exact same scenario in the southern US all my life except the vines are mustang grapevines.

&gt; The leaves that make lianas ultra-efficient reflect more light and infrared radiation than tree foliage.<p>&gt; &quot;Tree leaves tilt, allowing light to reach lower neighbors—even the forest floor gets some sunlight. But lianas leave almost nothing for others.&quot;<p>But that seems like a mechanism that could help reduce rising temperature

Tapeworms of the rainforest… ugh.

&gt; He attributes this to rising atmospheric CO₂ levels. &quot;All plants grow faster with more CO₂, but lianas benefit even more<p>And yet this extra growth all around because of co2 means that the will be more co2? This seems incoherent.<p>Pet peeve - if the article hooks you with a line like &#x27;visible from space&#x27; they should provide the imagery so I can see for myself. But there&#x27;s no picture.

Trees have nothing to do with global warming. It is entirely caused by coal and oil. The only meaningful carbon storage would be pumping it back into the ground.<p>Let&#x27;s not personify and demonize vines as a casus belli to destroy the environment in the name of saving it, please.

Can&#x27;t wait to pay taxes on lianas

&gt; it&#x27;s visible from space (phys.org)<p>Misleading headline again (this is a pattern), they are not visible from space, they can be estimated based on satellite images using a complex model. That&#x27;s not at all what common people understand by &quot;visible&quot;.