However, potential future impacts of climate and land-use changes could be large and costly for this region. In addition, the release of carbon to the atmosphere as a consequence of massive and continued deforestation in Latin America would have the potential to alter the global carbon balance. On the other hand, some studies suggest that technologically simple adaptation options could improve the capacity for carbon sequestration, as well as economic productivity, in some ecosystems. Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is likely to have a negative impact on the recycling of precipitation through evapotranspiration. Rainfall would be markedly reduced, leading to important runoff losses in areas within and beyond this basin.
Rangelands cover about one-third of the land area of Latin America.
An increased frequency of extreme events is likely to have larger impacts than changes in mean temperature or precipitation. The preservation of large-scale range management units and protected areas may assist migration and recolonization by native species in response to changing environmental conditions. Mountain ranges and plateaus play an important role in determining Latin America s climate, hydrological cycle, and biodiversity. The cryosphere in Latin America is represented by glaciers in the high Andes and three major ice fields in southern South America. Warming in high mountain regions could lead to the disappearance of significant snow and ice surfaces.