CAO Floodplain Forest Canopies (IMAGE) Carnegie Institution for Science Caption Although lowland Amazon forests look monotonously green from satellites, Carnegie scientists have discovered that they are actually arranged in chemically-distinct communities patterned by the soils and microtopography that underlie the forest. This Carnegie Airborne Observatory (CAO) image reveals floodplain forest canopies in red that are naturally packed with growth chemicals, as compared to forest canopies on neighboring terraces in yellow-green that are outfitted with fewer growth chemicals. These CAO maps explain the geographic pattern of carbon dioxide uptake in the lowland Amazon, and help to predict forest responses to climate change. Image is courtesy of Greg Asner. Credit Greg Asner Usage Restrictions With credit License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.