What exactly this means for the Amazon rainforest isn’t completely clear.
But a new study sheds some light on this mystery.
It finds that droughts will likely be harder on shorter, younger trees than on taller, older ones.
However, while taller forests may be better at securing water in times of drought, the study indicates they may not be as effective at coping with higher temperatures and drier air.
While this doesn’t appear to completely negate their drought-resistance advantage over shorter forests, the researchers say expected temperature increases and droughts may have damaging effects to rainforests regardless of their height and age.
"Although older and taller trees show less sensitivity to precipitation variations (droughts), they are more susceptible to fluctuations in atmospheric heat and aridity, which is going to rise substantially with climate change."
"Our study shows that the Amazon forest is not uniform in response to climate variability and drought," Gentine said, "and illuminates the gradient of responses observable across Amazonian forests to water stress, droughts, land use/land cover changes, and climate change."
But, in general, their results indicate that tall, old, and dense (read: undisturbed) forests will likely fare better if, as scientists expect, climate change brings more droughts to the Amazon.
And if the Amazon does better, the world does better.
"Our study makes it clear that forest height and age directly impact the carbon cycle in the Amazon," Gentine said.

The city of Durango hopes to avoid restricting residents’ water usage this summer and instead work with its four largest water users if the drought worsens.
Florida River flows drop because Lemon Reservoir managers start holding back water, which it does every year as part of its management strategy.
At that point, the city relies more on water from the Animas River.
Asking for voluntary water conservation from residents doesn’t work as a water management practice, Lloyd said.
“People immediately start watering their lawns more,” he said.
The city is also working with its 10 largest commercial users on similar conservation measures, which could save an additional 700,000 gallons a day, he said.
“Our hope is that gets us through the bulk of the dry season,” Lloyd said.
The measure will prevent a potential run on the city’s system as residents across the county face dry conditions, he said.
Next year, the city could invest in some upgrades to the water dock system to improve the pavement, add a new filling station and improve technology that lets the city limit purchases, Lloyd said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com

Exceptional drought, near-record heat and gusty winds helped to ignite several wildfires over the weekend from Southern California to Colorado.
A wildfire in southern Colorado, the 416 fire, is now at 2,250 acres and only 10 percent contained.
The hottest day of all will be Monday for parts of the Southwest, with highs approaching 110 degrees from Phoenix to Palm Springs, California, and temperatures into the 90s from Denver to Salt Lake City and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Also, gusty winds are expected in Nevada and California today.
Relief from rain in the East An additional 3 to 6 inches of rain fell in the mid-Atlantic states over the weekend — flooding highways, streets and neighborhoods.
Because of more than 2 feet of rain in the last 30 days in parts of the East, many rivers are rising over of their banks.
It will possibly be at its highest level since the 1990s.
The hard-hit areas from Maryland to North Carolina will see minimal rainfall over next few days.
Tennis ball-sized hail was reported Sunday in western Texas.
Storms continue to fire up this morning in southern and central Texas with flash flooding reported near Austin, where 4 inches of rain has fallen just this morning.

The Iraqi parliament failed on Sunday to convene an extraordinary session to tackle the country’s drought due to a lack of quorum.
There has been mounting popular and official anger over the drought, which was compounded by a shortage of water from the Tigris River after Turkey kicked off operation of its Ilisu dam.
Speaker Salim al-Jabouri had called for the extraordinary parliament session to address the crisis, but only 50 out of 328 lawmakers made it to the meeting.
Prior to the session, he had held talks with Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Fatih Yildiz on means of cooperation between Baghdad and Ankara to tackle the issue in a way that would guarantee both their interests.
Water resources minister Dr. Hassan al-Janabi had said during the parliament session that the “real damage” that Iraq will incur from the Ilisu dam will be felt next year.
Turkey began filling the dam on March 1, sparking concern in Iraq over mounting water shortages.
The Tigris River does not flow from Iraq and therefore it has no choice but to hold dialogue and negotiations with Turkey to resolve the crisis, added the minister.
The Tigris river flows from both Turkey and Iran.
Janabi said that agreements had been reached between Iraq and Turkey to delay its filling of dams until after holding consultations with Baghdad.
The minister had revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday that he will travel to Turkey and Iran to address the water file.

1 / 3 FARGO — Pasture readiness for 2018 across North Dakota has been at least a couple of weeks behind other years, and there are indications of early stress that producers should monitor.
A variety of issues are affecting pastures, including continued stress from the 2017 drought, dry spring conditions, a late warm-up and, in some cases, overgrazing last year.
Drought conditions continue to plague parts of North Dakota, with the area in severe drought more than doubling from 6.7 percent of the state in the May 24 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor to 13.95 in the May 31 release.
"As of last week, most of our native pastures were approaching grazing readiness," Meehan says.
Meehan says western wheatgrass, one of the key native pasture species in North Dakota, in an Oliver County pasture had 3.5 leaves on May 9, 2017, indicating it was ready for grazing.
The grass only was at 1.5 leaves by May 14, putting it about three weeks behind.
"Most of them aren’t that far behind," Meehan says.
Pastures that were stressed from drought in addition to being overgrazed are farther behind pastures that were managed properly amid drought conditions.
That is especially important on grasses that may have reached their peak early due to stress.
"We don’t want to put additional stress on those resources if we can help it.

TEMPO.CO, Kupang – Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that some areas in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province are currently experiencing extreme drought.
"The areas are around Wulandoni, Lembata District, and Temu Kanatang and Malahar area in East Sumba," said BMKG Head of Class II Climatology Station Kupang Apolinaris Geru in Kupang on Monday on the results of monitoring of Days Without Rain in NTT.
Based on the monitoring results of the Days Without Rain, respectively on May 3, 2018, it was noted that East Nusa Tenggara Province generally experienced the criteria of Days Without Rain with a very long category of (31-60) days.
"But there are some areas that also experience days without rain with extreme drought category of (over 60 days)," he said.
The result of analysis on thirty days rainfall in May 2018, in general, the area of East Nusa Tenggara experiencing rainfall with low category (0-50 mm).
However, in a small portion of North Central Timor District and parts of Manggarai Timur District, it experienced a medium rainfall (51-150 mm).
Regarding the opportunity of ten days rainfall on June 1, he said, based on the prediction map of rainfall opportunity of June 1, it is known that generally NTT region is predicted to have 0-20 mm rainfall chance.
Most area of the Malacca District, a small part of Belu District, and parts of South Timor Tengah District, NTT, are expected to rain between 21-50 mm by 30-80 percent, according to the Apolinaris.

It lacks a water management policy and deficiently handles its available hydel resources.
Globally, agriculture accounts for over 70 per cent of freshwater consumption.
Industries make the second largest claim on the world’s water bodies, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of global water use.
Scientists have been long trying to identify root causes of the lack of fresh water.
As much as 40 per cent of Pakistan’s energy comes from water.
Over 90 per cent of freshwater supply is used towards agriculture.
An estimated $21 billion worth of water (roughly 35 million acre feet) is dumped into the sea, annually, since water conservation systems are absent.
The stance on a comprehensive National Water Policy is still unclear.
Why can’t we take lessons in just one of these areas and start implementing it to our current inefficient water management models?
The ultimate goal of this process is to ‘reclaim water’ that can be directly offered to other users or exchanged for better quality water.

Oklahoma’s statewide average temperature for May was 74.6 degrees, breaking the previous record of 74 degrees set in 1962, according to state Climatologist Gary McManus.
Data dates to 1895.
"The jet stream retreated to the north a little bit earlier than it usually does, that’s what usually happens during the summer months, McManus said Friday.
High temperatures include 104 degrees and a heat index of 113 in Grandfield in southwestern Oklahoma on the final day of the month.
"I don’t know what you could attribute that to."
The western third of the state and the Panhandle remained in extreme to exceptional drought, as did large areas of New Mexico and Arizona and portions of Colorado, Kansas, Texas and Utah.
I used to say you couldn’t get too hot for cotton, but the little seedlings are having a difficult time" emerging from the dry land, unless it’s well irrigated.
"We just need some more moisture," Kelly said.
It looks like it’s going to be hot and fairly dry over most of the state," McManus said.
"If the first couple of weeks of June are dry and warm, that’s not a particularly a good omen.

by Jared Ferrie | @jaredferrie | Thomson Reuters Foundation Tuesday, 29 May 2018 13:57 GMT May 29 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Millions of Afghans face hunger after a drought decimated crops in the war-ravaged country, U.N. officials said on Tuesday, calling for an extra $115 million to help families buy food.
Some rivers and water points have totally dried up, and the last wheat harvest has been "completely lost", according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.
"Six months down the road, millions of people could be in a situation of untenable hunger without knowing where their next meal will come from," said Toby Lanzer, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan.
Already, the drought has forced 21,000 people to leave their homes and settle on the outskirts of the western city of Herat, said OCHA.
"People prefer cash, which allows them to buy what they need most," he said.
The U.N. is revising its humanitarian appeal for 2018 because of the drought, and says it needs an extra $115 million to help 1.4 million of the hardest-hit people.
The drought has also hurt nomadic herders known as Kuchis, as pasturelands have dried up in some areas, including the northeastern provinces of Badakhshan and Kunduz.
Prices for sheep have fallen by as much as 40 percent, but many Kuchis are selling them out of desperation, according to OCHA’s report.
"In Helmand, village elders reportedly need to obtain special approval from the armed groups controlling their districts to access markets in areas under government control," said the bulletin.
The cost of wheat shot up by 50 percent and produce prices quadrupled in Kandahar City when roads were temporarily closed in April due to fighting, it said.

Meg Hilling DURANGO, Colo. – Many are feeling the heat from the drought.
According to wildlife experts, animals like fish are struggling through the dry conditions.
"Fish definitely feel it quite a bit," said Ryan Votta, assistant manager at the Durango State Fish Hatchery.
Managers with the fish hatchery in Durango say they are having to release the fish into the rivers sooner this year.
Usually, we like to get out catchable rainbows to 10 inches," Votta said.
"But because of extremely low water and extreme drought conditions, we’ve had to stock several fish out as 9 inchers just because we don’t have the water to keep these fish healthy."
"Another big concern is that when we are stocking them out in the rivers and lakes around here, is checking that those water bodies are safe to stock our fish," Votta said.
"Making sure the dissolved oxygen is okay, the PH levels are okay.
It’s not just fish.
"Try to keep them moving so they are seeking natural sources of food and not human sources."