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How do logging and forest fires make tropical rainforests more vulnerable to drought?

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Ecuador: rainforest — Tropical rainforest Rainforest vegetation grows along the northern coast of Ecuador.

Logging and forest fires significantly increase the vulnerability of tropical rainforests to drought by altering their fundamental structure and microclimate.

Selective logging transforms a dense, closed-canopy forest into a more open and drier environment. This structural change increases the forest's flammability, making it susceptible to the accidental spread of fires from nearby agricultural lands. Once a forest is opened up, it loses its ability to maintain the humid conditions necessary to resist the killing effects of natural droughts.

Furthermore, these disturbances create a feedback loop: as logging, fires, and droughts continue to occur, the forest becomes progressively more open and degraded. This process reduces the forest's capacity to recycle moisture through transpiration and evaporation, which is critical for maintaining local rainfall patterns. Ultimately, the loss of tree cover diminishes the ecosystem's resilience, potentially leading to the total loss of trees in the affected areas.12