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Annual fluxes of carbon from deforestation and regrowth in the Brazilian Amazon

Author

Listed:
  • R. A. Houghton

    (Woods Hole Research Center)

  • D. L. Skole

    (Michigan State University)

  • Carlos A. Nobre

    (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais)

  • J. L. Hackler

    (Woods Hole Research Center)

  • K. T. Lawrence

    (Woods Hole Research Center)

  • W H. Chomentowski

    (Michigan State University)

Abstract

The distribution of sources and sinks of carbon among the world's ecosystems is uncertain. Some analyses show northern mid-latitude lands to be a large sink, whereas the tropics are a net source1; other analyses show the tropics to be nearly neutral, whereas northern mid-latitudes are a small sink2,3. Here we show that the annual flux of carbon from deforestation and abandonment of agricultural lands in the Brazilian Amazon was a source of about 0.2 Pg C yr-1 over the period 1989–1998 (1 Pg is 1015 g). This estimate is based on annual rates of deforestation and spatially detailed estimates of deforestation, regrowing forests and biomass. Logging may add another 5–10% to this estimate4, and fires may double the magnitude of the source in years following a drought4. The annual source of carbon from land-use change and fire approximately offsets the sink calculated for natural ecosystems in the region5,6. Thus this large area of tropical forest is nearly balanced with respect to carbon, but has an interannual variability of ± 0.2 PgC yr-1.

Suggested Citation

  • R. A. Houghton & D. L. Skole & Carlos A. Nobre & J. L. Hackler & K. T. Lawrence & W H. Chomentowski, 2000. "Annual fluxes of carbon from deforestation and regrowth in the Brazilian Amazon," Nature, Nature, vol. 403(6767), pages 301-304, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:403:y:2000:i:6767:d:10.1038_35002062
    DOI: 10.1038/35002062
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    Cited by:

    1. Pelletier, Johanne & Kirby, Kathryn R. & Potvin, Catherine, 2012. "Significance of carbon stock uncertainties on emission reductions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 3-11.
    2. Cappelli, Federica & Caravaggio, Nicola & Vaquero-Piñeiro, Cristina, 2022. "Buen Vivir and forest conservation in Bolivia: False promises or effective change?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    3. Lecocq, Franck & Chomitz, Kenneth, 2001. "Optimal use of carbon sequestration in a global climate change strategy : is there a wooden bridge to a clean energy future ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2635, The World Bank.
    4. Zhonglin Xu & Chuanyan Zhao & Zhaodong Feng & Fang Zhang & Hassan Sher & Chao Wang & Huanhua Peng & Ying Wang & Yang Zhao & Yao Wang & Shouzhang Peng & Xianglin Zheng, 2013. "Estimating realized and potential carbon storage benefits from reforestation and afforestation under climate change: a case study of the Qinghai spruce forests in the Qilian Mountains, northwestern Ch," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 18(8), pages 1257-1268, December.
    5. Klemick, Heather, 2011. "Constraints or Cooperation? Determinants of Secondary Forest Cover Under Shifting Cultivation," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 40(3), pages 1-17, December.
    6. Numazawa, Camila T.D. & Numazawa, Sueo & Pacca, Sergio & John, Vanderley M., 2017. "Logging residues and CO2 of Brazilian Amazon timber: Two case studies of forest harvesting," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 280-285.
    7. Mariana Regina Durigan & Maurício Roberto Cherubin & Plínio Barbosa De Camargo & Joice Nunes Ferreira & Erika Berenguer & Toby Alan Gardner & Jos Barlow & Carlos Tadeu dos Santos Dias & Diana Signor &, 2017. "Soil Organic Matter Responses to Anthropogenic Forest Disturbance and Land Use Change in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-16, March.
    8. Alkimim, Akenya & Clarke, Keith C., 2018. "Land use change and the carbon debt for sugarcane ethanol production in Brazil," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 65-73.
    9. Klemick, Heather, 2008. "Do Liquidity Constraints Help Preserve Tropical Forests? Evidence from the Eastern Amazon," 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida 6473, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    10. de Mendonca, Mario Jorge Cardoso & Vera Diaz, Maria del Carmen & Nepstad, Daniel & Seroa da Motta, Ronaldo & Alencar, Ane & Gomes, Joao Carlos & Ortiz, Ramon Arigoni, 2004. "The economic cost of the use of fire in the Amazon," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 89-105, May.
    11. Jukka Miettinen & Soo Liew, 2009. "Estimation of biomass distribution in Peninsular Malaysia and in the islands of Sumatra, Java and Borneo based on multi-resolution remote sensing land cover analysis," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 357-373, April.
    12. Alexandre Anders Brasil & Humberto Angelo & Alexandre Nascimento de Almeida & Eraldo Aparecido Trondoli Matricardi & Henrique Marinho Leite Chaves & Maristela Franchetti de Paula, 2023. "Modeling the Impacts of Soil Management on Avoided Deforestation and REDD+ Payments in the Brazilian Amazon: A Systems Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-27, August.
    13. Hadunka, Protensia & Baylis, Kathy, 2022. "Staple crop pest damage and natural resources exploitation: fall army worm infestation and charcoal production in Zambia," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322075, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    14. May, Peter H. & Soares-Filho, Britaldo Silveira & Strand, Jon, 2013. "How much is the Amazon worth ? the state of knowledge concerning the value of preserving amazon rainforests," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6668, The World Bank.
    15. Md. Abdus Salam & Toshikuni Noguchi, 2005. "Impact of Human Activities on Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions: A Statistical Analysis," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 19-30, March.
    16. Qianwen Duan & Minghong Tan, 2019. "Spatial and Temporal Variations of Forest Cover in Developing Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-15, March.
    17. Néstor Montalván-Burbano & Andrés Velastegui-Montoya & Miguel Gurumendi-Noriega & Fernando Morante-Carballo & Marcos Adami, 2021. "Worldwide Research on Land Use and Land Cover in the Amazon Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-24, May.
    18. Sales, Marcio H. & Souza, Carlos M. & Kyriakidis, Phaedon C. & Roberts, Dar A. & Vidal, Edson, 2007. "Improving spatial distribution estimation of forest biomass with geostatistics: A case study for Rondônia, Brazil," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 205(1), pages 221-230.
    19. U. Persson & Christian Azar, 2007. "Tropical deforestation in a future international climate policy regime—lessons from the Brazilian Amazon," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 12(7), pages 1277-1304, August.
    20. Naughton-Treves, Lisa, 2004. "Deforestation and Carbon Emissions at Tropical Frontiers: A Case Study from the Peruvian Amazon," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 173-190, January.
    21. Jesús Pinto-Ledezma & Mary Rivero Mamani, 2014. "Temporal patterns of deforestation and fragmentation in lowland Bolivia: implications for climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 127(1), pages 43-54, November.
    22. Georgia Carvalho & Paulo Moutinho & Daniel Nepstad & Luciano Mattos & Márcio Santilli, 2004. "AN Amazon Perspective on the Forest-Climate Connection: Opportunity for Climate Mitigation, Conservation and Development?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 163-174, March.
    23. Federico E. Alice‐Guier & Frits Mohren & Pieter A. Zuidema, 2020. "The life cycle carbon balance of selective logging in tropical forests of Costa Rica," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(3), pages 534-547, June.

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