Human impacts outpace natural processes in the Amazon

Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 379(6630)

Published: Jan. 26, 2023

Amazonian environments are being degraded by modern industrial and agricultural activities at a pace far above anything previously known, imperiling its vast biodiversity reserves globally important ecosystem services. The most substantial threats come from regional deforestation, because of export market demands, global climate change. Amazon is currently perched to transition rapidly largely forested nonforested landscape. These changes happening much too for species, peoples, ecosystems respond adaptively. Policies prevent the worst outcomes known must be enacted immediately. We now need political will leadership act on this information. To fail biosphere, we our peril.

Language: Английский

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Brazil is in water crisis — it needs a drought plan

Nature, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 600(7888), P. 218 - 220

Published: Dec. 8, 2021

Language: Английский

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Tropical and Boreal Forest – Atmosphere Interactions: A Review

Tellus B, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 74(1), P. 24 - 24

Published: March 25, 2022

This review presents how the boreal and tropical forests affect atmosphere, its chemical composition, function, further that affects climate and, in return, ecosystems through feedback processes. Observations from key tower sites standing out due to their long-term comprehensive observations: The Amazon Tall Tower Observatory Central Amazonia, Zotino Siberia, Station Measure Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations at Hyytiäla Finland. is complemented by short-term observations networks large experiments. discusses atmospheric chemistry observations, aerosol formation processing, physiochemical aerosol, cloud condensation nuclei properties finds surprising similarities important differences two ecosystems. concentrations are similar, particularly concerning main components, both dominated an organic fraction, while ecosystem has generally higher of inorganics, influence long-range transported air pollution. emissions biogenic volatile compounds isoprene monoterpene regions, respectively, being precursors fraction. modeling studies show change deforestation such carbon hydrological cycles Amazonia changing neutrality precipitation downwind. In Africa, so far maintaining sink. It urgent better understand interaction between these major ecosystems, climate, which calls for more observation sites, providing data on water, carbon, other biogeochemical cycles. essential finding a sustainable balance forest preservation reforestation versus potential increase food production biofuels, critical services global stability. Reducing warming vital forests.

Language: Английский

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The conservation impacts of ecological disturbance: Time‐bound estimates of population loss and recovery for fauna affected by the 2019–2020 Australian megafires

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 31(10), P. 2085 - 2104

Published: March 1, 2022

Abstract Aim After environmental disasters, species with large population losses may need urgent protection to prevent extinction and support recovery. Following the 2019–2020 Australian megafires, we estimated recovery in fire‐affected fauna, inform conservation status assessments management. Location Temperate subtropical Australia. Time period 2019–2030 beyond. Major taxa terrestrial freshwater vertebrates; one invertebrate group. Methods From > 1,050 taxa, selected 173 whose distributions substantially overlapped fire extent. We proportion of each taxon’s distribution affected by fires, using severity aquatic impact mapping, new mapping. Using expert elicitation informed evidence responses previous wildfires, local fires varying severity. combined spatial data estimate overall loss trajectories, thus indicate potential eligibility for listing as threatened, or uplisting, under legislation. Results that megafires caused, contributed to, declines make 70–82 eligible threatened; another 21–27 uplisting. If so‐listed, this represents a 22–26% increase statutory lists threatened vertebrates spiny crayfish, uplisting 8–10% taxa. Such changes would cause an abrupt worsening underlying trajectories vertebrates, measured Red List Indices. predict 54–88% assessed will not recover pre‐fire size within 10 years/three generations. Main conclusions suggest have worsened prospects many species. Of 91 recommended listing/uplisting consideration, 84 are now formal review through national processes. Improving predictions about taxon vulnerability empirical on responses, reducing likelihood future catastrophic events mitigating their impacts biodiversity, critical.

Language: Английский

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Long-Term Landsat-Based Monthly Burned Area Dataset for the Brazilian Biomes Using Deep Learning

Remote Sensing, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 14(11), P. 2510 - 2510

Published: May 24, 2022

Fire is a significant agent of landscape transformation on Earth, and dynamic ephemeral process that challenging to map. Difficulties include the seasonality native vegetation in areas affected by fire, high levels spectral heterogeneity due spatial temporal variability burned areas, distinct persistence fire signal, increase cloud smoke cover surrounding difficulty detecting understory signals. To produce large-scale time-series area, robust number observations more efficient sampling strategy needed. In order overcome these challenges, we used novel based machine-learning algorithm map monthly from 1985 2020 using Landsat-based annual quality mosaics retrieved minimum NBR values. The integrated year-round unburned data (i.e., RED, NIR, SWIR-1, SWIR-2), them train Deep Neural Network model, which resulted maps land use type for all six Brazilian biomes. dataset was retrieve frequency while date captured year, reconstruct 36 years area. Results this effort indicated 19.6% (1.6 million km2) territory 2020, with 61% area at least once. Most burning (83%) occurred between July October. Amazon Cerrado, together, accounted 85% once Brazil. Native most representing 65% remaining 35% dominated anthropogenic uses, mainly pasture. This crucial understanding long-term dynamics regimes are fundamental designing appropriate public policies reducing controlling fires

Language: Английский

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Forest conservation in Indigenous territories and protected areas in the Brazilian Amazon

Nature Sustainability, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 6(3), P. 295 - 305

Published: Jan. 2, 2023

Language: Английский

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Assessing changes in global fire regimes

Fire Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 20(1)

Published: Feb. 8, 2024

Abstract Background The global human footprint has fundamentally altered wildfire regimes, creating serious consequences for health, biodiversity, and climate. However, it remains difficult to project how long-term interactions among land use, management, climate change will affect fire behavior, representing a key knowledge gap sustainable management. We used expert assessment combine opinions about past future regimes from 99 researchers. asked quantitative qualitative assessments of the frequency, type, implications regime beginning Holocene through year 2300. Results Respondents indicated some direct influence on since at least ~ 12,000 years BP, though natural variability remained dominant driver until around 5,000 most study regions. Responses suggested ten-fold increase in frequency during last 250 compared with rest Holocene, corresponding first intensification extensification use later anthropogenic change. Looking future, were predicted intensify, increases severity, size all biomes except grassland ecosystems. Fire showed different sensitivities across biomes, but likelihood increased higher warming scenarios biomes. Biodiversity, carbon storage, other ecosystem services decrease under emission scenarios. present recommendations adaptation mitigation emerging while recognizing that management options are constrained Conclusion humans over two centuries. perspective gained fires should be considered strategies, novel behavior is likely given unprecedented disruption plant communities, climate, factors. Future degrade services, unless aggressively mitigated. Expert complements empirical data modeling, providing broader science inform decision making research priorities.

Language: Английский

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Biodiversity impacts of the 2019–2020 Australian megafires

Nature, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 635(8040), P. 898 - 905

Published: Nov. 13, 2024

With large wildfires becoming more frequent1,2, we must rapidly learn how megafires impact biodiversity to prioritize mitigation and improve policy. A key challenge is discover interactions among fire-regime components, drought land tenure shape wildfire impacts. The globally unprecedented3,4 2019–2020 Australian burnt than 10 million hectares5, prompting major investment in monitoring. Collated data include responses of 2,000 taxa, providing an unparalleled opportunity quantify affect biodiversity. We reveal that the largest effects on plants animals were areas with frequent or recent past fires within extensively areas. Areas at high severity, outside protected under extreme also had larger effects. included declines increases after fire, rainforests by mammals. Our results implicate species interactions, dispersal extent situ survival as mechanisms underlying fire responses. Building resilience into these ecosystems depends reducing recurrence, including rapid suppression frequently burnt. Defending wet ecosystems, expanding considering localized could contribute. While countermeasures can help mitigate impacts megafires, reversing anthropogenic climate change remains urgent broad-scale solution. Data collected from taxa provide biodiversity, revealing

Language: Английский

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Key challenges for tropospheric chemistry in the Southern Hemisphere

Elementa Science of the Anthropocene, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 10(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2022

This commentary paper from the recently formed International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Southern Hemisphere Working Group outlines key issues in atmospheric composition research that particularly impact Hemisphere. In this article, we present a broad overview of many challenges for understanding chemistry Hemisphere, before focusing on most significant factors differentiate it Northern We sections importance biogenic emissions and fires showing these often dominate over anthropogenic regions. then describe how other influence air quality different parts Finally, role Ocean influencing conclude with description aims scope newly IGAC Group.

Language: Английский

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CLIMBra - Climate Change Dataset for Brazil

Scientific Data, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 10(1)

Published: Jan. 20, 2023

Abstract General Circulation and Earth System Models are the most advanced tools for investigating climate responses to future scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions, playing role projecting throughout century. Nevertheless, projections model-dependent may show systematic biases, requiring a bias correction any further application. Here, we provide dataset based on an ensemble 19 bias-corrected CMIP6 models Brazilian territory SSP2-4.5 SSP5-8.5 scenarios. We used Quantile Delta Mapping approach bias-correct daily time-series precipitation, maximum minimum temperature, solar net radiation, near-surface wind speed, relative humidity. The is available both historical (1980–2013) (2015–2100) simulations at 0.25° × spatial resolution. Besides gridded product, area-averaged 735 catchments included in Catchments Attributes Brazil (CABra) dataset. provides important variables commonly environmental hydroclimatological studies, paving way development high-quality research change impacts Brazil.

Language: Английский

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