Earth Sciences

Fire may prevent future Amazon forest recovery after large-scale deforestation

M. Drüke, B. Sakschewski, et al.

This research by Markus Drüke, Boris Sakschewski, Werner von Bloh, Maik Billing, Wolfgang Lucht, and Kirsten Thonicke explores the critical dynamics of fire in the Amazon forest's recovery post-deforestation, revealing that fire stifles regrowth in a staggering 56–82% of potential forest areas, potentially sealing the fate of these ecosystems as stable grasslands.

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Abstract

The Amazon forest, a crucial element of the Earth's system, is vulnerable to regime shifts from rainforest to savanna due to human activities and climate change. This research utilizes the fire-enabled Potsdam Earth Model to investigate the interplay of fire, climate, and land-use change in Amazon forest recovery after complete deforestation. The study reveals that fire significantly hinders regrowth across 56–82% of the potential forest area, depending on atmospheric CO2 levels, leading to a stable grassland state. This highlights the critical role of fire dynamics in future assessments of climate and land-use impacts on the Amazon.

Publisher

Communications Earth & Environment

Published On

Jul 11, 2023

Authors

Markus Drüke, Boris Sakschewski, Werner von Bloh, Maik Billing, Wolfgang Lucht, Kirsten Thonicke

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