Massive soybean expansion in South America since 2000 and implications for conservation

Xiao-Peng Song (), Matthew C. Hansen (), Peter Potapov, Bernard Adusei, Jeffrey Pickering, Marcos Adami, Andre Lima, Viviana Zalles, Stephen V. Stehman, Carlos M. Bella, Maria C. Conde, Esteban J. Copati, Lucas B. Fernandes, Andres Hernandez-Serna, Samuel M. Jantz, Amy H. Pickens, Svetlana Turubanova and Alexandra Tyukavina
Additional contact information
Xiao-Peng Song: Texas Tech University
Matthew C. Hansen: University of Maryland
Peter Potapov: University of Maryland
Bernard Adusei: University of Maryland
Jeffrey Pickering: University of Maryland
Marcos Adami: Amazon Spatial Coordination, INPE
Andre Lima: University of Maryland
Viviana Zalles: University of Maryland
Stephen V. Stehman: State University of New York
Carlos M. Bella: Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires
Maria C. Conde: Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires
Esteban J. Copati: Buenos Aires Grain Exchange
Lucas B. Fernandes: Gerencia de Geotecnologias, Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento
Andres Hernandez-Serna: University of Maryland
Samuel M. Jantz: University of Maryland
Amy H. Pickens: University of Maryland
Svetlana Turubanova: University of Maryland
Alexandra Tyukavina: University of Maryland

Nature Sustainability, 2021, vol. 4, issue 9, 784-792

Abstract: Abstract A prominent goal of policies mitigating climate change and biodiversity loss is to achieve zero deforestation in the global supply chain of key commodities, such as palm oil and soybean. However, the extent and dynamics of deforestation driven by commodity expansion are largely unknown. Here we mapped annual soybean expansion in South America between 2000 and 2019 by combining satellite observations and sample field data. From 2000 to 2019, the area cultivated with soybean more than doubled from 26.4 Mha to 55.1 Mha. Most soybean expansion occurred on pastures originally converted from natural vegetation for cattle production. The most rapid expansion occurred in the Brazilian Amazon, where soybean area increased more than tenfold, from 0.4 Mha to 4.6 Mha. Across the continent, 9% of forest loss was converted to soybean by 2016. Soybean-driven deforestation was concentrated at the active frontiers, nearly half located in the Brazilian Cerrado. Efforts to limit future deforestation must consider how soybean expansion may drive deforestation indirectly by displacing pasture or other land uses. Holistic approaches that track land use across all commodities coupled with vegetation monitoring are required to maintain critical ecosystem services.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-021-00729-z

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