Human influence on Amazon’s aboveground carbon dynamics intensified over the last decade

Arthur Fendrich (), Yu Feng, Jean-Pierre Wigneron, Jerôme Chave, Arnan Araza, Zheyuan Li, Martin Herold, Jean Ometto, Luiz E. O. C. Aragão, Isabel Martinez Cano, Lei Zhu, Yidi Xu and Philippe Ciais
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Arthur Fendrich: UMR 1572 CEA-CNRS-UVSQ
Yu Feng: UMR 1572 CEA-CNRS-UVSQ
Jean-Pierre Wigneron: UMR 1391 ISPA
Jerôme Chave: INPT
Arnan Araza: Wageningen University and Research
Zheyuan Li: Henan University
Martin Herold: University of Potsdam
Jean Ometto: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais
Luiz E. O. C. Aragão: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais
Isabel Martinez Cano: UMR 1572 CEA-CNRS-UVSQ
Lei Zhu: UMR 1572 CEA-CNRS-UVSQ
Yidi Xu: UMR 1572 CEA-CNRS-UVSQ
Philippe Ciais: UMR 1572 CEA-CNRS-UVSQ

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The Amazon rainforest is crucial for the global carbon cycle, yet annual changes in its aboveground biomass carbon (AGC) stock remain highly uncertain. Natural and local anthropogenic drivers such as deforestation, forest degradation, and regrowth following deforestation interact with large-scale climate variability to determine AGC dynamics. Here, we propose an approach to disaggregate low-frequency passive L-band microwave data over 2010-2020 and reconstruct maps of annual change. We show that the Amazon lost −0.37 ± 0.17 PgC, with gains by undisturbed (0.33 ± 0.13 PgC) and secondary forest growth (0.33 ± 0.05 PgC) outweighed by losses by deforestation (−0.55 ± 0.04 PgC), degradation (−0.42 ± 0.08 PgC), and agricultural areas (−0.06 ± 0.03 PgC). Losses in human-influenced land intensified over time and amounted to 60% of all gross losses in El Niño years. Our study reinforces the need for stronger implementation of policies and effective actions to control forest degradation.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61856-1

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