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

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.