Forest's Carbon Storage and Tree Characteristics Alterations Revealed through Study
The Amazon Rainforest, a vital carbon sink and home to countless species, is under threat. A recent study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution has shed light on the impact of forest degradation and loss on the region's tree fauna.
The study, conducted in Paragominas, south of Belém, known for severe forest degradation, analysed 1,207 tree species across 271 forest plots in six Brazilian regions. The findings reveal that many tree species are not responsive to changes in terms of forest loss or fragmentation.
One of the most threatened species is the Brazil nut tree, listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and threatened by Brazil's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. The study emphasises that non-compliance with Brazil's Forest Code, which requires rural landowners to maintain a certain percentage of natural vegetation on their properties, contributes to its decline.
The loss of these trees is concerning as degraded forests are less resistant to fire and drought, and the trees in them generally die younger. The study also found that faster-growing trees with softer wood tend to prevail over denser species with a higher carbon-storage capacity in degraded forests, which can significantly affect the structure of forests, potentially changing the composition of trees.
Previous research has indicated that the Amazon Rainforest absorbed 30% less carbon in the 2000s compared to the 1990s, highlighting the urgency of addressing the issue. The study calls for urgent action to improve the quality of remaining forests, control logging and fires, protect fauna in heavily degraded areas, and increase forest cover.
The study also underscores the key role of the agouti, a large rodent native to Central and South America, in dispersing the seeds of the Brazil nut tree. The loss of this critical disperser could further exacerbate the decline of the Brazil nut tree and other species.
Despite a 9% decrease in deforestation in 2024, the tropics continue to lose forest cover at an alarming rate. In 2023, approximately 3.7 million hectares (8.14 million acres) of primary tropical forest were lost. The study's findings indicate that remaining tropical forests are losing critical qualities as a result of landscape modification and local degradation.
The organizational entity that funded the study project on the effects of forest loss, forest fragmentation, and local degradation on tree fauna in Brazil is not specified in the available information. However, the study highlights the need for additional measures to address the issue and protect the Amazon Rainforest for future generations.
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