Human degradation of tropical moist forests is greater than previously estimated

Tropical forest degradation from selective logging, fire and edge effects is a major driver of carbon and biodiversity loss 1 – 3 , with annual rates comparable to those of deforestation 4 . However, its actual extent and long-term impacts remain uncertain at global tropical scale 5 . Here we quanti...

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Veröffentlicht in:Nature (London) 2024-07, Vol.631 (8021), p.570-576
Hauptverfasser: Bourgoin, C., Ceccherini, G., Girardello, M., Vancutsem, C., Avitabile, V., Beck, P. S. A., Beuchle, R., Blanc, L., Duveiller, G., Migliavacca, M., Vieilledent, G., Cescatti, A., Achard, F.
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Tropical forest degradation from selective logging, fire and edge effects is a major driver of carbon and biodiversity loss 1 – 3 , with annual rates comparable to those of deforestation 4 . However, its actual extent and long-term impacts remain uncertain at global tropical scale 5 . Here we quantify the magnitude and persistence of multiple types of degradation on forest structure by combining satellite remote sensing data on pantropical moist forest cover changes 4 with estimates of canopy height and biomass from spaceborne 6 light detection and ranging (LiDAR). We estimate that forest height decreases owing to selective logging and fire by 15% and 50%, respectively, with low rates of recovery even after 20 years. Agriculture and road expansion trigger a 20% to 30% reduction in canopy height and biomass at the forest edge, with persistent effects being measurable up to 1.5 km inside the forest. Edge effects encroach on 18% (approximately 206 Mha) of the remaining tropical moist forests, an area more than 200% larger than previously estimated 7 . Finally, degraded forests with more than 50% canopy loss are significantly more vulnerable to subsequent deforestation. Collectively, our findings call for greater efforts to prevent degradation and protect already degraded forests to meet the conservation pledges made at recent United Nations Climate Change and Biodiversity conferences. A global survey on the magnitude and persistence of moist forest cover change and canopy height following degradation using satellite remote sensing data finds that the effects are substantial and persist for decades.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
0399-9165
1476-4687
0399-9165
DOI:10.1038/s41586-024-07629-0