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High resolution analysis of tropical forest fragmentation and its impact on the global carbon cycle

Author

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  • Katharina Brinck

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH-UFZ Leipzig
    Imperial College London)

  • Rico Fischer

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH-UFZ Leipzig)

  • Jürgen Groeneveld

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH-UFZ Leipzig)

  • Sebastian Lehmann

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH-UFZ Leipzig)

  • Mateus Dantas De Paula

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH-UFZ Leipzig)

  • Sandro Pütz

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH-UFZ Leipzig)

  • Joseph O. Sexton

    (Global Land Cover Facility, University of Maryland)

  • Danxia Song

    (Global Land Cover Facility, University of Maryland)

  • Andreas Huth

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH-UFZ Leipzig
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Institute for Environmental Systems Research, University of Osnabrück)

Abstract

Deforestation in the tropics is not only responsible for direct carbon emissions but also extends the forest edge wherein trees suffer increased mortality. Here we combine high-resolution (30 m) satellite maps of forest cover with estimates of the edge effect and show that 19% of the remaining area of tropical forests lies within 100 m of a forest edge. The tropics house around 50 million forest fragments and the length of the world’s tropical forest edges sums to nearly 50 million km. Edge effects in tropical forests have caused an additional 10.3 Gt (2.1–14.4 Gt) of carbon emissions, which translates into 0.34 Gt per year and represents 31% of the currently estimated annual carbon releases due to tropical deforestation. Fragmentation substantially augments carbon emissions from tropical forests and must be taken into account when analysing the role of vegetation in the global carbon cycle.

Suggested Citation

  • Katharina Brinck & Rico Fischer & Jürgen Groeneveld & Sebastian Lehmann & Mateus Dantas De Paula & Sandro Pütz & Joseph O. Sexton & Danxia Song & Andreas Huth, 2017. "High resolution analysis of tropical forest fragmentation and its impact on the global carbon cycle," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-6, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms14855
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14855
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    Cited by:

    1. Fan, Meiting & Li, Mengxu & Liu, Jianghua & Shao, Shuai, 2022. "Is high natural resource dependence doomed to low carbon emission efficiency? Evidence from 283 cities in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    2. Brendan Mackey & Cyril F. Kormos & Heather Keith & William R. Moomaw & Richard A. Houghton & Russell A. Mittermeier & David Hole & Sonia Hugh, 2020. "Understanding the importance of primary tropical forest protection as a mitigation strategy," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 763-787, May.
    3. Kong, Xuesong & Fu, Mengxue & Zhao, Xiang & Wang, Jing & Jiang, Ping, 2022. "Ecological effects of land-use change on two sides of the Hu Huanyong Line in China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    4. Brendan Mackey & Cyril F. Kormos & Heather Keith & William R. Moomaw & Richard A. Houghton & Russell A. Mittermeier & David Hole & Sonia Hugh, 0. "Understanding the importance of primary tropical forest protection as a mitigation strategy," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 763-787.
    5. Luca L. Morreale & Jonathan R. Thompson & Xiaojing Tang & Andrew B. Reinmann & Lucy R. Hutyra, 2021. "Elevated growth and biomass along temperate forest edges," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. Matheus Henrique Nunes & José Luís Campana Camargo & Grégoire Vincent & Kim Calders & Rafael S. Oliveira & Alfredo Huete & Yhasmin Mendes de Moura & Bruce Nelson & Marielle N. Smith & Scott C. Stark &, 2022. "Forest fragmentation impacts the seasonality of Amazonian evergreen canopies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    7. Jun Ma & Jiawei Li & Wanben Wu & Jiajia Liu, 2023. "Global forest fragmentation change from 2000 to 2020," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

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