What is the contribution of Amazonian secondary forests to the provision of ecosystem services associated with water and carbon balance?
Science / Life Sciences
Secondary forests, areas that have naturally regenerated after being cleared for agriculture or pasture, are a vast and increasingly important part of the Amazon landscape. Covering more than 148,000 km², these forests hold immense potential for mitigating climate change and reversing biodiversity loss through passive restoration. However, they are constantly threatened by recurrent deforestation, which hinders their ability to fully recover. While most research on secondary forests has focused on biodiversity and carbon storage, this project aims to investigate their role in regulating regional climate, namely rainfall and temperature. We will determine the rate and extent of recovery compared to primary forests in ecologically distinct regions of the eastern Amazon.
