Drought sensitivity of the amazon rainforest

Oliver L. Phillips; Luiz E.O.C. Aragão; Simon L. Lewis; Joshua B. Fisher; Jon Lloyd; Gabriela López-González; Yadvinder Malhi; Abel Monteagudo; Julie Peacock; Carlos A. Quesada; Geertjer Van Der Heijden; Samuel Almeida; Iêda Amaral; Luzmila Arroyo; Gerardo Aymard; Tim R. Baker; Olaf Bánki; Lilian Blanc; Damien Bonal; Paulo Brando; Jerome Chave; Átila Cristina Alves De Oliveira; Nallaret Dávila Cardozo; Claudia I. Czimczik; Ted R. Feldpausch; Maria Aparecida Freitas; Emanuel Gloor; Niro Higuchi; Eliana Jiménez; Gareth Lloyd; Patrick Meir; Casimiro Mendoza; Alexandra Morel; David A. Neill; Daniel Nepstad; Sandra Patiño; Maria Cristina Peñuela; Adriana Prieto; Fredy Ramírez; Michael Schwarz; Javier Silva; Marcos Silveira; Anne Sota Thomas; Hans Ter Steege; Juliana Stropp; Rodolfo Vásquez; Przemyslaw Zelazowski; Esteban Alvarez Dávila; Sandy Andelman; Ana Andrade; Kuo Jung Chao; Terry Erwin; Anthony Di Fiore; Eurídice C. Honorio; Helen Keeling; Tim J. Killeen; William F. Laurance; Antonio Peña Cruz; Nigel C.A. Pitman; Percy Núñez Vargas; Hirma Ramírez-Angulo; Agustín Rudas; Rafael Salamão; Natalino Silva; John Terborgh; Armando Torres-Lezama

doi:10.1126/science.1164033

Drought sensitivity of the amazon rainforest

Oliver L. Phillips, Luiz E.O.C. Aragão, Simon L. Lewis, Joshua B. Fisher, Jon Lloyd, Gabriela López-González, Yadvinder Malhi, Abel Monteagudo, Julie Peacock, Carlos A. Quesada, Geertjer Van Der Heijden, Samuel Almeida, Iêda Amaral, Luzmila Arroyo, Gerardo Aymard, Tim R. Baker, Olaf Bánki, Lilian Blanc, Damien Bonal, Paulo BrandoJerome Chave, Átila Cristina Alves De Oliveira, Nallaret Dávila Cardozo, Claudia I. Czimczik, Ted R. Feldpausch, Maria Aparecida Freitas, Emanuel Gloor, Niro Higuchi, Eliana Jiménez, Gareth Lloyd, Patrick Meir, Casimiro Mendoza, Alexandra Morel, David A. Neill, Daniel Nepstad, Sandra Patiño, Maria Cristina Peñuela, Adriana Prieto, Fredy Ramírez, Michael Schwarz, Javier Silva, Marcos Silveira, Anne Sota Thomas, Hans Ter Steege, Juliana Stropp, Rodolfo Vásquez, Przemyslaw Zelazowski, Esteban Alvarez Dávila, Sandy Andelman, Ana Andrade, Kuo Jung Chao, Terry Erwin, Anthony Di Fiore, Eurídice C. Honorio, Helen Keeling, Tim J. Killeen, William F. Laurance, Antonio Peña Cruz, Nigel C.A. Pitman, Percy Núñez Vargas, Hirma Ramírez-Angulo, Agustín Rudas, Rafael Salamão, Natalino Silva, John Terborgh, Armando Torres-Lezama

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1381 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Amazon forests are a key but poorly understood component of the global carbon cycle. If, as anticipated, they dry this century, they might accelerate climate change through carbon losses and changed surface energy balances. We used records from multiple long-term monitoring plots across Amazonia to assess forest responses to the intense 2005 drought, a possible analog of future events. Affected forest lost biomass, reversing a large long-term carbon sink, with the greatest impacts observed where the dry season was unusually intense. Relative to pre-2005 conditions, forest subjected to a 100-millimeter increase in water deficit lost 5.3 megagrams of aboveground biomass of carbon per hectare. The drought had a total biomass carbon impact of 1.2 to 1.6 petagrams (1.2 × 10¹⁵ to 1.6 × 10¹⁵ grams). Amazon forests therefore appear vulnerable to increasing moisture stress, with the potential for large carbon losses to exert feedback on climate change.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1344-1347
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	323
Issue number	5919
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1164033
Publication status	Published - 2009
Externally published	Yes

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10.1126/science.1164033

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Phillips, O. L., Aragão, L. E. O. C., Lewis, S. L., Fisher, J. B., Lloyd, J., López-González, G., Malhi, Y., Monteagudo, A., Peacock, J., Quesada, C. A., Van Der Heijden, G., Almeida, S., Amaral, I., Arroyo, L., Aymard, G., Baker, T. R., Bánki, O., Blanc, L., Bonal, D., ... Torres-Lezama, A. (2009). Drought sensitivity of the amazon rainforest. Science, 323(5919), 1344-1347. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1164033

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title = "Drought sensitivity of the amazon rainforest",

abstract = "Amazon forests are a key but poorly understood component of the global carbon cycle. If, as anticipated, they dry this century, they might accelerate climate change through carbon losses and changed surface energy balances. We used records from multiple long-term monitoring plots across Amazonia to assess forest responses to the intense 2005 drought, a possible analog of future events. Affected forest lost biomass, reversing a large long-term carbon sink, with the greatest impacts observed where the dry season was unusually intense. Relative to pre-2005 conditions, forest subjected to a 100-millimeter increase in water deficit lost 5.3 megagrams of aboveground biomass of carbon per hectare. The drought had a total biomass carbon impact of 1.2 to 1.6 petagrams (1.2 × 1015 to 1.6 × 1015 grams). Amazon forests therefore appear vulnerable to increasing moisture stress, with the potential for large carbon losses to exert feedback on climate change.",

author = "Phillips, {Oliver L.} and Arag{\~a}o, {Luiz E.O.C.} and Lewis, {Simon L.} and Fisher, {Joshua B.} and Jon Lloyd and Gabriela L{\'o}pez-Gonz{\'a}lez and Yadvinder Malhi and Abel Monteagudo and Julie Peacock and Quesada, {Carlos A.} and {Van Der Heijden}, Geertjer and Samuel Almeida and I{\^e}da Amaral and Luzmila Arroyo and Gerardo Aymard and Baker, {Tim R.} and Olaf B{\'a}nki and Lilian Blanc and Damien Bonal and Paulo Brando and Jerome Chave and {De Oliveira}, {{\'A}tila Cristina Alves} and Cardozo, {Nallaret D{\'a}vila} and Czimczik, {Claudia I.} and Feldpausch, {Ted R.} and Freitas, {Maria Aparecida} and Emanuel Gloor and Niro Higuchi and Eliana Jim{\'e}nez and Gareth Lloyd and Patrick Meir and Casimiro Mendoza and Alexandra Morel and Neill, {David A.} and Daniel Nepstad and Sandra Pati{\~n}o and Pe{\~n}uela, {Maria Cristina} and Adriana Prieto and Fredy Ram{\'i}rez and Michael Schwarz and Javier Silva and Marcos Silveira and Thomas, {Anne Sota} and Steege, {Hans Ter} and Juliana Stropp and Rodolfo V{\'a}squez and Przemyslaw Zelazowski and D{\'a}vila, {Esteban Alvarez} and Sandy Andelman and Ana Andrade and Chao, {Kuo Jung} and Terry Erwin and {Di Fiore}, Anthony and Honorio, {Eur{\'i}dice C.} and Helen Keeling and Killeen, {Tim J.} and Laurance, {William F.} and Cruz, {Antonio Pe{\~n}a} and Pitman, {Nigel C.A.} and Vargas, {Percy N{\'u}{\~n}ez} and Hirma Ram{\'i}rez-Angulo and Agust{\'i}n Rudas and Rafael Salam{\~a}o and Natalino Silva and John Terborgh and Armando Torres-Lezama",

year = "2009",

doi = "10.1126/science.1164033",

language = "English",

volume = "323",

pages = "1344--1347",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "5919",

}

Phillips, OL, Aragão, LEOC, Lewis, SL, Fisher, JB, Lloyd, J, López-González, G, Malhi, Y, Monteagudo, A, Peacock, J, Quesada, CA, Van Der Heijden, G, Almeida, S, Amaral, I, Arroyo, L, Aymard, G, Baker, TR, Bánki, O, Blanc, L, Bonal, D, Brando, P, Chave, J, De Oliveira, ÁCA, Cardozo, ND, Czimczik, CI, Feldpausch, TR, Freitas, MA, Gloor, E, Higuchi, N, Jiménez, E, Lloyd, G, Meir, P, Mendoza, C, Morel, A, Neill, DA, Nepstad, D, Patiño, S, Peñuela, MC, Prieto, A, Ramírez, F, Schwarz, M, Silva, J, Silveira, M, Thomas, AS, Steege, HT, Stropp, J, Vásquez, R, Zelazowski, P, Dávila, EA, Andelman, S, Andrade, A, Chao, KJ, Erwin, T, Di Fiore, A, Honorio, EC, Keeling, H, Killeen, TJ, Laurance, WF, Cruz, AP, Pitman, NCA, Vargas, PN, Ramírez-Angulo, H, Rudas, A, Salamão, R, Silva, N, Terborgh, J & Torres-Lezama, A 2009, 'Drought sensitivity of the amazon rainforest', Science, vol. 323, no. 5919, pp. 1344-1347. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1164033

TY - JOUR

T1 - Drought sensitivity of the amazon rainforest

AU - Phillips, Oliver L.

AU - Aragão, Luiz E.O.C.

AU - Lewis, Simon L.

AU - Fisher, Joshua B.

AU - Lloyd, Jon

AU - López-González, Gabriela

AU - Malhi, Yadvinder

AU - Monteagudo, Abel

AU - Peacock, Julie

AU - Quesada, Carlos A.

AU - Van Der Heijden, Geertjer

AU - Almeida, Samuel

AU - Amaral, Iêda

AU - Arroyo, Luzmila

AU - Aymard, Gerardo

AU - Baker, Tim R.

AU - Bánki, Olaf

AU - Blanc, Lilian

AU - Bonal, Damien

AU - Brando, Paulo

AU - Chave, Jerome

AU - De Oliveira, Átila Cristina Alves

AU - Cardozo, Nallaret Dávila

AU - Czimczik, Claudia I.

AU - Feldpausch, Ted R.

AU - Freitas, Maria Aparecida

AU - Gloor, Emanuel

AU - Higuchi, Niro

AU - Jiménez, Eliana

AU - Lloyd, Gareth

AU - Meir, Patrick

AU - Mendoza, Casimiro

AU - Morel, Alexandra

AU - Neill, David A.

AU - Nepstad, Daniel

AU - Patiño, Sandra

AU - Peñuela, Maria Cristina

AU - Prieto, Adriana

AU - Ramírez, Fredy

AU - Schwarz, Michael

AU - Silva, Javier

AU - Silveira, Marcos

AU - Thomas, Anne Sota

AU - Steege, Hans Ter

AU - Stropp, Juliana

AU - Vásquez, Rodolfo

AU - Zelazowski, Przemyslaw

AU - Dávila, Esteban Alvarez

AU - Andelman, Sandy

AU - Andrade, Ana

AU - Chao, Kuo Jung

AU - Erwin, Terry

AU - Di Fiore, Anthony

AU - Honorio, Eurídice C.

AU - Keeling, Helen

AU - Killeen, Tim J.

AU - Laurance, William F.

AU - Cruz, Antonio Peña

AU - Pitman, Nigel C.A.

AU - Vargas, Percy Núñez

AU - Ramírez-Angulo, Hirma

AU - Rudas, Agustín

AU - Salamão, Rafael

AU - Silva, Natalino

AU - Terborgh, John

AU - Torres-Lezama, Armando

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Amazon forests are a key but poorly understood component of the global carbon cycle. If, as anticipated, they dry this century, they might accelerate climate change through carbon losses and changed surface energy balances. We used records from multiple long-term monitoring plots across Amazonia to assess forest responses to the intense 2005 drought, a possible analog of future events. Affected forest lost biomass, reversing a large long-term carbon sink, with the greatest impacts observed where the dry season was unusually intense. Relative to pre-2005 conditions, forest subjected to a 100-millimeter increase in water deficit lost 5.3 megagrams of aboveground biomass of carbon per hectare. The drought had a total biomass carbon impact of 1.2 to 1.6 petagrams (1.2 × 1015 to 1.6 × 1015 grams). Amazon forests therefore appear vulnerable to increasing moisture stress, with the potential for large carbon losses to exert feedback on climate change.

AB - Amazon forests are a key but poorly understood component of the global carbon cycle. If, as anticipated, they dry this century, they might accelerate climate change through carbon losses and changed surface energy balances. We used records from multiple long-term monitoring plots across Amazonia to assess forest responses to the intense 2005 drought, a possible analog of future events. Affected forest lost biomass, reversing a large long-term carbon sink, with the greatest impacts observed where the dry season was unusually intense. Relative to pre-2005 conditions, forest subjected to a 100-millimeter increase in water deficit lost 5.3 megagrams of aboveground biomass of carbon per hectare. The drought had a total biomass carbon impact of 1.2 to 1.6 petagrams (1.2 × 1015 to 1.6 × 1015 grams). Amazon forests therefore appear vulnerable to increasing moisture stress, with the potential for large carbon losses to exert feedback on climate change.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=62149092096&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.1164033

DO - 10.1126/science.1164033

M3 - Article

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 323

SP - 1344

EP - 1347

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5919

ER -

Drought sensitivity of the amazon rainforest

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