Positive feedbacks in the fire dynamic of closed canopy tropical forests
The incidence and importance of fire in the Amazon have increased substantially during the past decade, but the effects of this disturbance force are still poorly understood. The forest fire dynamics in two regions of the eastern Amazon were studied. Accidental fires have affected nearly 50 percent of the remaining forests and have caused more deforestation than has intentional clearing in recent years. Forest fires create positive feedbacks in future fire susceptibility, fuel loading, and fire intensity. Unless current land use and fire use practices are changed, fire has the potential to transform large areas of tropical forest into scrub or savanna.
Cochrane
MA
Woods Hole Research Center, Post Office Box 296, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA. Instituto do Homen e Meio Ambiente da Amazonia (IMAZON), Caixa Postal 1015, Belem, Para, CEP 66017-000 Brazil. Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazonia, Campus do.
Alencar
A
Schulze
MD
Souza
CM
Nepstad
DC
Lefebvre
P
Davidson
EA