Effects of tropical deforestation on climate and agriculture

ABSTRACT Tower, ground-based and satellite observations indicate that tropical deforestation results in warmer, drier conditions at the local scale. Understanding the regional or global

impacts of deforestation on climate, and ultimately on agriculture, requires modelling. General circulation models show that completely deforesting the tropics could result in global warming

equivalent to that caused by burning of fossil fuels since 1850, with more warming and considerable drying in the tropics. More realistic scenarios of deforestation yield less warming and

less drying, suggesting critical thresholds beyond which rainfall is substantially reduced. In regional, mesoscale models that capture topography and vegetation-based discontinuities, small

clearings can actually enhance rainfall. At this smaller scale as well, a critical deforestation threshold exists, beyond which rainfall declines. Future agricultural productivity in the

tropics is at risk from a deforestation-induced increase in mean temperature and the associated heat extremes and from a decline in mean rainfall or rainfall frequency. Through

teleconnections, negative impacts on agriculture could extend well beyond the tropics. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via

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* Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS TROPICAL DEFORESTATION CAUSES LARGE REDUCTIONS IN OBSERVED

PRECIPITATION Article Open access 01 March 2023 DEFORESTATION INTENSIFIES DAILY TEMPERATURE VARIABILITY IN THE NORTHERN EXTRATROPICS Article Open access 10 October 2022 DEFORESTATION-INDUCED

WARMING OVER TROPICAL MOUNTAIN REGIONS REGULATED BY ELEVATION Article 14 December 2020 CHANGE HISTORY * _ 18 DECEMBER 2014 In the print version of this Review, the 'published

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Davies, Stephan DeWekker, Donna Lee, Anastassia Makarieva, Antonio Nobre, Jan Pokorny, David Werth and Daniel Zarin. Lia Cattaneo, Christopher Fender, Megan McGroddy, Amber Slatosky,

University of Virginia and the Climate and Land Use Alliance provided critical support. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Environmental Sciences, University of

Virginia Clark Hall, 291 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, 22904-4123, Virginia, USA Deborah Lawrence & Karen Vandecar Authors * Deborah Lawrence View author publications You can also

search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Karen Vandecar View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to

Deborah Lawrence. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no competing financial interests. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary Information

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