Abstract

A recently completed research program (TREES) employing the global imaging capabilities of Earth-observing satellites provides updated information on the status of the world's humid tropical forest cover. Between 1990 and 1997, 5.8 ± 1.4 million hectares of humid tropical forest were lost each year, with a further 2.3 ± 0.7 million hectares of forest visibly degraded. These figures indicate that the global net rate of change in forest cover for the humid tropics is 23% lower than the generally accepted rate. This result affects the calculation of carbon fluxes in the global budget and means that the terrestrial sink is smaller than previously inferred.

Keywords

TropicsDeforestation (computer science)Tropical forestCarbon sinkForest coverEnvironmental scienceForest degradationTropical climateAgroforestryTropical rain forestSink (geography)GeographyTropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forestsForestrySubtropicsRainforestClimate changeEcologyAgricultureBiologyCartographyLand degradation

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Year
2002
Type
article
Volume
297
Issue
5583
Pages
999-1002
Citations
1979
Access
Closed

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1979
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Frédéric Achard, Hugh Eva, Hans‐Jürgen Stibig et al. (2002). Determination of Deforestation Rates of the World's Humid Tropical Forests. Science , 297 (5583) , 999-1002. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1070656

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DOI
10.1126/science.1070656