Tree felling due to storms is multiplying in the Amazon

Nov. 11 () –

Climate change has caused powerful storms increase in number and intensity, and the felling of trees by the wind is a way to continue this growth in the Amazon.

During some convective storms, downdrafts can be strong enough to break or completely uproot trees in a phenomenon known as wind blowdown. Wind blowdowns, which can range from a few trees to many hectares, can affect the structure and composition of forests.

In a study published in AGU AdvancesJ. David Urquiza-Muñoz and colleagues used data from Landsat satellites to compile an annual database of large landslides (which they classified as those affecting more than 30 hectares) in the Amazon between 1985 and 2020.

They found that the number of demolitions and the area affected by them have quadrupled during that time, from 78 landslides affecting 6,900 hectares in 1985 to 264 landslides affecting 32,170 hectares in 2020. Most of the events occurred in the central and western Amazon.

The authors created image mosaics from the Landsat data for each year, excluding mosaics with dense cloud cover. Then, they compared each mosaic to the corresponding mosaic from the previous year, looking for spectral signatures that indicated Trees felled and uprooted.

In total, they found 3,179 major blowdown events during the study period. The largest felled trees in an area of ​​more than 2,543 hectares.