Amazon Rainforest Now Emits More Greenhouse Gases Than It Takes in, Leading to Global Warming

According to new research, the Amazon rainforest may now emits more greenhouse gases than the known lush ecosystem takes in. Long considered to be a rampart against climate change due to its capacity to take in carbon dioxide, a new study proposes rise in temperatures, drought increase, and frequent deforestation have likely overpowered the ability of  Amazon to take in more greenhouse gases than it discharges, Craig Welch reports for National Geographic.

(Photo : Getty Images)

Net Emissions of Greenhouse Gases  

Liz Kimbrough reported for Mongabay, the sobering discoveries came out in a new study released earlier this month in the journal Frontiers in Forest and Global Change that for the first time adds up the net emissions of greenhouse gases in the Amazon Basin from both natural sources and humans.

A major difference in appreciating the study's discoveries is that they do not only have to do with carbon dioxide, as stated by Mongabay. Though carbon dioxide frequently gets top billing in conversation around climate change, there are many other important greenhouse gases, including sooty black carbon, nitrous oxide, aerosols, and methane.

So, while the Amazon still takes in and stores a huge amount of carbon, its net greenhouse gas emissions have tipped from bad to good - not just due to the fact that its capacity to take in carbon dioxide has been destroyed by human activity, but also that the transforming landscape has boosted emissions of these other greenhouse gases.

Also Read: The Underwater History of the Amazon Rainforest

Black Carbon 

An environmental expert at Skidmore College and the study's lead author, Kristofer Covey, tells the New Republic's Melody Schreiber: "If you're only viewing the carbon picture, you're omitting a major part of the story, we need to start having knowledge of the full complexity of this ecosystem. We're down there tinkering at an enormous scale, and we don't really know the entire implications of what we're doing."

"For instance, compacted soils and the dried-out wetlands that are outcomes of extensive logging usually increase the emission of nitrous oxide, and fires used to clear land for agriculture and livestock discharge particles of soot known as black carbon that takes in sunlight leading to localized warming, according to National Geographic.

(Photo : Getty Images)

Global Warming

Covey reveals to National Geographic forest cutting is getting involved with its carbon uptake; that's an issue. He added: "When you start viewing these other factors equal with CO2, it starts getting very difficult to see how the net effect isn't that the Amazon as a whole is actually warming global climate."

Some of the issue is that most of the ways in which human activities are transforming the Amazon becomes double or even triple whammies at the end when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. 

Related Article: Record High Deforestation Level in the Amazon Recorded in the Past 12 Years

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