DECAF - Research Outputs
We are studying the impacts of deforestation and forest degradation on local and regional climate.
Impacts of deforestation on local climate
Tropical forests cycle large quantities of water between the land and atmosphere, with important impacts on local climate. Deforestation reduces the amount of water pumped into the atmosphere, increasing dry season land-surface temperature in the Amazon by up to 1.5oC and decreasing dry season rainfall by up to 40%.
This research by the University of Leeds and other research institutions has provided new insights on the relationship between tropical forests and local climate. To communicate this research, the University of Leeds have developed a simple infographic summarising recent research findings, shown below.
The infographic is also available in the following languages: Bahasa Indonesia, Mandarin, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Swahili.
A blank version is also available by request where text in other languages can be added.
The infographic is freely available for non-commercial use.
For more information about the infographic and its use, please contact:
Nike Doggart <N.Doggart@leeds.ac.uk> or Callum Smith <C.M.Smith1@leeds.ac.uk>
We also welcome feedback on the infographic, and how it has been used.
The infographic reflects the findings of the following research publications.
Butt, E.W., et al., 2023. Amazon deforestation causes strong regional warming. PNAS. U.S.A. 120, e2309123120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2309123120
Smith, C., Baker, J.C.A., Spracklen, D.V., 2023. Tropical deforestation causes large reductions in observed precipitation. Nature 615, 270–275. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05690-1
Smith et al, 2023. Observed and simulated local climate responses to tropical deforestation. Environ. Res. Lett. 18, 104004. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/acf0da
Spracklen, D., Arnold, S. & Taylor, C. Observations of increased tropical rainfall preceded by air passage over forests. Nature 489, 282–285 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11390
Forest Degradation in Asia
Natural forests in Asia are being rapidly degraded by logging. Logged forests in Vietnam only store half the above-ground carbon compared to un-logged (on lightly logged) forests. Illegal logging removes more than 3 tonnes of biomass per hectare each year and is an important source of income in local communities. This work is a partnership with the World Land Trust, VietNature, Hue University and the University of York. Read more about the work here.
Causes of deforestation in Tanzania
Efforts to reduce deforestation require detailed information of the main causes of forest loss. We use on the ground surveys and remote sensing to show that agriculture is the main cause of deforestation in Tanzania.