
It is estimated that in the 1990’s the Amazon absorbed up to two billion tons of CO2 each year but since then, according to the study now absorbs less than half of that.
The study was limited to primary and undisturbed forests, which makes up about 80% of the Amazon. So it doesn’t account for carbon changes, regrowth or deforestation so more research will have to be done in order to provide a more rounded result set but Lars Hedin, a professor of ecology at Princeton University suggests that the research done thus far will form an excellent springboard for a future research and understanding.
He writes: “The CO2 component of climate change may become substantially more difficult to manage and abate in the future if the findings from the Amazon basin apply more generally to the land carbon sink.”
Ian Morgan Arb is committed to Forestry conservation and growth promotion and correctly managing the trees that we have.