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Originally published in Science Express on 29 November 2007
Science 11 January 2008:
Vol. 319. no. 5860, pp. 169 - 172
DOI: 10.1126/science.1146961
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Review

Climate Change, Deforestation, and the Fate of the Amazon

Yadvinder Malhi,1* J. Timmons Roberts,1,2 Richard A. Betts,3 Timothy J. Killeen,4 Wenhong Li,5 Carlos A. Nobre6

The forest biome of Amazonia is one of Earth's greatest biological treasures and a major component of the Earth system. This century, it faces the dual threats of deforestation and stress from climate change. Here, we summarize some of the latest findings and thinking on these threats, explore the consequences for the forest ecosystem and its human residents, and outline options for the future of Amazonia. We also discuss the implications of new proposals to finance preservation of Amazonian forests.

1 Environmental Change Institute, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK.
2 College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 23187, USA.
3 Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter EX1 3PB, UK.
4 Conservation International, Washington, DC 20036, USA.
5 School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332–0340, USA.
6 Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, São Jose dos Campos, SP, Brazil.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: yadvinder.malhi{at}ouce.ox.ac.uk

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