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Published Online November 29, 2007
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1146961

Review

Submitted on June 25, 2007
Accepted on October 11, 2007

Climate Change, Deforestation, and the Fate of the Amazon

Yadvinder Malhi 1*, J. Timmons Roberts 2, Richard A. Betts 3, Timothy J. Killeen 4, Wenhong Li 5, Carlos A. Nobre 6

1 Environmental Change Institute, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK.
2 Environmental Change Institute, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK.; 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.
Yadvinder Malhi , E-mail: yadvinder.malhi{at}ouce.ox.ac.uk

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. In this review, 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.


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