Amazonia’s carbon sink in peril

Deforestation and climate change are thought to reduce Amazonia’s carbon sink. Luciana Gatti and colleagues report aircraft observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide concentrations in Brazil from 2010–2018. The authors find that carbon emissions are larger in eastern Amazonia than in the western part. Southeastern Amazonia, in particular, acts as a net carbon source to the atmosphere. The authors suggest that the higher carbon emissions in the eastern part can be explained by an intensification of the dry season and an increase in deforestation, promoting ecosystem stress and an increase in fire occurrence.