Author(s)

Lincoln Muniz Alves^1*, Jose A. Marengo², Rong Fu³, Rodrigo J. Bombardi⁴

¹Earth System Science Center (CCST), National Institute for Space Research (INPE), São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil. 12227-010.
²National Center for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters (CEMADEN), São Paulo, Brazil.
³Dept. of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
⁴Dept. of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.

It is known that the Amazon region plays an important role in the global energy, hydrological cycle and carbon balance. This region has been suffering from the course of the past 40 years intense land use and land cover changes. With this in mind, this study has examined possible associations between change in spatial and temporal rainfall variability and land cover change in the Amazon, using the PRECIS regional modelling system. It has been found that the impacts of land cover change by forest removal are more intense in the so-called “Arc of deforestation” over central and southern Amazonia. However, the relative impact of the simulated rainfall changes seems to be more important in the JJA dry season. In addition, the simulations under the deforestation scenarios also show the occurrence of extreme rainfall events as well as more frequent dry periods. Therefore, the results found show to be potentially important in the modulation of regional climate variations which have several environmental and socio-economic impacts.

Amazonia, Climate Variability, Deforestation, Extreme Events, PRECIS

Alves, L. , Marengo, J. , Fu, R. and Bombardi, R. (2017) Sensitivity of Amazon Regional Climate to Deforestation. American Journal of Climate Change, 6, 75-98. doi: 10.4236/ajcc.2017.61005.