Geographer: Drought, Fires Impact Ability of Amazon to Hold Carbon Dioxide

From the Source:

"Fires in the Amazon could jeopardize the forest's ability to soak up carbon dioxide emissions even as deforestation there slows down, according to a Penn State geographer. In an invited commentary in the Feb. 6 edition of Nature, Jennifer Balch, assistant professor of geography, noted that dry weather conditions, coupled with fires, may mean that over time the Amazon forest will lose its ability to take in more carbon dioxide than it releases — going from being a carbon sink to a source."

Above: "Fires in the Amazon, such as this pasture blaze in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, may swamp the forest's ability to take in more carbon dioxide than land use releases, according to Penn State geographer Jennifer Balch." - Penn State News

Above: "Fires in the Amazon, such as this pasture blaze in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, may swamp the forest's ability to take in more carbon dioxide than land use releases, according to Penn State geographer Jennifer Balch." - Penn State News