Depopulation of rural landscapes exacerbates fire activity in the western Amazon.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 109(52): 21546-50, 2012 Dec 26.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23236144
Destructive fires in Amazonia have occurred in the past decade, leading to forest degradation, carbon emissions, impaired air quality, and property damage. Here, we couple climate, geospatial, and province-level census data, with farmer surveys to examine the climatic, demographic, and land use factors associated with fire frequency in the Peruvian Amazon from 2000 to 2010. Although our results corroborate previous findings elsewhere that drought and proximity to roads increase fire frequency, the province-scale analysis further identifies decreases in rural populations as an additional factor. Farmer survey data suggest that increased burn scar frequency and size reflect increased flammability of emptying rural landscapes and reduced capacity to control fire. With rural populations projected to decline, more frequent drought, and expansion of road infrastructure, fire risk is likely to increase in western Amazonia. Damage from fire can be reduced through warning systems that target high-risk locations, coordinated fire fighting efforts, and initiatives that provide options for people to remain in rural landscapes.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
População Rural
/
Ecossistema
/
Incêndios
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Peru
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Ano de publicação:
2012
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos