Climatic Effects of Amazonian Deforestation: Some Results from ABRACOS

Abstract

This paper reviews the climatological measurements and some of the modeling in the Anglo?Brazilian Amazonian Climate Observational Study (ABRACOS) project. The local-scale, mesoscale, and large-scale climatic impacts of Amazonian deforestation are demonstrated. The difference in radiation and energy balance between forest and clearing gives higher air temperatures in the clearings, particularly in the dry season. In areas of substantial deforestation, higher sensible heat fluxes from the cleared forest produce deeper convective boundary layers, with differences in cloud cover being observed and mesoscale circulations being predicted. The use of the ABRACOS data for calibrating general circulation model land surface schemes is discussed.