Changes in land use enhance the sensitivity of tropical ecosystems to fire-climate extremes

Record-breaking wildfires in the Pantanal, the world's largest contiguous wetland, in 2020 were driven by both extreme drought and human land-use changes. While severe drought provided the fuel for fires, spatial patterns of burning revealed that human activities—particularly low-intensity fires—amplified their impact on natural ecosystems. Over half (52%) of burned areas were within natural landscapes, with significant ecological consequences: vegetation productivity plummeted by more than 1.5 standard deviations across 30% of conservation areas, evaporation decreased by ~9%, and runoff increased by ~5%. These changes highlight the synergistic effects of climate extremes and land management on tropical wetlands, posing long-term risks to ecosystem recovery and fire resilience.

Kumar, S., Getirana, A., Libonati, R., Hain, C., Mahanama, S., & Andela, N. (2022). Changes in land use enhance the sensitivity of tropical ecosystems to fire-climate extremes. Scientific Reports, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05130-0