N. Gedney et Pj. Valdes, The effect of Amazonian deforestation on the northern hemisphere circulation and climate, GEOPHYS R L, 27(19), 2000, pp. 3053-3056
Concern about tropical deforestation has often focused on local climate or
ecological change. Less research has been carried out on its possible effec
ts on the global climate, although possible mechanisms for such an occurren
ce have been proposed. Here we use a general circulation model (GCM) to sho
w that complete Amazonian deforestation can result in changes in the climat
e far afield from the region of deforestation. In particular, the model pre
dicts statistically significant changes to winter rainfall over the NE Atla
ntic, extending towards western Europe. These are associated with large-sca
le circulation changes in middle and high latitudes. Simulation of these ci
rculation changes with a simple model confirms the physical mechanism respo
nsible (planetary wave propagation) implying that the result is robust and
relatively independent of the GCM used.