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Amazon deforestation weakens Atlantic Niño variability
Shengbiao Wei1,2,3, Chunzai Wang1,2,3, Wenju Cai4,5
1State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
Nature Communications
|February 23, 2026
Summary
Amazon deforestation has weakened Atlantic Niño variability by ~23% since 1970. This land use change alters tropical Atlantic thermal contrast, impacting ocean-atmosphere dynamics and climate patterns.
Area of Science:
- Earth System Science
- Climate Dynamics
- Oceanography
Background:
- The Amazon Basin has experienced significant deforestation since the 1970s, leading to ecological and climatic consequences.
- The specific impact of this deforestation on tropical ocean-atmosphere coupled variability, such as Atlantic Niño, remains poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of Amazon deforestation on the weakening of Atlantic Niño variability.
- To quantify the contribution of deforestation to observed changes in tropical Atlantic climate dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized observational datasets to analyze trends in Atlantic Niño variability and related climate variables.
- Conducted targeted coupled general circulation model experiments to simulate the effects of deforestation on ocean-atmosphere interactions.
Main Results:
- Amazon deforestation has contributed approximately 23% to the weakening of Atlantic Niño variability since 1970.
- Deforestation-induced local warming and drying enhance interhemispheric thermal contrast, strengthening cross-equatorial winds.
- This process weakens the Bjerknes feedback, a key mechanism driving Atlantic Niño variability.
Conclusions:
- Land surface changes in the Amazon critically influence the tropical coupled ocean-atmosphere system.
- Deforestation plays a substantial role in modulating tropical Atlantic climate variability, with implications for regional and potentially global climate patterns.
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