{"id":333,"date":"2026-02-21T13:39:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T13:39:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/amazon-pyrocarbon\/?page_id=333"},"modified":"2026-06-22T17:47:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T17:47:35","slug":"recent-findings-amazon-pyrocarbon-project","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/amazon-forest-to-field\/recent-findings-amazon-pyrocarbon-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Findings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/span>\"Scientist
\n

Research Findings<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

What our measurements and models are revealing<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

KEY FINDING<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deforestation in the Amazon does not just remove trees — it triggers a carbon cascade beneath the soil, releasing the equivalent of 1.2 times the forest’s aboveground biomass in total carbon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

What we have found so far<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our first measurements and modelling, published in CATENA<\/em> (2025) and synthesised in a policy brief, point to three interconnected findings about soil carbon in the Amazon’s Arc of Deforestation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

1.2×<\/p>\n\n\n

The Deforestation Multiplier<\/h3>\n\n\n

Converting Amazonian forest to agriculture eliminates 100% of aboveground carbon and triggers an additional 38% loss of soil organic carbon — a total carbon loss roughly 1.2 times the original forest’s aboveground biomass. The soil carbon story is inseparable from the tree carbon story.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n

Resilient<\/p>\n\n\n

Soil Carbon Withstands Fire<\/h3>\n\n\n

Unlike aboveground biomass — where repeated burning doubles carbon loss — soil organic carbon is statistically resilient to fire frequency. Burned forests retain approximately 42 Mg C ha−1<\/sup>, compared with 50.5 Mg C ha−1<\/sup> in intact forest. The soil holds on even when the canopy does not.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n

36%<\/p>\n\n\n

An Unrecognised Carbon Stock<\/h3>\n\n\n

Burned Amazon forests hold 36% more soil carbon than agricultural land (42 vs 31 Mg C ha−1<\/sup>), yet current carbon credit standards such as VERRA\/VCS focus only on standing timber. Burned forests receive no financial recognition or protection for this significant soil carbon reservoir.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Science Brief & Policy Recommendations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our findings are synthesised in a freely available science brief aimed at policymakers and carbon market practitioners. It sets out the evidence base and calls for soil carbon to be included in REDD+ and voluntary carbon market frameworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Read the full science brief<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Publications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

Naval, M. L. M., Bieluczyk, W., Alvarez, F., Carvalho, L. C. da S., Maracahipes-Santos, L., Oliveira, E. A. de, Silva, K. G. da, Pereira, M. B., Brando, P. M., Marimon Junior, B. H., Camargo, P. B. de, & Feldpausch, T. R. (2025). Impacts of repeated forest fires and agriculture on soil organic matter and health in southern Amazonia. CATENA<\/em>, 254, 108924. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.catena.2025.108924<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Additional papers from the field campaign are in preparation. Check back for updates, or follow our news page<\/a> for announcements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KEY FINDING Deforestation in the Amazon does not just remove trees — it triggers a carbon cascade beneath the soil, releasing the equivalent of 1.2 times the forest’s aboveground biomass in total carbon. What we have found so far Our first measurements and modelling, published in CATENA (2025) and synthesised in a policy brief, point […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":477,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-no-title","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nResearch Findings | Amazon Forest to Field Project | University of Exeter<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn more about the research results from the Amazon PyroCarbon Project from recent papers\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.exeter.ac.uk\/amazon-forest-to-field\/recent-findings-amazon-pyrocarbon-project\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Research Findings | 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