In the heart of the Amazon rainforest, a groundbreaking experiment is underway to shed light on the fate of the world's largest rainforest as carbon dioxide levels continue to rise. The AmazonFACE project, a collaboration between Brazil and the United Kingdom, serves as an open-air laboratory, aiming to understand the rainforest's response to future climate change scenarios.
Located 50 miles north of Manaus in Brazil, the project utilizes a series of towering metal structures, with one central tower surrounded by sixteen others in a circular formation. These towers simulate the effects of global warming by "pumping" carbon dioxide into the air, replicating projected future concentrations. The objective is to observe how the rainforest adapts to rising temperatures, reduced water availability, and increased carbon levels in the atmosphere.
While the FACE (Free Air CO2 Enrichment) technology has been employed in studying forests in other regions, this marks the first time it will be utilized in a tropical rainforest. By 2024, six "carbon rings" will be operational, exposing the rainforest to CO2 concentrations 40 to 50 percent higher than current levels. Over the course of a decade, researchers will meticulously analyze various processes occurring within the ecosystem, including leaves, roots, soil, water, and nutrient cycles.
The outcome of this project carries significant implications. Researchers hope to gain more accurate projections on the rainforest's potential to mitigate climate change by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. Additionally, they seek to understand how the rainforest itself will be impacted by these environmental changes. While increased carbon levels may lead to the emergence of grassy plains in areas once covered by the Amazon rainforest, it could also temporarily strengthen the rainforest's resistance to these transformations.
AmazonFACE is viewed as a valuable window into the future, providing insights into what may unfold in the next three decades. With the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calling for urgent action to counter global warming, this project's findings could contribute to informed decision-making. The alarming rate of deforestation in the Amazon further amplifies the urgency, as scientists have warned that the rainforest is approaching a tipping point where savannas may replace large portions of the current ecosystem.
The University of Campinas and the Brazilian Ministry of Science lead the AmazonFACE project, which has garnered support from the British Foreign Office and the British Meteorological Service (MET office). During a recent visit, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced an additional contribution of £2 million ($2.4 million) to the project, supplementing the £7.3 million the UK has already invested since 2021. Brazil has also allocated 32 million reais ($6.4 million) towards this crucial research endeavor.