Quantifying past forest cover and biomass changes in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

ABSTRACT: Here, we developed and applied models to quantitatively reconstruct forest cover and biomass changes at three lakes in northwestern Amazonia over the past > 1500 yr. We used remotely sensed data and a modern dataset of 50 Amazonian lakes to develop generalized linear models that predict aboveground biomass, using phytolith morphotypes and forest cover as predictor variables. Also, we applied a published beta regression model to predict forest cover within 200 m of each lake, using Poaceae phytoliths. Charcoal and maize phytoliths were analysed to identify past land use. Results showed forest cover and biomass changes at our study sites ranged between 48-84% and 142-438 Mg ha^-1, respectively. Human occupation was discontinuous, with major changes in forest cover and biomass coinc

SUBMITTER: Witteveen NH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11617659 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature