Mapping the density of giant trees in the Amazon.

ABSTRACT: Tall trees (height ≥ 60 m) are keystone elements of tropical forests, strongly influencing biodiversity, carbon storage, and ecosystem resilience. Yet, their density and spatial distribution remain poorly quantified, especially in remote Amazonian regions, limiting our understanding of their ecological roles and contribution to forest-climate interactions. We combined airborne LiDAR data from 900 transects across the Brazilian Amazon with environmental predictors to model tall-tree density. Spatial extrapolations allowed us to generate regional distribution estimates and assess associations with climate, topography, and disturbance regimes. Our model predicts that tall trees are unevenly distributed, with c. 14% of the estimated density concentrated in c. 1% of the Amazon and c. 50% within

SUBMITTER: de Lima RB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12676077 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature