Onset of the rainy season: a paradigm shift for conservation of the Amazon

It has been recently demonstrated that large-scale mechanisms interact with Amazon deforestation to delay the onset and decrease the duration of the rainy season in Southern Amazonia. A short rainy season increases the exposure of the rainforest to drought and possibly fires, but also increases the climate risk to the intensive double cropping (soy/maize) agriculture system practiced in the region, which requires at least 200 days of rains. Here we show that areas in Southern Amazonia that have more than 20% deforestation, i.e., areas that have not respected the maximum deforestation allowed by Brazil´s Forest Code, have increased climate risk for agriculture when compared to areas that have less than 20% deforested. These results show how environmentally sensible the Brazilian Forest Code is. The legislation, if strictly followed, supports the climate regulation service provided by the rainforest, in a way that benefit the farmers that collectively respect the legislation by anticipating the onset and increasing the duration of the rainy season and decreasing the climate risk to the double cropping systems. These results introduce a new paradigm for conservation of the Amazon, in which there are economic and social reasons to preserve the native vegetation, and it is in the best interest of the agribusiness, local governments and people, to conserve and restore the remaining natural vegetation.