Koren, I, Remer, LA, Longo, K (2007). Reversal of trend of biomass burning in the Amazon. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, 34(20), L20404.
We use MODIS aerosol optical depth and AVHRR fire counts over the Amazon Basin to determine whether biomass burning is increasing or decreasing over continental scales in South America. We find a significant sustained increasing trend in both the seasonal mean optical depth and fire data that begins in the year 2000 and 1998, respectively, and continues through 2005. However, there is a sharp reversal of this trend in 2006 that causes the overall trend to become less significant. The sharp decrease of biomass burning in 2006 is linked to a tri-national policy shift first implemented in 2006. The results show how significantly human activity can affect the large scale environment.