Geophysical Research Letters · 4 September 2026 · From issue 32
Emerging Hotspots of Cropland Expansion on Steeper Tropical Terrains Intensify Tropical Forest Carbon Loss
Tropical cropland is spreading onto steeper forest land, tripling yearly carbon loss since 2004.
Xiaofeng Yang, Alan D. Ziegler et al.
Farmers in the tropics are clearing forests on steeper hillsides than before to grow more crops. This shift matters because steep, hard-to-reach forests often store more carbon. Between 2004 and 2019, forest loss from farming grew faster each period, and the carbon released nearly tripled, going from 46 to 130 million tons of carbon a year.
Yearly forest carbon loss from cropland expansion, measured from 2004 to 2019.
Satellite data only, 2004 to 2019, cannot prove farmer motives.
Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 8 September 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (Geophysical Research Letters). Read the source
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