The Brazilian Amazon, globally renowned as the largest tropical rain forest, faces a frequently overlooked threat: the loss of non-forest natural vegetation. This vegetation includes savannas, grasslands, seasonally flooded areas, and ecotones, among other natural formations (Figure 1). Although less known, these areas are crucial for biodiversity conservation, including endemic species, and the provision of essential ecosystem services. The historical lack of adequate mapping and monitoring of these areas has contributed to underestimating their importance and vulnerability​​.

In our study, Unaccounted for non-forest vegetation loss in the Brazilian Amazon published in Communications Earth & Environment, we analyzed historical data to quantify and understand the loss in non-forest areas, which are equally vital for biodiversity and regional ecosystems in the Amazon. This is an extension of the well-established PRODES monitoring system for Amazonian forests, developed by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) since 1988, to include non-forest ecosystems, hence called PRODES NF.

 PRODES NF used Landsat and Sentinel satellite images to map the loss of non-forest natural vegetation in the Amazon. In this study, we present the losses observed up to 2022. By combining geospatial and statistical techniques, we offer a comprehensive view of landscape transformations over time. This marks the first time a consistent historical series of Amazon non-forest formations has been mapped, covering an area of 279,492.08 km², equivalent to 6.6% of the Amazon biome.

Key Findings

• Total loss: The total loss of non-forest natural vegetation up to 2022 was 29,247.44 km², accounting for 10% of the mapped area (279,492.08 km²). More than half of these losses occurred in the last two decades.
• High supression rates: The research revealed alarmingly high loss rates in non-forest natural vegetation areas, reflecting a pattern similar to that observed in Amazonian forests. Losses have been driven by agricultural expansion to new frontiers (Figure 2) as a result of infrastructure development such as roads and ports​​.
• Impact of public policies: Public policies such as the Soy Moratorium and the Beef Agreement, which aim to restrict deforestation in forested areas, may have inadvertently encouraged the expansion of these activities into non-forest natural vegetation areas. These policies do not monitor these areas, allowing agricultural conversion to proceed without adequate oversight​​.
• Low legal protection: Only a small fraction of the non-forest natural vegetation areas is protected by conservation units or indigenous lands. This lack of legal protection makes these areas extremely vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures occurring in the region such as sand extraction and agricultural expansion​​.
• Geographical trends: The losses showed a shifting trend from the south to the north of the biome, concentrated in three hotspots: Mato Grosso (in the south), with predominantly older losses, and (in the north) in Roraima and Amapá, with more recent losses (Figure 2).
• Savannas most affected: losses occurred mostly in savannas (27.72% of the mapped area), losing 13.23% of their area.

Our study shows that the non-forest natural vegetation of the Brazilian Amazon is as threatened as forests while lacking similar protection mechanisms. As such, these areas require urgent and rigorous protection policies and monitoring. To mitigate this loss, we recommend:

• Expansion of legal protection: Inclusion of more areas of non-forest natural vegetation in conservation units and Indigenous Lands.
• Continuous monitoring: Fund, maintain and expand governmental and civil monitoring programs to include non-forest natural vegetation.
• Comprehensive public policies: Adjust public policies to specifically address the protection of non-forest natural vegetation areas, ensuring that agreements like the Soy Moratorium and the Beef Agreement also cover these areas​​.

 Impact and Future Perspectives

Our findings highlight the urgent need for a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to Amazon conservation. By highlighting the issue of non-forest natural vegetation loss, the study paves the way for future research and policy development that can effectively integrate the conservation of these neglected areas. Implementing the proposed recommendations will not only help preserve the biodiversity and ecosystem services of non-forest natural areas, but also strengthen the ecological resilience of the Amazon as a whole​​.

Recognizing and addressing non-forest natural vegetation loss are critical steps toward ensuring a sustainable future for the Amazon and the planet. This study serves as a call to action for researchers, policymakers, and society at large, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all components of the Amazon biome and the need for an integrated and comprehensive protection.