Detecting climate change concurrent with deforestation in the Amazon Basin: which way has it gone?

Abstract

To detect climate change in the Amazon Basin, as possibly induced by deforestation, time series of monthly mean outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), an index of tropical convection, and monthly rainfall totals at Belem and Manaus for the past 15 yr are analyzed. There is little indication for a rainfall increase associated with deforestation, but rather a strong signal of enhanced convection in the portion of Amazonia contributing most strongly to the total precipitation over the basin. -from Authors