Abstract
The equatorial island of Borneo is a deforestation hotspot. However, the influence of forest loss on the island’s climate remains largely unexplored. Here, we examine how forest loss is related to changes in ground-based records of temperature (1961–2007) and precipitation (1951–2007), and MODIS data for temperature (2002–2016). Analyses were performed for the entire island, lowland areas (<200 m ASL), and nine selected watersheds. We found a strong island-wide relationship between forest loss and increases in daily temperature and reductions in daily precipitation. The relationship between deforestation and changes in local climate was most pronounced for watersheds in southeast Borneo, which have lost 40%–75% of their forests since 1973. These watersheds also had a significantly higher frequency of temperatures above 31 °C. Watersheds in north and northwest Borneo, which have lost 5%–25% of their forest cover, maintained a more stable climate with a similar distribution of mean and extreme warm temperatures between forest and modified forest areas. Watersheds with >15% forest loss had a >15% reduction in rainfall. We conclude that loss of forest in Borneo has increased local daily temperatures and temperature extremes, and reduced daily precipitation.
Highlights
To date, most of the climate change discourse has focused on the warming effects of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere (IPCC 2014)
We have demonstrated a relationship between forest cover change and local climate change in Borneo
The impact of deforestation on climate was most pronounced in the southeast of Borneo which has experienced extensive deforestation since 1973 (Hansen et al 2013, Gaveau et al 2014b, Miettinen et al 2016)
Summary
Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Clive A McAlpine1,8 , Alex Johnson2, Alvaro Salazar1, Jozef Syktus3, Kerrie Wilson2,5, Erik Meijaard4,5, Leonie Seabrook1, Paul Dargusch1, Haziq Nordin6 and Douglas Sheil7 Keywords: Borneo, deforestation, biophysical climate processes, regional climate change
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