Microbial Dynamics and Carbon Sequestration in the Regeneration of the Brazilian Amazon
Siyuan Yin, MLWS 2025
The Brazilian Amazon rainforest, representing 40% of global tropical forests and absorbing 25% of rainforest CO2, faces unprecedented deforestation pressure with 20% of original forest lost since the 1970s. This critical C sinks capacity depends on soil microbial communities, particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which facilitates the carbon sequestration processes through complex belowground processes involving C, N and P cycling. This report examined the differential impacts of two restoration strategies on soil microbial dynamics and long-term carbon storage in the reforestation of the Brazilian Amazon using native Bertholletia excelsa and afforestation with fast-growing Eucalyptus spp. Through qualitative synthesis of peer-reviewed literature published from 2000 onward, the research analyzed how C, N, and P availability and relevant ratios influence AMF activity and carbon sequestration efficiency under two restoration approaches. By comparing the case of the Dutch and the US levee setback programs, this paper further reveals that the evaluation paradigm not only influences the evaluation results but also reflects the underlying governance logic. The Dutch model combines enhanced CBA and participatory MCDA to form a synergistic governance framework, while the US is still heavily constrained by the path dependency of engineering and CBA.
