Scientists in Brazil have launched the AmazonFACE Project near Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon.
About AmazonFACE Project

• The AmazonFACE Project (Amazon Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment) is a major, long-term, field experiment simulating future climate conditions to understand how the Amazon rainforest will react to elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2​).
• It is a pioneering scientific initiative and the first of its kind on this scale in a natural, high-biodiversity tropical forest. The project is led by the National Institute for Amazon Research (INPA) and Universidade Estadual de Campinas in Brazil, with support from the Brazilian federal government and the United Kingdom.

Key Components and Working
The experiment operates as a "climate time machine" to assess the Amazon's resilience and its continued role as a crucial global carbon sink.

• Location: The experiment is set up near Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon.
• FACE Technology: It uses Free-Air CO2​ Enrichment (FACE) technology, previously used in temperate biomes, to expose mature tropical trees to projected future CO2​ levels.

​Experimental Setup: The site features six massive steel tower rings constructed above the jungle canopy.

• Each ring encircles a cluster of 50 to 70 mature trees.
• Three rings are continuously fumigated with CO2​ concentrations simulating forecasts for the coming decades (e.g., 2050 or 2060).
• The remaining three rings serve as untouched control samples for comparison.
• Continuous Monitoring: High-tech sensors record the forest's response every ten minutes, tracking the trees' absorption of CO2​, release of oxygen and water vapor, and overall health in response to weather conditions.

Primary Objectives
The core objectives are to gather crucial data to inform global climate models and conservation policies:

• Assess Photosynthesis and Growth: Determine if increased CO2​ will stimulate biomass growth and water use efficiency, potentially increasing the forest's capacity to absorb more atmospheric carbon.
• Evaluate Ecosystem-Level Response: Study the effects of elevated CO2​ on various ecological processes, including carbon fluxes and storage in plant tissues, litter, and soil, as well as nutrient cycling, water flow, and biodiversity.
• Inform Climate Policy: Provide critical, science-based data for international climate change deliberations, such as the COP30 United Nations Climate Summit, regarding rainforest conservation and carbon budgeting.
• The AmazonFACE Project: Exploring the impact of climate change on the rainforest provides visual context on the massive scale and scientific purpose of this unique field experiment.

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