Research published in Nature Geoscience reveals that particles generated by forest combustion act as natural fertilizers, providing phosphorus in the smoke from fires, compensating for the lack of essential minerals in the soil of the Amazon.
Smoke emissions from the burning of biomass have been revealed as a critical source of phosphorus in the smoke from fires, a vital element that promotes the growth of the Amazon rainforest.
Although wildfires represent a direct and devastating threat to biodiversity, a recent scientific study details how organic aerosols carried by air currents function as an atmospheric fertilizer that nourishes extensive areas of this tropical ecosystem.
Historically, the scientific community considered that mineral dust from the Sahara desert was the main external provider of nutrients for the region.
However, the researchers’ analysis has determined that the combustion of vegetation releases significant amounts of soluble phosphorus.
Phosphorus in the smoke from fires
This component, when dispersed by the smoke, is absorbed by the forest canopy and the soil after its deposition, allowing for regeneration and biological development that would otherwise be slower.
This transfer of nutrients is fundamental for the ecological balance, given that phosphorus is often the “bottleneck” or limiting factor for plant productivity in tropical soils, which are naturally old and poor in minerals.
By receiving this phosphorus in the smoke from fires, trees can perform their photosynthetic and growth processes with greater efficiency, especially in areas far from traditional sources of mineral sedimentation.
The finding highlights a complex environmental paradox: while fire destroys localized areas of biomass, the resulting smoke redistributes minerals that can enhance the resilience of unaffected regions.
The collected data suggests that the impact of this contribution is comparable to the transatlantic sedimentation of dust, forcing a redefinition of current models on the biochemical cycles and nutrition of the Amazon basin in the face of climate change.
