Tropical deforestation drivers are complex and can change rapidly in periods of profound societal transformation, such as those during a pandemic. Evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred illegal, opportunistic forest clearing in tropical countries, threatening forest ecosystems and their resident human communities. A total of 9583 km² of deforestation alerts from Global Land Analysis & Discovery (GLAD) were detected across the global tropics during the first month following the implementation of confinement measures of local governments to reduce COVID-19 spread, which is nearly double that of 2019 (4732 km²). We present a conceptual framework linking tropical deforestation and the current pandemic. Zoonotic diseases, public health, economy, agriculture, and forests may all be reciprocally linked in complex positive and negative feedback loops with overarching consequences. We highlight the emerging threats to nature and society resulting from this complex reciprocal interplay and possible policy interventions that could minimize these threats.

热带森林砍伐的驱动因素很复杂，并且在社会深刻变革时期（例如大流行期间）可能会迅速变化。有证据表明，COVID-19 大流行引发了热带国家非法、机会主义森林砍伐，威胁到森林生态系统及其居民社区。在地方政府为减少 COVID-19 传播而实施限制措施后的第一个月内，全球土地分析与发现 (GLAD) 在全球热带地区共检测到 9583^平方公里的森林砍伐警报，这一数字几乎是之前的两倍2019 年（4732 公里² ）。我们提出了一个将热带森林砍伐与当前流行病联系起来的概念框架。人畜共患疾病、公共卫生、经济、农业和森林都可能在复杂的正反馈循环和负反馈循环中相互关联，产生重大后果。我们强调这种复杂的相互作用以及可能最大限度地减少这些威胁的政策干预对自然和社会造成的新威胁。