Effect of 7 yr of experimental drought on vegetation dynamics and biomass storage of an eastern Amazonian rainforest

Antonio Carlos Lola da Costa; David Galbraith; Samuel Almeida; Bruno Takeshi Tanaka Portela; Mauricio da Costa; Joao de Athaydes Silva Junior; Alan P. Braga; Paulo H. L. de Goncalves; Alex A. R. de Oliveira; Rosie Fisher; Oliver L. Phillips; Daniel B. Metcalfe; Peter Levy; Patrick Meir

doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03309.x

Effect of 7 yr of experimental drought on vegetation dynamics and biomass storage of an eastern Amazonian rainforest

Antonio Carlos Lola da Costa, David Galbraith, Samuel Almeida, Bruno Takeshi Tanaka Portela, Mauricio da Costa, Joao de Athaydes Silva Junior, Alan P. Braga, Paulo H. L. de Goncalves, Alex A. R. de Oliveira, Rosie Fisher, Oliver L. Phillips, Daniel B. Metcalfe, Peter Levy, Patrick Meir

School of Geosciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

At least one climate model predicts severe reductions of rainfall over Amazonia during this century. Long-term throughfall exclusion (TFE) experiments represent the best available means to investigate the resilience of the Amazon rainforest to such droughts.

Results are presented from a 7 yr TFE study at Caxiuana National Forest, eastern Amazonia. We focus on the impacts of the drought on tree mortality, wood production and above-ground biomass.

Tree mortality in the TFE plot over the experimental period was 2.5% yr-1, compared with 1.25% yr-1 in a nearby control plot experiencing normal rainfall. Differences in stem mortality between plots were greatest in the largest (> 40 cm diameter at breast height (dbh)) size class (4.1% yr-1 in the TFE and 1.4% yr-1 in the control). Wood production in the TFE plot was c. 30% lower than in the control plot. Together, these changes resulted in a loss of 37.8 +/- 2.0 Mg carbon (C) ha-1 in the TFE plot (2002-2008), compared with no change in the control.

These results are remarkably consistent with those from another TFE (at Tapajos National Forest), suggesting that eastern Amazonian forests may respond to prolonged drought in a predictable manner.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	579-591
Number of pages	13
Journal	New Phytologist
Volume	187
Issue number	3
Early online date	9 Jun 2010
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03309.x
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2010

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Amazon rainforest
biomass
drought
tree mortality
wood production
ABOVEGROUND LIVE BIOMASS
EL-NINO DROUGHT
TROPICAL FORESTS
TREE MORTALITY
WOOD DENSITY
BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA
POSITIVE FEEDBACKS
WATER STATUS
CARBON
CLIMATE

Access to Document

10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03309.x

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03309.x/abstract

Cite this

Lola da Costa, A. C., Galbraith, D., Almeida, S., Tanaka Portela, B. T., da Costa, M., de Athaydes Silva Junior, J., Braga, A. P., de Goncalves, P. H. L., de Oliveira, A. A. R., Fisher, R., Phillips, O. L., Metcalfe, D. B., Levy, P., & Meir, P. (2010). Effect of 7 yr of experimental drought on vegetation dynamics and biomass storage of an eastern Amazonian rainforest. New Phytologist, 187(3), 579-591. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03309.x

@article{19783ff846854a8f90bbc8cd45729a04,

title = "Effect of 7 yr of experimental drought on vegetation dynamics and biomass storage of an eastern Amazonian rainforest",

abstract = "At least one climate model predicts severe reductions of rainfall over Amazonia during this century. Long-term throughfall exclusion (TFE) experiments represent the best available means to investigate the resilience of the Amazon rainforest to such droughts.Results are presented from a 7 yr TFE study at Caxiuana National Forest, eastern Amazonia. We focus on the impacts of the drought on tree mortality, wood production and above-ground biomass.Tree mortality in the TFE plot over the experimental period was 2.5% yr-1, compared with 1.25% yr-1 in a nearby control plot experiencing normal rainfall. Differences in stem mortality between plots were greatest in the largest (> 40 cm diameter at breast height (dbh)) size class (4.1% yr-1 in the TFE and 1.4% yr-1 in the control). Wood production in the TFE plot was c. 30% lower than in the control plot. Together, these changes resulted in a loss of 37.8 +/- 2.0 Mg carbon (C) ha-1 in the TFE plot (2002-2008), compared with no change in the control.These results are remarkably consistent with those from another TFE (at Tapajos National Forest), suggesting that eastern Amazonian forests may respond to prolonged drought in a predictable manner.",

keywords = "Amazon rainforest, biomass, drought, tree mortality, wood production, ABOVEGROUND LIVE BIOMASS, EL-NINO DROUGHT, TROPICAL FORESTS, TREE MORTALITY, WOOD DENSITY, BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA, POSITIVE FEEDBACKS, WATER STATUS, CARBON, CLIMATE",

author = "{Lola da Costa}, {Antonio Carlos} and David Galbraith and Samuel Almeida and {Tanaka Portela}, {Bruno Takeshi} and {da Costa}, Mauricio and {de Athaydes Silva Junior}, Joao and Braga, {Alan P.} and {de Goncalves}, {Paulo H. L.} and {de Oliveira}, {Alex A. R.} and Rosie Fisher and Phillips, {Oliver L.} and Metcalfe, {Daniel B.} and Peter Levy and Patrick Meir",

year = "2010",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03309.x",

language = "English",

volume = "187",

pages = "579--591",

journal = "New Phytologist",

issn = "0028-646X",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "3",

}

Lola da Costa, AC, Galbraith, D, Almeida, S, Tanaka Portela, BT, da Costa, M, de Athaydes Silva Junior, J, Braga, AP, de Goncalves, PHL, de Oliveira, AAR, Fisher, R, Phillips, OL, Metcalfe, DB, Levy, P & Meir, P 2010, 'Effect of 7 yr of experimental drought on vegetation dynamics and biomass storage of an eastern Amazonian rainforest', New Phytologist, vol. 187, no. 3, pp. 579-591. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03309.x

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of 7 yr of experimental drought on vegetation dynamics and biomass storage of an eastern Amazonian rainforest

AU - Lola da Costa, Antonio Carlos

AU - Galbraith, David

AU - Almeida, Samuel

AU - Tanaka Portela, Bruno Takeshi

AU - da Costa, Mauricio

AU - de Athaydes Silva Junior, Joao

AU - Braga, Alan P.

AU - de Goncalves, Paulo H. L.

AU - de Oliveira, Alex A. R.

AU - Fisher, Rosie

AU - Phillips, Oliver L.

AU - Metcalfe, Daniel B.

AU - Levy, Peter

AU - Meir, Patrick

PY - 2010/8/1

Y1 - 2010/8/1

N2 - At least one climate model predicts severe reductions of rainfall over Amazonia during this century. Long-term throughfall exclusion (TFE) experiments represent the best available means to investigate the resilience of the Amazon rainforest to such droughts.Results are presented from a 7 yr TFE study at Caxiuana National Forest, eastern Amazonia. We focus on the impacts of the drought on tree mortality, wood production and above-ground biomass.Tree mortality in the TFE plot over the experimental period was 2.5% yr-1, compared with 1.25% yr-1 in a nearby control plot experiencing normal rainfall. Differences in stem mortality between plots were greatest in the largest (> 40 cm diameter at breast height (dbh)) size class (4.1% yr-1 in the TFE and 1.4% yr-1 in the control). Wood production in the TFE plot was c. 30% lower than in the control plot. Together, these changes resulted in a loss of 37.8 +/- 2.0 Mg carbon (C) ha-1 in the TFE plot (2002-2008), compared with no change in the control.These results are remarkably consistent with those from another TFE (at Tapajos National Forest), suggesting that eastern Amazonian forests may respond to prolonged drought in a predictable manner.

AB - At least one climate model predicts severe reductions of rainfall over Amazonia during this century. Long-term throughfall exclusion (TFE) experiments represent the best available means to investigate the resilience of the Amazon rainforest to such droughts.Results are presented from a 7 yr TFE study at Caxiuana National Forest, eastern Amazonia. We focus on the impacts of the drought on tree mortality, wood production and above-ground biomass.Tree mortality in the TFE plot over the experimental period was 2.5% yr-1, compared with 1.25% yr-1 in a nearby control plot experiencing normal rainfall. Differences in stem mortality between plots were greatest in the largest (> 40 cm diameter at breast height (dbh)) size class (4.1% yr-1 in the TFE and 1.4% yr-1 in the control). Wood production in the TFE plot was c. 30% lower than in the control plot. Together, these changes resulted in a loss of 37.8 +/- 2.0 Mg carbon (C) ha-1 in the TFE plot (2002-2008), compared with no change in the control.These results are remarkably consistent with those from another TFE (at Tapajos National Forest), suggesting that eastern Amazonian forests may respond to prolonged drought in a predictable manner.

KW - Amazon rainforest

KW - biomass

KW - drought

KW - tree mortality

KW - wood production

KW - ABOVEGROUND LIVE BIOMASS

KW - EL-NINO DROUGHT

KW - TROPICAL FORESTS

KW - TREE MORTALITY

KW - WOOD DENSITY

KW - BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA

KW - POSITIVE FEEDBACKS

KW - WATER STATUS

KW - CARBON

KW - CLIMATE

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77954941212&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03309.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03309.x

M3 - Article

SN - 0028-646X

VL - 187

SP - 579

EP - 591

JO - New Phytologist

JF - New Phytologist

IS - 3

ER -

Effect of 7 yr of experimental drought on vegetation dynamics and biomass storage of an eastern Amazonian rainforest

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Understanding the tropical carbon cycle

PAN-AMAZONIA: Project for the advancement of Networked Science

Brazilian rain forest carbon cycling during an El Nino

Cite this

Effect of 7 yr of experimental drought on vegetation dynamics and biomass storage of an eastern Amazonian rainforest

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Understanding the tropical carbon cycle

PAN-AMAZONIA: Project for the advancement of Networked Science

Brazilian rain forest carbon cycling during an El Nino

Cite this