Chronosequence predictions are robust in a Neotropical secondary forest, but plots miss the mark

Becknell, Justin M.; Porder, Stephen; Hancock, Steven; Chazdon, Robin L.; Hofton, M. A.; Blair, J. B.; Kellner, James R.

doi:10.1111/gcb.14036

Cited by 4 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Importantly, our analysis predicts variation that is not caused by differences in precipitation or temperature. These results highlight the importance of biotic factors in driving ANPP, because leaf-area profiles are influenced by species composition (Asner et al 2008) and succession within a single landscape where precipitation and temperature are invariant (Kellner et al 2011;Becknell et al 2018). Soil fertility is also an important determinant of ANPP in tropical forests and can explain 7-18% of ANPP variation not explained by mean annual precipitation and temperature (Vitousek 1984;Cleveland et al 2011;Hofhansl et al 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…; Becknell et al . ), when local disturbances such as tree falls influence light availability, soil nutrient availability and tree growth rates (Vitousek & Denslow ; Chandrashekara & Ramakrishnan ; Denslow et al . ; Feeley et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This indicates that the efficiency with which absorbed light drives photosynthesis may depend on the three-dimensional arrangement of leaves and suggests that the vertical distribution of leaf area may be a stronger predictor of ANPP than total leaf area without information about its vertical arrangement. Third, vertical distributions of leaf area are also correlated with life-history variation and changes in forest composition during succession (Westoby et al 2002;Kellner et al 2011;Stark et al 2015;Becknell et al 2018), when local disturbances such as tree falls influence light availability, soil nutrient availability and tree growth rates (Vitousek & Denslow 1986;Chandrashekara & Ramakrishnan 1994;Denslow et al 1998;Feeley et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prediction of forest aboveground net primary production from high‐resolution vertical leaf‐area profiles

Cushman

Kellner

2019

Ecol Lett

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Temperature and precipitation explain about half the variation in aboveground net primary production (ANPP) among tropical forest sites, but determinants of remaining variation are poorly understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that the amount of leaf area, and its vertical arrangement, predicts ANPP when other variables are held constant. Using measurements from airborne lidar in a lowland Neotropical rain forest, we quantify vertical leaf‐area profiles and develop models of ANPP driven by leaf area and other measurements of forest structure. Vertical leaf‐area profiles predict 38% of the variation among plots. This number is 4.5 times greater than models using total leaf area (disregarding vertical arrangement) and 2.1 times greater than models using canopy height alone. Furthermore, ANPP predictions from vertical leaf‐area profiles were less biased than alternate metrics. Variation in ANPP not attributable to temperature or precipitation can be predicted by the vertical distribution of leaf area in this system.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prediction of forest aboveground net primary production from high‐resolution vertical leaf‐area profiles

Cushman

Kellner

2019

Ecol Lett

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“…, Becknell et al. ). A preferable alternative relies on the long‐term monitoring of permanent forest plots, but such studies are currently rare, and seldom extend beyond two decades of monitoring (Feldpausch et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, Becknell et al. ), which prevents a robust assessment of regeneration dynamics at the landscape scale (Estes et al. ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Slow rate of secondary forest carbon accumulation in the Guianas compared with the rest of the Neotropics

Chave

Piponiot

Maréchaux

et al. 2019

Ecological Applications

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Secondary forests are a prominent component of tropical landscapes, and they constitute a major atmospheric carbon sink. Rates of carbon accumulation are usually inferred from chronosequence studies, but direct estimates of carbon accumulation based on long‐term monitoring of stands are rarely reported. Recent compilations on secondary forest carbon accumulation in the Neotropics are heavily biased geographically as they do not include estimates from the Guiana Shield. We analysed the temporal trajectory of aboveground carbon accumulation and floristic composition at one 25‐ha secondary forest site in French Guiana. The site was clear‐cut in 1976, abandoned thereafter, and one large plot (6.25 ha) has been monitored continuously since. We used Bayesian modeling to assimilate inventory data and simulate the long‐term carbon accumulation trajectory. Canopy change was monitored using two aerial lidar surveys conducted in 2009 and 2017. We compared the dynamics of this site with that of a surrounding old‐growth forest. Finally, we compared our results with that from secondary forests in Costa Rica, which is one of the rare long‐term monitoring programs reaching a duration comparable to our study. Twenty years after abandonment, aboveground carbon stock was 64.2 (95% credibility interval 46.4, 89.0) Mg C/ha, and this stock increased to 101.3 (78.7, 128.5) Mg C/ha 20 yr later. The time to accumulate one‐half of the mean aboveground carbon stored in the nearby old‐growth forest (185.6 [155.9, 200.2] Mg C/ha) was estimated at 35.0 [20.9, 55.9] yr. During the first 40 yr, the contribution of the long‐lived pioneer species Xylopia nitida, Goupia glabra, and Laetia procera to the aboveground carbon stock increased continuously. Secondary forest mean‐canopy height measured by lidar increased by 1.14 m in 8 yr, a canopy‐height increase consistent with an aboveground carbon accumulation of 7.1 Mg C/ha (or 0.89 Mg C·ha−1·yr−1) during this period. Long‐term AGC accumulation rate in Costa Rica was almost twice as fast as at our site in French Guiana. This may reflect higher fertility of Central American forest communities or a better adaptation of the forest tree community to intense and frequent disturbances. This finding may have important consequences for scaling‐up carbon uptake estimates to continental scales.

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Above‐ground net primary productivity in regenerating seasonally dry tropical forest: Contributions of rainfall, forest age and soil

et al. 2021

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Identifying factors controlling forest productivity is critical to understanding forest‐climate change feedbacks, modelling vegetation dynamics and carbon finance schemes. However, little research has focused on productivity in regenerating tropical forests which are expanding in their fraction of global area have an order of magnitude larger carbon uptake rates relative to older forest. We examined above‐ground net primary productivity (ANPP) and its components (wood production and litterfall) over 10 years in forest plots that vary in successional age, soil characteristics and species composition using band dendrometers and litterfall traps in regenerating seasonally dry tropical forests in northwestern Costa Rica. We show that the components of ANPP are differentially driven by age and annual rainfall and that local soil variation is important. Total ANPP was explained by a combination of age, annual rainfall and soil variation. Wood production comprised 35% of ANPP on average across sites and years, and was explained by annual rainfall but not forest age. Conversely, litterfall increased with forest age and soil fertility yet was not affected by annual rainfall. In this region, edaphic variability is highly correlated with plant community composition. Thus, variation in ecosystem processes explained by soil may also be partially explained by species composition. These results suggest that future changes in annual rainfall can alter the secondary forest carbon sink, but this effect will be buffered by the litterfall flux which varies little among years. In determining the long‐term strength of the secondary forest carbon sink, both rainfall and forest age will be critical variables to track. We also conclude that detailed understanding of local site variation in soils and plant community may be required to accurately predict the impact of changing rainfall on forest carbon uptake. Synthesis. We show that in seasonally dry tropical forest, annual rainfall has a positive relationship with the growth of above‐ground woody tissues of trees and that droughts lead to significant reductions in above‐ground productivity. These results provide evidence for climate change—carbon cycle feedbacks in the seasonal tropics and highlight the value of longitudinal data on forest regeneration.

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Chronosequence predictions are robust in a Neotropical secondary forest, but plots miss the mark

Cited by 4 publications

References 34 publications

Prediction of forest aboveground net primary production from high‐resolution vertical leaf‐area profiles

Prediction of forest aboveground net primary production from high‐resolution vertical leaf‐area profiles

Slow rate of secondary forest carbon accumulation in the Guianas compared with the rest of the Neotropics

Above‐ground net primary productivity in regenerating seasonally dry tropical forest: Contributions of rainfall, forest age and soil

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