Rain forest on Maracá Island, Roraima, Brazil: soil and litter process response to artificial gaps

Luizão, Flávio J.; Proctor, John; Thompson, Jill; Luizão, Regina C. C.; Marrs, Rob H.; Scott, D.; Viana, Virgílio Maurício

doi:10.1016/s0378-1127(97)00170-9

Cited by 21 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Decomposition rates measured in this study are within the range reported for tropical forests (Luizão et al 1998, Mesquita et al 1998, Loranger et al 2002, Villela & Proctor 2002. Decomposition was faster during the wet season than the dry season, as observed in other studies in tropical forests in Amazonia (Luizão & Schubart 1987, Cornu et al 1997) and elsewhere (Cornejo et al 1994, Wieder & Wright 1995.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Leaf Decomposition in a Dry Season Irrigation Experiment in Eastern Amazonian Forest Regrowth

et al. 2007

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Leaf‐litter decomposition is a major component of carbon and nutrient dynamics in tropical forest ecosystems, and moisture availability is widely considered to be a major influence on decomposition rates. Here, we report the results of a study of leaf‐litter decomposition of five tree species in response to dry‐season irrigation in a tropical forest regrowth stand in the Brazilian Amazon; three experiments differing in the timing of installation and duration allowed for an improved resolution of irrigation effects on decomposition. We hypothesized that decomposition rates would be faster under higher moisture availability in the wet season and during dry‐season irrigation periods in the treatment plots, and that decomposition rates would be faster for species with higher quality leaves, independent of treatment. The rates of decomposition (k) were up to 2.4 times higher in irrigated plots than in control plots. The highest k values were shown by Annona paludosa (0.97 to 1.26/yr) while Ocotea guianensis (0.73 to 0.85/yr) had the lowest values; intermediate rates were found for Lacistema pubescens (0.91 to 1.02/yr) and Vismia guianensis (0.91 to 1.08/yr). These four tree species differed significantly in leaf‐litter quality parameters (nitrogen, phosphorus, lignin, and cellulose concentrations, as well as lignin:nitrogen and carbon:nitrogen ratios), but differences in decomposition rates among tree species were not strictly correlated with leaf‐litter quality. Overall, our results show that dry‐season moisture deficits limit decomposition in Amazonian forest regrowth.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Leaf Decomposition in a Dry Season Irrigation Experiment in Eastern Amazonian Forest Regrowth

et al. 2007

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“…However, studies on artificial gaps in Maracá Island, Brazil found that neither soil microbial biomass, soil respiration nor nitrogen mineralization were enhanced in the forest compared to open areas (Luizao et al, 1998). Measured covariables of the present study explained the differences between gaps and forested sites only to a minor extent, suggesting that other factors such as nitrogen concentration or soil organic matter (SOM) could have been important to consider.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 70%

Reduced soil respiration in gaps in logged lowland dipterocarp forests

Saner

Lim

Burla

et al. 2009

Forest Ecology and Management

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“…leaf litter from the heath forest lost K more slowly than the other types of litter and the initial phase of K release from litter was slower in the alluvial habitat. The initial accumulation of Ca in leaf litter followed by a phase of net release has been reported for lowland tropical forests on Maraca Island, Brazil (Luizao et al 1998) and at Gunung Mulu, Sarawak ). However, this pattern of Ca release is not always seen, and other tropical forest studies have reported different patterns of Ca release over time (Upadhay and Singh 1989;Cornu et al 1997).…”

Section: Litterfallmentioning

confidence: 77%

Nutrient fluxes via litterfall and leaf litter decomposition vary across a gradient of soil nutrient supply in a lowland tropical rain forest

et al. 2006

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The extent to which plant communities are determined by resource availability is a central theme in ecosystem science, but patterns of small-scale variation in resource availability are poorly known. Studies of carbon (C) and nutrient cycling provide insights into factors limiting tree growth and forest productivity. To investigate rates of tropical forest litter production and decomposition in relation to nutrient availability and topography in the absence of confounding large-scale variation in climate and altitude we quantified nutrient fluxes via litterfall and leaf litter decomposition within three distinct floristic associations of tropical rain forest growing along a soil fertility gradient at the Sepilok Forest Reserve (SFR), Sabah, Malaysia. The quantity and nutrient content of small litter decreased along a gradient of soil nutrient availability from alluvial forest (most fertile) through sandstone forest to heath forest (least fertile). Temporal variation in litterfall was greatest in the sandstone forest, where the amount of litter was correlated negatively with rainfall in the previous month. Mass loss and N and P release were fastest from alluvial forest litter, and slowest from heath forest litter. All litter types decomposed most rapidly in the alluvial forest. Stand-level N and P use efficiencies (ratios of litter dry mass to nutrient content) were greatest for the heath forest followed by the sandstone ridge, sandstone valley and alluvial forests, respectively. We conclude that nutrient supply limits productivity most in the heath forest and least in the alluvial forest. Nutrient supply limited productivity in sandstone forest, especially on ridge and hill top sites where nutrient limitation may be exacerbated by reduced rates of litter decomposition during dry periods. The fluxes of N and P varied significantly between the different floristic communities at SFR and these differences may contribute to small-scale variation in species composition.

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Rain forest on Maracá Island, Roraima, Brazil: soil and litter process response to artificial gaps

Cited by 21 publications

References 26 publications

Leaf Decomposition in a Dry Season Irrigation Experiment in Eastern Amazonian Forest Regrowth

Leaf Decomposition in a Dry Season Irrigation Experiment in Eastern Amazonian Forest Regrowth

Reduced soil respiration in gaps in logged lowland dipterocarp forests

Nutrient fluxes via litterfall and leaf litter decomposition vary across a gradient of soil nutrient supply in a lowland tropical rain forest

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