Seed Germination and Seedling Establishment of Amazonian Floodplain Trees

Wittmann, Astrid de Oliveira; Lopes, Aline; Conserva, Auristela dos Santos; Wittmann, Florian; Piedade, Maria Teresa Fernandez

doi:10.1007/978-90-481-8725-6_13

Cited by 12 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…This is particularly true for the estuarine forest exposed to the açaí management since there is no a single record for seed rain and seed bank although this forest represents the core habitat for açaí-fruit collection and intensification in the Amazon region (Tregidgo et al, 2020). In fact, information on seed rain bank is even scarce for the Amazonian floodplain forests one of the most investigated flooded forests globally (see Wittmann et al, 2010). In this context, forest stands managed for açaí support seed rain and bank from woody plant species with both similarities and contrasts as compared to unmanaged floodplain forests, at least qualitatively.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Açaí palm management disturbs seed rain and soil seed bank of an Amazonian estuarine forest

et al. 2023

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The exploitation of non‐timber forest products has been proposed as a sustainable way to exploit tropical forests, but such an opportunity remains to be proved. Here, we examine the impact of intensive açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea) management on the seed rain and soil seed bank in an estuarine forest landscape with a long history of forest management by locals in the Amazon region. Seed rain (100 80 cm2 collectors) and soil seed bank (100 30 cm2 samples) were monitored through a year across 20 forest stands, covering a gradient of açaí stem density (50–3575 açaí stems per ha). Seed rain and bank were dominated by açaí seeds (85.5%–85.8%) and by excluding them, seed rain and bank were low density and species poor, capturing a tiny subset from the local (17.91%–19.40%) and landscape woody flora (11.82%–14.55%). Moreover, autochthonous and vertebrated‐dispersed predominated as well as those from tree species considered useful by locals. Overall, açaí stem density positively affected açaí seed abundance in the seed rain and negatively affected seed pools in the bank in relation to abundance of seeds and vertebrated dispersed, while adult tree species richness and density and accessibility to forest stands were associated with more diversified seed pools. Thereby, forest stands are exposed to different levels of açaí management (high vs. low intensity) supported taxonomically distinct seed pools. Our results suggest that açaí intensification disturbs seed rain and soil seed bank with potential impacts on forest regeneration and the forest integrity standards required to consider açaí fruit production as sustainable according to current legislation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Açaí palm management disturbs seed rain and soil seed bank of an Amazonian estuarine forest

et al. 2023

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“…In oxandrales, several treelets and saplings of O. polyantha were produced by vegetative propagation from the surface woody roots of adult trees. Vegetative propagation (coppicing) from surface roots as in other species from seasonal várzea forests such as Salix martiana (Oliveira-Wittmann et al, 2010) and Couepia paraensis (Kubitzki, 1989), is an adaptation against seedling burial by sand loads that were highest in these forests (Figure 3), and the continuous flooding from black-water streams that flow into the Caquetá River. Thus, mono-dominance could be explained by this facultative adaptation to permanent waterlogging and sand inputs that limit seed germination and/or seedling establishment of many other species, diminishing relative abundance of M. flexuosa, resulting in increased dominance of O. polyantha and DMR (Figure 4).…”

Section: What Environmental Variables Are Associated With Species Dom...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Structure, floristic composition, and distribution of swamp forests across a white‐water flood‐plain in the Colombian Amazon

Urrego,

Gutiérrez,

Sánchez

et al. 2024

J Vegetation Science

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QuestionsThe fluvial dynamics of meandering white‐water rivers of Amazonia drive vegetation primary succession. Directional successional processes have been recorded for the seasonal várzea forests that occupy well‐drained soils on levees and point bars across the spatial gradient of the flood‐plains. However, the types of forests occupying the swampy depressions interspersed between the point bars and their distribution along the flood‐plain's spatial gradient are poorly understood. Here, we aimed to unravel the spatial patterns of swamp forests along the sequence defined by an axis perpendicular to the river and the relationship with edaphic and spatial factors.LocationThe flood‐plains of the middle Caquetá River basin, Colombian Amazonia.MethodsForest types were identified by cluster analysis performed on 42 square plots (33 m × 33 m) set in poorly drained depressions of the flood‐plain. Floristic composition and vegetation structure as response data, and edaphic and spatial variables as predictors, were analyzed through partial redundancy analysis (pRDA). The effect of geographic position was included by using the first two axes of a principal coordinates of neighbor matrix analysis as conditional factors in the pRDA.ResultsThe three identified swamp forest types were not arranged along a directional spatial pattern. Permanent várzea forests, closest to the river, showed the greatest diversity and alluvial sediment input. Oxandrales, furthest from the river, dominated by Oxandra polyantha, showed the greatest tree density, basal area and soil sand content, and received additional flooding from black‐water streams. Cananguchales, dominated by Mauritia flexuosa, exhibited the highest dominance and soil organic matter layer thickness. Distribution of the permanent várzea and oxandrales was relatively constrained by the distance to the river, whereas that of the cananguchales was not.ConclusionsFlooding dynamics delay vegetation development of the swamp forests in permanent várzea and oxandrales. Cananguchales keep accumulating organic matter, becoming ombrotrophic peats after isolation from the river flooding influence. The swamp forests across these flood‐plains are far from being arranged along a linear sequence.

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“…and biomass accumulation in terra firme than in igapó forests [32,43,47,48], (2) higher mortality rates in igapó than in terra firme forests, as a result of the impact of flooding on trees [14,46] and (3) lower tree recruitment rates in igapó than in terra firme forests due to low levels of soil nutrients in igapó forests [30,49,50].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We hypothesized that, due to various ecological processes driven by the periodic floods, igapó forest would differ from terra firme forest in tree species composition and diversity; forest structure (tree diameter at the breast height (DBH), total height); annual dynamics (mortality, recruitment, stem turnover and growth rates); soil composition; and biomass stock and accumulation, despite being less than 2 km apart [20,22,32,34,43,45]. Considering what is known from the Amazon about the adaptations of floodplain tree species to the stress imposed by flooding, including periodic hypoxia, soil microflora alteration and associated reduction in growth periods [29,30,32,36,46], we predicted: (1) higher plant diversity, growth rates and biomass accumulation in terra firme than in igapó forests [32,43,47,48], (2) higher mortality rates in igapó than in terra firme forests, as a result of the impact of flooding on trees [14,46] and (3) lower tree recruitment rates in igapó than in terra firme forests due to low levels of soil nutrients in igapó forests [30,49,50].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest Structure, Diversity and Dynamics in Terra Firme and Igapó Gallery Forests in the Colombian Orinoco Basin

González-Abella

Aldana

Correa

et al. 2021

Forests

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Studies of dynamics and biomass accumulation are essential for understanding forest functioning and productivity. They are also valuable when planning strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. This study was conducted in five one-hectare plots of gallery forest in the Orinoco basin (three in terra firme and two in igapó floodplains), located in the Tomogrande Reserve, Santa Rosalía municipality, Vichada, Colombia. The differences between these forest types were determined and quantified considering diversity, floristic composition, aboveground biomass, forest dynamics and the influence of soils’ physicochemical composition. Terra firme forests were more diverse (Fisher’s α = 30.4) and had higher mortality and recruitment rates than igapó forests but there were no significant differences in stem turnover rates between forest types. Relative tree growth rate was also higher in terra firme than in igapó, but the opposite was found for biomass change (1.47 t/ha/year in igapó), resulting in an average carbon accumulation rate of 0.33 t/ha/year in terra firme and 0.66 t/ha/year in igapó. Igapó forest has high carbon accumulation potential given the high wood density of certain dominant species. Igapó soils contained a higher concentration of sand, silt, phosphorus and potassium ions, while terra firme soils had a higher clay content with lower pH. In general, the demographic and growth rates were consistent with those described for Amazonian forests. This study highlights the potential of igapó forest in the Orinoco basin as important carbon sinks, which should be included in the management and conservation strategies for this region.

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Seed Germination and Seedling Establishment of Amazonian Floodplain Trees

Cited by 12 publications

References 44 publications

Açaí palm management disturbs seed rain and soil seed bank of an Amazonian estuarine forest

Açaí palm management disturbs seed rain and soil seed bank of an Amazonian estuarine forest

Structure, floristic composition, and distribution of swamp forests across a white‐water flood‐plain in the Colombian Amazon

Forest Structure, Diversity and Dynamics in Terra Firme and Igapó Gallery Forests in the Colombian Orinoco Basin

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