Windthrows increase soil carbon stocks in a central Amazon forest
Leandro T. dos Santos1,*,Daniel Magnabosco Marra1,2,3,*,Susan Trumbore2,Plínio B. de Camargo4,Robinson I. Negrón-Juárez5,Adriano J. N. Lima1,Gabriel H. P. M. Ribeiro1,Joaquim dos Santos1,and Niro Higuchi1Leandro T. dos Santos et al. Leandro T. dos Santos1,*,Daniel Magnabosco Marra1,2,3,*,Susan Trumbore2,Plínio B. de Camargo4,Robinson I. Negrón-Juárez5,Adriano J. N. Lima1,Gabriel H. P. M. Ribeiro1,Joaquim dos Santos1,and Niro Higuchi1
1Laboratório de Manejo Florestal, Instituto Nacional
de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
2Biogeochemical Processes Department, Max Planck Institute
for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
3AG Spezielle Botanik und Funktionelle Biodiversität,
Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
4Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Piracicaba,
Brazil
5Climate Sciences Department, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, USA
*These authors contributed equally to this work.
1Laboratório de Manejo Florestal, Instituto Nacional
de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
2Biogeochemical Processes Department, Max Planck Institute
for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
3AG Spezielle Botanik und Funktionelle Biodiversität,
Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
4Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Piracicaba,
Brazil
5Climate Sciences Department, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, USA
*These authors contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence: Daniel Magnabosco Marra (dmarra@bgc-jena.mpg.de)
Received: 15 Sep 2015 – Discussion started: 07 Dec 2015 – Revised: 10 Feb 2016 – Accepted: 16 Feb 2016 – Published: 02 Mar 2016
Abstract. Windthrows change forest structure and species composition in central Amazon forests. However, the effects of widespread tree mortality associated with wind disturbances on soil properties have not yet been described in this vast region. We investigated short-term effects (7 years after disturbance) of widespread tree mortality caused by a squall line event from mid-January of 2005 on soil carbon stocks and concentrations in a central Amazon terra firme forest. The soil carbon stock (averaged over a 0–30 cm depth profile) in disturbed plots (61.4 ± 8.2 Mg ha−1, mean ±95 % confidence interval) was marginally higher (p = 0.09) than that from undisturbed plots (47.7 ± 13.6 Mg ha−1). The soil organic carbon concentration in disturbed plots (2.0 ± 0.17 %) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that from undisturbed plots (1.36 ± 0.24 %). Moreover, soil carbon stocks were positively correlated with soil clay content (r2 = 0.332, r = 0.575 and p = 0.019) and with tree mortality intensity (r2 = 0.257, r = 0.506 and p = 0.045). Our results indicate that large inputs of plant litter associated with large windthrow events cause a short-term increase in soil carbon content, and the degree of increase is related to soil clay content and tree mortality intensity. The higher carbon content and potentially higher nutrient availability in soils from areas recovering from windthrows may favor forest regrowth and increase vegetation resilience.
In the Amazon forest, wind disturbances can create canopy gaps of many hundreds of hectares. We show that inputs of plant litter associated with large windthrows cause a short-term increase in soil carbon stock. The degree of increase is related to soil clay content and tree mortality intensity. The higher carbon content and potentially higher nutrient availability in soils from areas recovering from windthrows may favor forest regrowth and increase vegetation resilience.
In the Amazon forest, wind disturbances can create canopy gaps of many hundreds of hectares. We...
