How thinning in a seasonally dry tropical forest contributes towards root biomass, carbon stock and aggregate size in a Vertisol

Forest management activities influence fine root development, total soil carbon (TSC) and size of aggregates. A field experiment was carried out in Vertisols of two adjacent catchments in a seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) to investigate the thinning on fine-root biomass, stock of the total soil carbon and aggregate size. The catchments are located in the State of Ceará, Brazil. The control catchment of 2.1 ha has been under regenerating vegetation for 35 years (RC35), while the second catchment (1.1 ha) was subjected to thinning (TC5) in December of 2008. The analysed variables were: fine-root biomass in the 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm soil layers, TSC and mean weight diameter of the soil aggregates in the 0-20, 20-40 e 40-60 cm layers. The data were submitted to Pearson correlation analysis and compared by paired t-test (P < 0.05). The 0-10 cm layer of the TC5 management stored double the average amount of fine-roots found in the RC35. Under the TC5 management, stocks of soil TSC increased by 237 and 151% in the 20-40 and 40-60 cm layers, respectively, when compared with RC35. Aggregates 2.15 times greater than those found under RC35 management were obtained in the topsoil (0-20 cm) under the TC5 management. The implementation of thinning in a Vertisol of a SDTF emerges as an alternative management to be considered in projects for sustainability in the semi-arid region, contributing to an improvement in soil structure as well as an increase in the stocks of total carbon.

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Atypical Pattern of Soil Carbon Stocks along the Slope Position in a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest in Thailand

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10020106 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 106 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Masamichi Takahashi ◽

Keizo Hirai ◽

Dokrak Marod ◽

Somchai Anusontpornperm ◽

Pitayakon Limtong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tropical Forest ◽

Soil Carbon ◽

Carbon Stock ◽

Carbon Accumulation ◽

Slope Position ◽

Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest ◽

Soil Layers ◽

Dry Tropical Forest ◽

Soil Carbon Stock ◽

Seasonally Dry

The pattern of soil carbon stock is atypical along the slope position in a seasonally dry tropical forest; the mean stock values increase from the lower, middle, to upper slopes, at 11.5, 13.2, and 15.5 kg m−2, respectively. In sloping landscapes, soil organic carbon tends to accumulate in lower slopes, but our previous soil respiration study suggested that soil carbon stock distribution along the slope position in seasonally dry tropical forests is atypical. The aims of this study were: (i) to examine whether the atypical pattern occurs widely in the watershed; and (ii) to examine the pattern of root development in the soil profile as a source of soil carbon. The density and stock of soil carbon in three soil layers (0–10, 10–30, and 30–100 cm) of 13 soil profiles were compared in different positions on the slope (upper, middle, and lower). Root biomass at each slope position was also determined. Soil carbon density in each layer increased significantly with an increase in the relative position of the slopes, particularly in the 10–30 cm soil layer. The density of medium root (3–10 mm in diameter) in the upper slopes was significantly higher than that in the middle and lower slopes, especially for 15–60 cm soil layers. The atypical pattern of soil carbon accumulation along the slope position occurred widely in the studied watershed and appeared to be caused by the development of root systems in deeply weathered soil under xeric soil conditions in the upper slopes. Roots of bamboo undergrowth may also contribute to soil carbon stabilization by reducing soil erosion in the surface soil.

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Variations in soil carbon sequestration and their determinants along a precipitation gradient in seasonally dry tropical forest ecosystems

Global Change Biology ◽

10.1111/gcb.13244 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (5) ◽

pp. 1942-1956 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Julio Campo ◽

Agustín Merino

Keyword(s):

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Tropical Forest ◽

Soil Carbon ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Soil Carbon Sequestration ◽

Precipitation Gradient ◽

Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest ◽

Dry Tropical Forest ◽

Seasonally Dry

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PALEOCLIMATIC AND PALEOECOLOGICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF A MIDDLE TO LATE EOCENE SOUTH AMERICAN SEASONALLY DRY TROPICAL FOREST

10.1130/abs/2019am-336594 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Camila Martínez ◽

◽

Carlos Jaramillo ◽

Jhonatan Martínez Murcia ◽

Federico Moreno ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tropical Forest ◽

Late Eocene ◽

South American ◽

Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest ◽

Dry Tropical Forest ◽

Seasonally Dry

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Quantitative estimates of deciduousness in woody species from a seasonally dry tropical forest are related to leaf functional traits and the timing of leaf flush

10.1101/2021.03.03.433407 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Souparna Chakrabarty ◽

Sheetal Sharma ◽

Shatarupa Ganguly ◽

Asmi Jezeera ◽

Neha Mohanbabu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tropical Forest ◽

Functional Traits ◽

Woody Species ◽

Leaf Phenology ◽

Deciduous Species ◽

Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest ◽

Leaf Functional Traits ◽

Dry Tropical Forest ◽

Seasonally Dry ◽

Quantitative Estimates

AbstractLeaf phenology based classification of woody species into discrete evergreen and deciduous categories is widely used in ecology, but these categories hide important variation in leaf phenological behaviour. Few studies have examined the continuous nature of deciduousness and our understanding of variation in quantitative estimates of leaf shedding behaviour and the causes and consequences of this is limited. In this study we monitored leaf phenology in 75 woody species from a seasonally dry tropical forest to quantify three quantitative measures of deciduousness, namely: maximum canopy loss, duration of deciduousness, and average canopy loss. Based on proposed drought tolerance and drought avoidance strategies of evergreen and deciduous species, respectively, we tested whether the quantitative measures of deciduousness were related to leaf functional traits. Additionally, to understand the functional consequences of variation in deciduousness we examined relationships with the timing of leaf flushing and senescing. We found wide and continuous variation in quantitative measures of deciduousness in these coexisting species. Variation in deciduousness was related to leaf function traits, and the timing of leaf flushing. Along a continuous axis ranging from evergreen to deciduous species, increasing deciduousness was associated with more acquisitive leaf functional traits, with lower leaf mass per area and leaf dry matter content, and greater leaf nitrogen content. These results indicate that the continuous nature of deciduousness is an important component of resource acquisition strategies in woody species from seasonally dry forests.

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