scholarly journals Aboveground Deadwood Biomass and Composition Along Elevation and Land-Use Gradients at Mount Kilimanjaro

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armin Komposch ◽  
Andreas Ensslin ◽  
Markus Fischer ◽  
Andreas Hemp
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Aboveground Biomass ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Selective Logging ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Mount Kilimanjaro ◽  
C Cycle

Deadwood is an important structural and functional component of forest ecosystems and biodiversity. As deadwood can make up large portions of the total aboveground biomass, it plays an important role in the terrestrial carbon (C) cycle. Nevertheless, in tropical ecosystems and especially in Africa, quantitative studies on this topic remain scarce. We conducted an aboveground deadwood inventory along two environmental gradients—elevation and land use— at Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. We used a huge elevation gradient (3690 m) along the southern slope of the mountain to investigate how deadwood is accumulated across different climate and vegetation zones. We also compared habitats that differed from natural forsts in land-use intensity and disturbance history to assess anthropogenic influence on deadwood accumulation. In our inventory we distinguished coarse woody debris (CWD) from fine woody debris (FWD). Furthermore, we calculated the C and nitrogen (N) content of deadwood and how the C/N ratio varied with decomposition stages and elevation. Total amounts of aboveground deadwood ranged from 0.07 ± 0.04 to 73.78 ± 36.26 Mg ha–1 (Mean ± 1 SE). Across the elevation gradient, total deadwood accumulation was highest at mid-elevations and reached a near-zero minimum at very low and very high altitudes. This unimodal pattern was mainly driven by the corresponding amount of live aboveground biomass and the combined effects of decomposer communities and climate. Land-use conversion from natural forests into traditional homegardens and commercial plantations, in addition to frequent burning, significantly reduced deadwood biomass, but not past selective logging after 30 years of recovery time. Furthermore, we found that deadwood C content increased with altitude. Our study shows that environmental gradients, especially temperature and precipitation, as well as different anthropogenic disturbances can have considerable effects on both the quantity and composition of deadwood in tropical forests.

scholarly journals Annual litterfall dynamics and nutrient deposition depending on elevation and land use at Mt. Kilimanjaro

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 5635-5646 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Becker ◽  
H. Pabst ◽  
J. Mnyonga ◽  
Y. Kuzyakov
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Land Use Intensity ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Nutrient Inputs ◽  
Nutrient Deposition ◽  
Leaf Litterfall ◽  
Rainfall Seasonality ◽  
Intensively Managed

Abstract. Litterfall is one of the major pathways connecting above- and below-ground processes. The effects of climate and land-use change on carbon (C) and nutrient inputs by litterfall are poorly known. We quantified and analyzed annual patterns of C and nutrient deposition via litterfall in natural forests and agroforestry systems along the unique elevation gradient of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Tree litter in three natural (lower montane, Ocotea and Podocarpus forests), two sustainably used (homegardens) and one intensively managed (shaded coffee plantation) ecosystems was collected on a biweekly basis from May 2012 to July 2013. Leaves, branches and remaining residues were separated and analyzed for C and nutrient contents. The annual pattern of litterfall was closely related to rainfall seasonality, exhibiting a large peak towards the end of the dry season (August–October). This peak decreased at higher elevations with decreasing rainfall seasonality. Macronutrients (N, P, K) in leaf litter increased at mid elevation (2100 m a.s.l.) and with land-use intensity. Carbon content and micronutrients (Al, Fe, Mn, Na) however, were unaffected or decreased with land-use intensity. While leaf litterfall decreased with elevation, total annual input was independent of climate. Compared to natural forests, the nutrient cycles in agroforestry ecosystems were accelerated by fertilization and the associated changes in dominant tree species.

scholarly journals Annual litterfall dynamics and nutrient deposition depending on elevation and land use at Mt. Kilimanjaro

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 10031-10057 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Becker ◽  
H. Pabst ◽  
J. Mnyonga ◽  
Y. Kuzyakov
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Land Use Intensity ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Nutrient Inputs ◽  
Nutrient Deposition ◽  
Rainfall Seasonality ◽  
Intensively Managed

Abstract. Litterfall is one of the major pathways connecting above- and belowground processes. The effects of climate and land-use change on carbon (C) and nutrient inputs by litterfall are poorly known. We quantified and analyzed annual patterns of C and nutrient deposition via litterfall in natural forests and agroforestry systems along the unique elevation gradient of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Tree litter in three natural (lower montane, Ocotea and Podocarpus forests), two sustainably used (homegardens) and one intensively managed (shaded coffee plantation) was collected on a biweekly basis from May 2012 to July 2013. Leaves, branches and remaining residues were separated and analyzed for C and nutrient contents. The annual pattern of litterfall was closely related to rainfall seasonality, exhibiting a large peak towards the end of the dry season (August–October). This peak decreased at higher elevations with decreasing rainfall seasonality. Macronutrients (N, P, K) in leaf litter increased at mid elevation (2100 m a.s.l.) and with land-use intensity. Carbon content and micronutrients (Al, Fe, Mn, Na) however, were unaffected or decreased with land-use intensity. On the southern slope of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the annual pattern of litterfall depends on seasonal climatic conditions. While leaf litterfall decreased with elevation, total annual input was independent of climate. Compared to natural forests, the nutrient cycles in agroforestry ecosystems were accelerated by fertilization and the associated changes in dominant tree species.

scholarly journals Tree growth and aboveground biomass in a tropical mountain forest thirty years after selective logging in Sarawak, Borneo

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. e01461
Author(s):  
Renee Sherna Laing ◽  
Kian Huat Ong ◽  
Roland Jui Heng Kueh ◽  
Nixon Girang Mang ◽  
Patricia Jie Hung King
Keyword(s):  
Tree Growth ◽  
Aboveground Biomass ◽  
Selective Logging ◽  
Mountain Forest ◽  
Tropical Mountain

scholarly journals Landscape controls on riverine export of dissolved organic carbon from Great Britain

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Williamson ◽  
Andrew Tye ◽  
Dan J. Lapworth ◽  
Don Monteith ◽  
Richard Sanders ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Great Britain ◽  
Population Density ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Dissolved Organic Carbon ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
River Systems ◽  
C Cycle ◽  
Global Land ◽  
Doc Export

AbstractThe dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export from land to ocean via rivers is a significant term in the global C cycle, and has been modified in many areas by human activity. DOC exports from large global rivers are fairly well quantified, but those from smaller river systems, including those draining oceanic regions, are generally under-represented in global syntheses. Given that these regions typically have high runoff and high peat cover, they may exert a disproportionate influence on the global land–ocean DOC export. Here we describe a comprehensive new assessment of the annual riverine DOC export to estuaries across the island of Great Britain (GB), which spans the latitude range 50–60° N with strong spatial gradients of topography, soils, rainfall, land use and population density. DOC yields (export per unit area) were positively related to and best predicted by rainfall, peat extent and forest cover, but relatively insensitive to population density or agricultural development. Based on an empirical relationship with land use and rainfall we estimate that the DOC export from the GB land area to the freshwater-seawater interface was 1.15 Tg C year−1 in 2017. The average yield for GB rivers is 5.04 g C m−2 year−1, higher than most of the world’s major rivers, including those of the humid tropics and Arctic, supporting the conclusion that under-representation of smaller river systems draining peat-rich areas could lead to under-estimation of the global land–ocean DOC export. The main anthropogenic factor influencing the spatial distribution of GB DOC exports appears to be upland conifer plantation forestry, which is estimated to have raised the overall DOC export by 0.168 Tg C year−1. This is equivalent to 15% of the estimated current rate of net CO2 uptake by British forests. With the UK and many other countries seeking to expand plantation forest cover for climate change mitigation, this ‘leak in the ecosystem’ should be incorporated in future assessments of the CO2 sequestration potential of forest planting strategies.

Field Margin Weed-Species Diversity in Relation to Landscape Attributes and Adjacent Land Use

Weed Science ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn M. Sosnoskie ◽  
Edward C. Luschei ◽  
Mark A. Fanning
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Shape Index ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Weed Species ◽  
Field Margin ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Modeling Strategy

The importance of managing weeds in seminatural habitats that are adjacent to farm fields is unclear. Weedy-margin vegetation may harbor pests or pathogens and may ALSo serve as source populations for ongoing immigration of weeds into the field. It is ALSo possible, however, that margin vegetation provides habitat for organisms that consume weed seeds or suppress the likelihood of pest or pathogen outbreak. We examined the nature of margin habitat using spatial-scaling of Weed-Species richness as an ecological assay. In 2003, we recorded the occurrence of weedy species along the perimeters of 63 fields in Wisconsin. The fields were distributed within six counties that differed in topography, geological history, local climate, and soil type and which spanned the range of variability in the agricultural landscape. We identified seven habitats that differed in geology and land use. The relationship between species richness and margin class was estimated using an analog of the power law. Additionally, we investigated broadscale correlates of habitat heterogeneity at the field level, using a modeling strategy that included additional explanatory factors logically connected to plant diversity. Using a model-confrontation approach, the survey supported the inclusion of two topographical diversity indices, elevation gradient and a field-shape index, into our model. Our broadscale survey provides information on one of a suite of important considerations needed to make decisions about the importance of managing weeds in field margins.

scholarly journals Evaluating and Predicting the Effects of Land Use Changes on Hydrology in Wami River Basin, Tanzania

Hydrology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sekela Twisa ◽  
Shija Kazumba ◽  
Mathew Kurian ◽  
Manfred F. Buchroithner
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
River System ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
The Impact

Understanding the variation in the hydrological response of a basin associated with land use changes is essential for developing management strategies for water resources. The impact of hydrological changes caused by expected land use changes may be severe for the Wami river system, given its role as a crucial area for water, providing food and livelihoods. The objective of this study is to examine the influence of land use changes on various elements of the hydrological processes of the basin. Hybrid classification, which includes unsupervised and supervised classification techniques, is used to process the images (2000 and 2016), while CA–Markov chain analysis is used to forecast and simulate the 2032 land use state. In the current study, a combined approach—including a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR)—is used to explore the influences of individual land use classes on fluctuations in the hydrological components. From the study, it is evident that land use has changed across the basin since 2000 (which is expected to continue in 2032), as well as that the hydrological effects caused by land use changes were observed. It has been found that the major land use changes that affected hydrology components in the basin were expansion of cultivation land, built-up area and grassland, and decline in natural forests and woodland during the study period. These findings provide baseline information for decision-makers and stakeholders concerning land and water resources for better planning and management decisions in the basin resources’ use.

scholarly journals Resources of dead wood in the municipal forests in Warsaw

2015 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 322-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konrad Skwarek ◽  
Szymon Bijak
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Dead Wood ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Dead Trees ◽  
Standing Dead ◽  
High Degree

Abstract Dead wood plays an important role for the biodiversity of forest ecosystems and influences their proper development. This study assessed the amount of coarse woody debris in municipal forests in Warsaw (central Poland). Based on the forest site type, dominant tree species and age class, we stratified all complexes of the Warsaw urban forests in order to allocate 55 sample plots. For these plots, we determined the volume of dead wood including standing dead trees, coarse woody debris and broken branches as well as uprooted trees. We calculated the amount of dead wood in the distinguished site-species-age layers and for individual complexes. The volume of dead matter in municipal forests in Warsaw amounted to 38,761 m3, i.e. 13.7 m3/ha. The obtained results correspond to the current regulations concerning the amount of dead organic matter to be left in forests. Only in the Las Bielański complex (northern Warsaw) volume of dead wood is comparable to the level observed in Polish national parks or nature reserves, which is still far lower than the values found for natural forests. In general, municipal forests in Warsaw stand out positively in terms of dead wood quantity and a high degree of variation in the forms and dimensions of dead wood.

scholarly journals Fir (Abies spp.) stand biomass additive model for Eurasia sensitive to winter temperature and annual precipitation

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 166-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir A. Usoltsev ◽  
Katarína Merganičová ◽  
Bohdan Konôpka ◽  
Anna A. Osmirko ◽  
Ivan S. Tsepordey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Aboveground Biomass ◽  
Additive Model ◽  
Tree Biomass ◽  
Common Pattern ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Shoot Ratio ◽  
Biomass Components ◽  
Increasing Temperature

Abstract Climate change, especially modified courses of temperature and precipitation, has a significant impact on forest functioning and productivity. Moreover, some alterations in tree biomass allocation (e.g. root to shoot ratio, foliage to wood parts) might be expected in these changing ecological conditions. Therefore, we attempted to model fir stand biomass (t ha−1) along the trans-Eurasian hydrothermal gradients using the data from 272 forest stands. The model outputs suggested that all biomass components, except for the crown mass, change in a common pattern, but in different ratios. Specifically, in the range of mean January temperature and precipitation of −30°C to +10°C and 300 to 900 mm, fir stand biomass increases with both increasing temperature and precipitation. Under an assumed increase of January temperature by 1°C, biomass of roots and of all components of the aboveground biomass of fir stands increased (under the assumption that the precipitation level did not change). Similarly, an assumed increase in precipitation by 100 mm resulted in the increased biomass of roots and of all aboveground components. We conclude that fir seems to be a perspective taxon from the point of its productive properties in the ongoing process of climate change.

scholarly journals Stand structure and species composition of merbau in logged-over forest in Papua, Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-171
Author(s):  
PRIJANTO PAMOENGKAS ◽  
ISKANDAR Z. SIREGAR ◽  
AJI NURALAM DWISUTONO
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Selective Logging ◽  
Primary Forest ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Timber Species ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Selective Cutting ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Reference Plot

Pamoengkas P, Siregar IZ, Dwisutono AN. 2018. Stand structure and species composition of merbau in logged-over forest in Papua, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19: 163-171. Single selective cutting is the most common form of timber extraction in natural forest in the tropics. Although, vast tracts natural forests are already logged-over, the effect of logging on the structure and species composition has been sparsely documented, especially for merbau (Intsia bijuga). Merbau is an excellent timber species and intensively harvested in Papua. The objective of this study was to analyze the structure and species composition of merbau in the several logged-over forests at different ages, i.e., 1, 5, 11, 16, 21 years old after selective logging and primary forest as the reference plot. The study was conducted in February 2016 at Sarmi District, Papua. The distributions of merbau in each plot varies but when they were compared with that in the primary forest that had reached 9.81%. Thus, the decrease of merbau trees in the plots of logged forest areas was not significant. Index of Diversity of all growth stages was high. In general, the number of merbau seedling regeneration in the study plots are above the average value standardized in Selective Cutting and Replanting System (TPTI) regulation. With regard to the condition of sapling regeneration, we concluded that selective logging might not provide enough growing space for regeneration of merbau. Providing appropriate growing space is one of the key factors to achieve adequate merbau natural regeneration.

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