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Comprehensive assessment of carbon productivity, allocation and storage in three Amazonian forests

Malhi, Yadvinder ; Aragao, Luiz Eduardo O. C. ; Metcalfe, Dan LU ; Paiva, Romilda ; Quesada, Carlos A. ; Almeida, Samuel ; Anderson, Liana ; Brando, Paulo ; Chambers, Jeffrey Q. and da Costa, Antonio C. L. , et al. (2009) In Global Change Biology 15(5). p.1255-1274
Abstract
The allocation and cycling of carbon (C) within forests is an important component of the biospheric C cycle, but is particularly understudied within tropical forests. We synthesise reported and unpublished results from three lowland rainforest sites in Amazonia (in the regions of Manaus, Tapajos and Caxiuana), all major sites of the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Programme (LBA). We attempt a comprehensive synthesis of the C stocks, nutrient status and, particularly, the allocation and internal C dynamics of all three sites. The calculated net primary productivities (NPP) are 10.1 +/- 1.4 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1) (Manaus), 14.4 +/- 1.3 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1) (Tapajos) and 10.0 +/- 1.2 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1) (Caxiuana). All errors bars report standard... (More)
The allocation and cycling of carbon (C) within forests is an important component of the biospheric C cycle, but is particularly understudied within tropical forests. We synthesise reported and unpublished results from three lowland rainforest sites in Amazonia (in the regions of Manaus, Tapajos and Caxiuana), all major sites of the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Programme (LBA). We attempt a comprehensive synthesis of the C stocks, nutrient status and, particularly, the allocation and internal C dynamics of all three sites. The calculated net primary productivities (NPP) are 10.1 +/- 1.4 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1) (Manaus), 14.4 +/- 1.3 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1) (Tapajos) and 10.0 +/- 1.2 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1) (Caxiuana). All errors bars report standard errors. Soil and leaf nutrient analyses indicate that Tapajos has significantly more plant-available phosphorus and calcium. Autotrophic respiration at all three sites (14.9-21.4 Mg C ha yr(-1)) is more challenging to measure, with the largest component and greatest source of uncertainty being leaf dark respiration. Comparison of measured soil respiration with that predicted from C cycling measurements provides an independent constraint. It shows general good agreement at all three sites, with perhaps some evidence for measured soil respiration being less than expected. Twenty to thirty percent of fixed C is allocated belowground. Comparison of gross primary productivity (GPP), derived from ecosystem flux measurements with that derived from component studies (NPP plus autotrophic respiration) provides an additional crosscheck. The two approaches are in good agreement, giving increased confidence in both approaches to estimating GPP. The ecosystem carbon-use efficiency (CUEs), the ratio of NPP to GPP, is similar at Manaus (0.34 +/- 0.10) and Caxiuana (0.32 +/- 0.07), but may be higher at Tapajos (0.49 +/- 0.16), although the difference is not significant. Old growth or infertile tropical forests may have low CUE compared with recently disturbed and/or fertile forests. (Less)
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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
allocation, Amazonia, carbon, growth, litterfall, productivity, respiration, roots, soil, tropical forest
in
Global Change Biology
volume
15
issue
5
pages
1255 - 1274
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000265033700015
  • scopus:64849098238
ISSN
1354-1013
DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01780.x
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
569aae1a-e6c0-488c-a68a-fd2530664e58 (old id 4644006)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:54:29
date last changed
2022-04-20 23:36:23
@article{569aae1a-e6c0-488c-a68a-fd2530664e58,
  abstract     = {{The allocation and cycling of carbon (C) within forests is an important component of the biospheric C cycle, but is particularly understudied within tropical forests. We synthesise reported and unpublished results from three lowland rainforest sites in Amazonia (in the regions of Manaus, Tapajos and Caxiuana), all major sites of the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Programme (LBA). We attempt a comprehensive synthesis of the C stocks, nutrient status and, particularly, the allocation and internal C dynamics of all three sites. The calculated net primary productivities (NPP) are 10.1 +/- 1.4 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1) (Manaus), 14.4 +/- 1.3 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1) (Tapajos) and 10.0 +/- 1.2 Mg C ha(-1) yr(-1) (Caxiuana). All errors bars report standard errors. Soil and leaf nutrient analyses indicate that Tapajos has significantly more plant-available phosphorus and calcium. Autotrophic respiration at all three sites (14.9-21.4 Mg C ha yr(-1)) is more challenging to measure, with the largest component and greatest source of uncertainty being leaf dark respiration. Comparison of measured soil respiration with that predicted from C cycling measurements provides an independent constraint. It shows general good agreement at all three sites, with perhaps some evidence for measured soil respiration being less than expected. Twenty to thirty percent of fixed C is allocated belowground. Comparison of gross primary productivity (GPP), derived from ecosystem flux measurements with that derived from component studies (NPP plus autotrophic respiration) provides an additional crosscheck. The two approaches are in good agreement, giving increased confidence in both approaches to estimating GPP. The ecosystem carbon-use efficiency (CUEs), the ratio of NPP to GPP, is similar at Manaus (0.34 +/- 0.10) and Caxiuana (0.32 +/- 0.07), but may be higher at Tapajos (0.49 +/- 0.16), although the difference is not significant. Old growth or infertile tropical forests may have low CUE compared with recently disturbed and/or fertile forests.}},
  author       = {{Malhi, Yadvinder and Aragao, Luiz Eduardo O. C. and Metcalfe, Dan and Paiva, Romilda and Quesada, Carlos A. and Almeida, Samuel and Anderson, Liana and Brando, Paulo and Chambers, Jeffrey Q. and da Costa, Antonio C. L. and Hutyra, Lucy R. and Oliveira, Paulo and Patino, Sandra and Pyle, Elizabeth H. and Robertson, Amanda L. and Teixeira, Liliane M.}},
  issn         = {{1354-1013}},
  keywords     = {{allocation; Amazonia; carbon; growth; litterfall; productivity; respiration; roots; soil; tropical forest}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{1255--1274}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Global Change Biology}},
  title        = {{Comprehensive assessment of carbon productivity, allocation and storage in three Amazonian forests}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01780.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01780.x}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}