Seasonal production, allocation and cycling of carbon in two mid-elevation tropical montane forest plots in the Peruvian Andes
(2014) In Plant Ecology & Diversity 7(1-2). p.125-142- Abstract
- Background: Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) are unique ecosystems with high biodiversity and large carbon reservoirs. To date there have been limited descriptions of the carbon cycle of TMCF. Aims: We present results on the production, allocation and cycling of carbon for two mid-elevation (1500-1750 m) tropical montane cloud forest plots in San Pedro, Kosnipata Valley, Peru. Methods: We repeatedly recorded the components of net primary productivity (NPP) using biometric measurements, and autotrophic (R-a) and heterotrophic (Rh) respiration, using gas exchange measurements. From these we estimated gross primary productivity (GPP) and carbon use efficiency (CUE) at the plot level. Results: The plot at 1500 m was found very productive,... (More)
- Background: Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) are unique ecosystems with high biodiversity and large carbon reservoirs. To date there have been limited descriptions of the carbon cycle of TMCF. Aims: We present results on the production, allocation and cycling of carbon for two mid-elevation (1500-1750 m) tropical montane cloud forest plots in San Pedro, Kosnipata Valley, Peru. Methods: We repeatedly recorded the components of net primary productivity (NPP) using biometric measurements, and autotrophic (R-a) and heterotrophic (Rh) respiration, using gas exchange measurements. From these we estimated gross primary productivity (GPP) and carbon use efficiency (CUE) at the plot level. Results: The plot at 1500 m was found very productive, with our results comparable with the most productive lowland Amazonian forests. The plot at 1750 m had significantly lower productivity, possibly because of greater cloud immersion. Both plots had similar patterns of NPP allocation, a substantial seasonality in NPP components and little seasonality in R-a. Conclusions: These two plots lie within the ecotone between lower and upper montane forests, near the level of the cloud base. Climate change is likely to increase elevation of the cloud base, resulting in shifts in forest functioning. Longer-term surveillance of the carbon cycle at these sites would yield valuable insights into the response of TMCFs to a shifting cloud base. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4643819
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2014
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Andes, ecophysiology, elevational gradient, gross primary productivity, net primary productivity, carbon use efficiency, soil water content, temperature, tropical montane forests
- in
- Plant Ecology & Diversity
- volume
- 7
- issue
- 1-2
- pages
- 125 - 142
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000336082900009
- scopus:84893301874
- ISSN
- 1755-0874
- DOI
- 10.1080/17550874.2013.819042
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8c48a142-4555-4264-85c0-a78ad896713c (old id 4643819)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 11:03:57
- date last changed
- 2022-03-27 22:00:52
@article{8c48a142-4555-4264-85c0-a78ad896713c,
abstract = {{Background: Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) are unique ecosystems with high biodiversity and large carbon reservoirs. To date there have been limited descriptions of the carbon cycle of TMCF. Aims: We present results on the production, allocation and cycling of carbon for two mid-elevation (1500-1750 m) tropical montane cloud forest plots in San Pedro, Kosnipata Valley, Peru. Methods: We repeatedly recorded the components of net primary productivity (NPP) using biometric measurements, and autotrophic (R-a) and heterotrophic (Rh) respiration, using gas exchange measurements. From these we estimated gross primary productivity (GPP) and carbon use efficiency (CUE) at the plot level. Results: The plot at 1500 m was found very productive, with our results comparable with the most productive lowland Amazonian forests. The plot at 1750 m had significantly lower productivity, possibly because of greater cloud immersion. Both plots had similar patterns of NPP allocation, a substantial seasonality in NPP components and little seasonality in R-a. Conclusions: These two plots lie within the ecotone between lower and upper montane forests, near the level of the cloud base. Climate change is likely to increase elevation of the cloud base, resulting in shifts in forest functioning. Longer-term surveillance of the carbon cycle at these sites would yield valuable insights into the response of TMCFs to a shifting cloud base.}},
author = {{Huaraca Huasco, Walter and Girardin, Cecile A. J. and Doughty, Christopher E. and Metcalfe, Dan and Baca, Liliana D. and Silva-Espejo, Javier E. and Cabrera, Darcy G. and Aragao, Luiz E. O. C. and Davila, Angela R. and Marthews, Toby R. and Huaraca-Quispe, Lidia P. and Alzamora-Taype, Ivonne and Mora, Luzmila E. and Farfan-Rios, William and Cabrera, Karina G. and Halladay, Katherine and Salinas-Revilla, Norma and Silman, Miles R. and Meir, Patrick and Malhi, Yadvinder}},
issn = {{1755-0874}},
keywords = {{Andes; ecophysiology; elevational gradient; gross primary productivity; net primary productivity; carbon use efficiency; soil water content; temperature; tropical montane forests}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1-2}},
pages = {{125--142}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Plant Ecology & Diversity}},
title = {{Seasonal production, allocation and cycling of carbon in two mid-elevation tropical montane forest plots in the Peruvian Andes}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2013.819042}},
doi = {{10.1080/17550874.2013.819042}},
volume = {{7}},
year = {{2014}},
}