Are litterfall and litter decomposition processes indicators of forest regeneration in the neotropics? Insights from a case study in the Brazilian Amazon

FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

卷:429

Article

da Silva, Wully Barreto¹  Perico, Eduardo¹  Dalzochio, Marina Schmidt¹  Santos, Mario^2,3  Cajaiba, Reinaldo Lucas^2,3 

[1] Univ Taquari Valley, Lab Ecol & Evolut, R AvelinoTallini, BR-95900000 Lajeado, RS, Brazil

[2] Univ Tras Os Montes & Alto Douro, CITAB Ctr Res & Technol Agroenvironm & Biol Sci, Lab Appl Ecol, P-5000911 Vila Real, Portugal

[3] Fed Inst Educ Sci & Technol Maranhao, Lab Ecol & Conservat, R Dep Gastao Vieira 100, BR-65393000 Buriticupu, MA, Brazil

关键词: Amazonia;    Ecological restoration;    Land use change;    Litterfall;    Disturbance;    Succession;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.foreco.2018.07.020

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Litterfall plays an important role in nutrient cycling and maintenance of soil fertility in terrestrial ecosystems. We gauged the effects of anthropogenic impacts on the production, decomposition and seasonality of litterfall in primary and secondary forests within a tropical landscape of the Brazilian Amazon. We hypothesized that leaf litter quantity and quality would differ in line with forest disturbance and that these changes would translate into dissimilar decomposition rates. If proved, these processes could be used as surrogates for indentifying the ecological status of forest habitats. The obtained results have shown that, in the study area litterfall is reduced and litter decomposition is braked in disturbed habitats when compared with primary and recovered secondary forests. Also, within similar climatic conditions, the litter production and decomposition rates begin to stabilize in mature secondary forests. Our results represent a useful contribution to understand the dynamics of the litterfall and litter decomposition processes in the neotropics. Both processes were correlated and sensitive to disturbance gradients and should used as forest recovery indicators in ecological monitoring and ecological restoration studies.

【 授权许可】

Free