Martins, Demétrius L., Schietti, Juliana, Feldpausch, Ted R., Luizão, Flávio J., Phillips, Oliver L., Andrade, Ana, Castilho, Carolina V., Laurance, Susan G., Oliveira, Átila, Amaral, Iêda L., Toledo, José J., Lugli, Laynara F., Pinto, José Luiz Purri Veiga, Mendoza, Erick M. Oblitas, and Quesada, Carlos A. (2015) Soil-induced impacts on forest structure drive coarse woody debris stocks across central Amazonia. Plant Ecology & Diversity, 8 (2). pp. 229-241.

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Abstract

Background: Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an essential component in tropical forest ecosystems and its quantity varies widely with forest types.

Aims: Relationships among CWD, soil, forest structure and other environmental factors were analysed to understand the drivers of variation in CWD in forests on different soil types across central Amazonia.

Methods: To estimate CWD stocks and density of dead wood debris, 75 permanent forest plots of 0.5 ha in size were assessed along a transect that spanned ca. 700 km in undisturbed forests from north of the Rio Negro to south of the Rio Amazonas. Soil physical properties were evaluated by digging 2-m-deep pits and by taking auger samples.

Results: Soil physical properties were the best predictors of CWD stocks; 37% of its variation was explained by effective soil depth. CWD stocks had a two-fold variation across a gradient of physical soil constraints (i.e. effective soil depth, anoxia and soil structure). Average biomass per tree was related to physical soil constraints, which, in turn, had a strong relationship with local CWD stocks.

Conclusions: Soil physical properties appear to control average biomass per tree (and through this affect forest structure and dynamics), which, in turn, is correlated with CWD production and stocks.

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