Tropical forest monitoring networks

Yadvinder MalhiUniversity of Oxford

Tropical forests are variable in soils, climate, faunal and floral composition, disturbance history and

biogeographical context

7Noel Kempff 2001,6,7,9Tambopata 2002,3,5,6,7,8,9,10

Bogi 2002,7,10

Iquitos 2001,5,6,8,9,10Manaus2002,5,6

Caxiuana2002,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

Braganca2002

Tapajos 2003Jatun Sacha 2002,7,10

RAINFOR Campaigns 2001-2010, permanent plots

Acre2003,9 Sinop 2002

San Carlos de Rio Negro2004,6

Jari 2003

Mocambo2003

El Dorado2004, 9

Andes Transect 2003,6,7,8,9,10

Rio Grande2004, 9

Agua Pudre2004,5,6

Alta Floresta 2002,8

Cusco Amazonico2003,6,8

Zafire2005,6,8

Mabura Hills2006, 10

Jenaro Herrera 2005,6,7,8

Dois Irmaos2003,6,9

Tiputini 2002,7,10

Sacta 2006,9BEEM 2006,10

Porongaba2003,6,9

Lorena2004,6

Nouragues2008

Nova Xavantina 2008,10Los Amigos 2008

Pasco 2008,10

Pto Nare 2010Carbonera

2009

Barinas 2009

Pibiri2006, 10

Iwokrama2010

Jurua1999,2009

Tanguro 2009,10

Araracuara 2010

Besotes2010

San Rafael 2010

San Sebastian 2010

Mabet 2010 El Tigre 2009

10

Measured biomass

carbon sink

Amazonia 0.45±0.12 Mg C ha-1 year-1

Phillips et al 2009Science

Africa0.63±0.40 Mg C ha-1 year-1

Lewis et al. 2009Nature

11

Drought Sensitivity of the Amazon ForestPhillips et al. Science, 2009

Tree alpha diversity in the Amazon Basin: ATDN 2012

The Global Ecosystems Monitoring Network (GEM)

gem.tropicalforests.ox.ac.uk

Gross Primary Productivity

Standing Biomass

Photosynthesis

Carbon sequestration

Global vegetation modelsFlux towersOptical remote sensing

Forest dynamics modelsForest inventoriesBiomass remote sensing Malhi, 2012, J. Ecology

Gross Primary Productivity

Net Primary Productivity

Standing Biomass

Woody Productivity

Mortality rate

Photosynthesis

Residence time

Malhi, 2012, J. Ecology

GPP The Carbon Cycle of a Forest

R leaf

R stem

R CWD

Fdoc

DFine litterfall

DCWD

R roots

R soil

DRoot

R soil het

NPP coarse roots

NPP fine roots

NPP VOCNPP leaves,flowers,fruit

NPP wood (Branch + Stem)

GPP= 36.15±3.97

The carbon cycle of a forest at Tambopata. Peru

R leaf =8.86±2.78

R stem = 5.85±2.50

NPPTotal = 15.14±0.83

NPPAG = 9.96±0.41

NPPBG = 5.18±0.72

D fine litterfall

5.61±0.32

D CWD 3.59±0.26

R rhizosphere

5.07±0.86

R soil =12.98±0.82

D root

5.18±0.72

R soilhet = 7.14±0.49

NPP coarse roots = 0.51±0.05 NPP fine roots = 4.67±0.72

NPP ACW= 2.64±0.24

NPP litterfall = 5.61±0.32

NPP branch turnover = 0.95±0.10

NPP herbivory = 0.76±0.05

R cwd

R coarseroot

1.23±0.62

Malhi et al, Plant Ecology and Diversity, 2013

Example results

Rhizotron

Litterfall, and components

Climate

Ingrowth Cores

Dendrometers

Soil respiration

Stem respirationThe GEM Protocol

Soil respiration partitioning

Leaf respiration and photosynthesis

Conclusions

• Tropical forests are variable in soils, climate, faunal and floral composition, disturbance history and biogeographical context

• Networks of forest plots are much greater than the sum of the parts

• Standardization of measurement protocols are important for robust comparison

• But the most important point is to reach out and build the networks