Age-related and stand-wise estimates of carbon stocks and sequestration in the aboveground coarse wood biomass of wetland forests in the northern Pantanal, Brazil

Abstract

Abstract. In this study we use allometric models combined with tree ring analysis to estimate carbon stocks and sequestration in the aboveground coarse wood biomass (AGWB) of wetland forests in the Pantanal, located in central South America. In four 1-ha plots in stands characterized by the pioneer tree species Vochysia divergens Pohl (Vochysiaceae) forest inventories (trees ≥10 cm diameter at breast height, D) have been performed and converted to estimates of AGWB by two allometric models using three independent parameters (D, tree height H and wood density ρ). We perform a propagation of measurement errors to estimate uncertainties in the estimates of AGWB. Carbon stocks of AGWB vary from 7.8 ± 1.5 to 97.2 ± 14.4 Mg C ha −1 between the four stands. From models relating tree ages determined by dendrochronological techniques to C-stocks in AGWB we derived estimates for C-sequestration which differs from 0.50 ± 0.03 to 3.34 ± 0.31 Mg C ha −1 yr −1 . Maps based on geostatistic techniques indicate the heterogeneous spatial distribution of tree ages and C-stocks of the four studied stands. This distribution is the result of forest dynamics due to the colonizing and retreating of V. divergens and other species associated with pluriannual wet and dry episodes in the Pantanal, respectively. Such information is essential for the management of the cultural landscape of the Pantanal wetlands.

Stand dynamics of the drought-affected floodplain forests of Araguaia River, Brazilian Amazon

“…While plot-level tree diversity was not markedly lower than in central or western Amazonian várzea and igapó forests, mean stand-level basal area (19.4 m 2 •ha -1 ) and aboveground biomass (117 Mg•ha -1 ) were markedly smaller than in other Neotropical floodplains, including the cerrado floodplains in Pantanal (biomass: 136-260 Mg•ha -1 ; Schöngart et al 2011). We speculate that the low biomass is caused by a combination of the low fertility of the clear waters of Araguaia river and the 4-5 months of dry season.…”

“…Other studies found a negative relation between diameter growth and the height and duration of annual inundations, e.g. in the igapó forests along Rio Negro , Amazonian várzea forests (Nebel et al 2001a(Nebel et al , 2001bSchöngart et al 2010) and riparian forests in the Brazilian Pantanal (Wittmann et al 2008;Schöngart et al 2011). Worbes (1997 confirmed with dendrochronological methods that the floodplain trees typically reduce wood growth during the aquatic phase and then remain in a state of cambial dormancy.…”

Dendrochronological Potential in a Semi-Deciduous Rainforest: The Case of Pericopsis elata in Central Africa

“…Tree rings provide growth data from the past up to the present [1], enable the exact dating of growth and/or climatic events [2,3] and aid in reconstructing climatic time-series beyond the age of instrumental registration [4,5]. In addition, tree-ring series are used to calculate logging parameters and productivity [6] as well as to estimate growth of carbon stocks [7,8]. Briefly, tree-ring analysis in combination with sound inventory data and density measurements could provide a complete toolbox for estimating sustainable yield, biomass growth, and forest management at the long term [9].…”

Soil physical restrictions and hydrology regulate stand age and wood biomass turnover rates of Purus–Madeira interfluvial wetlands in Amazonia

“…The presented results are the first field-based estimates for tree ages, wood biomass productivity and biomass turnover rates in this vast interfluvial landscape. As predicted by future deforestation scenarios, the region will suffer huge impacts as a consequence of human occupation following the re-paving of the BR-319 Highway planned by the Brazilian Government (Laurance et al, 2001;Soares-Filho et al, 2006;Fearnside et al, 2009;Davidson et al, 2012). We discuss the application of the obtained scientific data on wood productivity, stand age and biomass turnover and their relationship to environmental conditions in the background of the sustainable development of the region to discriminate between areas for strict conservation or management priorities.…”

“…Since there are no specific allometric models available for the studied forest types we chose an allometric model that uses diameter, tree height and wood density as independent parameters to enhance the quality of the AGWB estimates (Chave et al, , 2005Schöngart et al, 2010Schöngart et al, , 2011. This way we may reduce any biases caused by possible differences in tree height and wood density among the areas, that can be expected over large distances (Chave et al, 2005;Wittmann et al, 2006;Nogueira et al, 2008a, b; Quesada et al, 2010).…”