Simulation of succession in a neotropical forest: High selective logging intensities prolong the recovery times of ecosystem functions

Hiltner, Ulrike; Huth, Andreas; Bräuning, Achim; Hérault, Bruno; Fischer, Rico

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2018.08.042

Cited by 22 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…, Hiltner et al. ) and that (2) secondary forests (losses of 100% of the initial system biomass) took a median time of 66 yr to recover to 90% of old‐growth values in the neotropics (Poorter et al. ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term influence of early human occupations on current forests of the Guiana Shield

Odonne

Bel

Burst

et al. 2019

Ecology

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To decipher the long-term influences of pre-Columbian land occupations on contemporary forest structure, diversity, and functioning in Amazonia, most of the previous research focused on the alluvial plains of the major rivers of the Amazon basin. Terra firme, that is, nonflooded forests, particularly from the Guiana Shield, are yet to be explored. In this study, we aim to give new insights into the subtle traces of pre-Columbian influences on present-day forests given the archaeological context of terra firme forests of the Guiana Shield. Following archaeological prospects on 13 sites in French Guiana, we carried out forest inventories inside and outside archaeological sites and assessed the potential pre-Columbian use of the sampled tree species using an original ethnobotanical database of the Guiana Shield region. Aboveground biomass (320 and 380 T/ha, respectively), basal area (25-30 and 30-35 m 2 /ha, respectively), and tree density (550 and 700 stem/ha, respectively) were all significantly lower on anthropized plots (As) than on nonanthropized plots (NAs). Ancient human presence shaped the species composition of the sampled forests with Arecaceae, Burseraceae, and Lauraceae significantly more frequent in As and Annonaceae and Lecythidaceae more frequent in NAs. Although alpha diversity was not different between As and NAs, the presence of pre-Columbian sites enhances significantly the forest beta diversity at the landscape level. Finally, trees with edible fruits are positively associated with pre-Columbian sites, whereas trees used for construction or for their bark are negatively associated with pre-Columbian sites. Half a millennium after their abandonment, former occupied places from the inner Guiana Shield still bear noticeable differences with nonanthropized places. Considering the lack of data concerning archaeology of terra firme Amazonian forests, our results suggest that pre-Columbian influences on the structure (lower current biomass), diversity (higher beta diversity), and composition (linked to the past human tree uses) of current Amazonian forests might be more important than previously thought.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term influence of early human occupations on current forests of the Guiana Shield

Odonne

Bel

Burst

et al. 2019

Ecology

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“…They are parameterised with forest inventory data and allow investigations of forest growth dynamics over longer periods. By simulating tree growth, regeneration, competition, and mortality for each tree, these models can contribute in estimating biomass gain and loss (Hiltner et al, 2018). By using an individual-and process-based approach, the spatial heterogeneity within forest stands can be well represented in such models (Fischer et al, 2016;Hiltner et al, 2018;Rasche et al, 2011;Shugart et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By simulating tree growth, regeneration, competition, and mortality for each tree, these models can contribute in estimating biomass gain and loss (Hiltner et al, 2018). By using an individual-and process-based approach, the spatial heterogeneity within forest stands can be well represented in such models (Fischer et al, 2016;Hiltner et al, 2018;Rasche et al, 2011;Shugart et al, 2018). To estimate carbon budgets of forest stands and entire landscapes, a combination of forest models and remote sensing is necessary (Rödig et al, 2017;Shugart et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We applied the forest model FORMIND (Fischer et al, 2016;Hiltner et al, 2018;Köhler and Huth, 2004) and analysed the succession patterns of several forest attributes, including aboveground biomass (hereafter: biomass), forest height, gross primary production (GPP), net primary production (NPP), leaf area index (LAI), and biomass mortality (mAGB) under different disturbance levels at the Paracou study site in French Guiana. The studied forests are characteristic for the country (Guitet et al, 2018), whose Terra Firma rainforests are generally dense and species rich, with 150-200 tree species per hectare (Gourlet-Fleury et al, 2004;Grau et al, 2017;Piponiot et al, 2016a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We simulated long-term forest development in a set of scenarios with different disturbance intensities and compared the model outputs with a reference scenario reflecting natural forest growth. The reference scenario is based on a previous study, in which tree size distribution, functional species composition and biomass were compared with records from forest inventories (35 a, 65 ha) (Hiltner et al, 2018). We propose that biomass mortality is a function of competition for light, disturbance intensity, and the successional stage of the forest.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Importance of succession in estimating biomass loss: Combining remote sensing and individual-based forest models

Hiltner

Huth

Fischer

2020

Preprint

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Abstract. Disturbances can have strong impacts on the dynamics and structure of tropical forests. They often lead to increased tree mortality and affect their behaviour as carbon sinks. In the future, the intensity of disturbances, such as extreme weather events, fires, floods, and biotic agents, will probably even increase, with more serious consequences for tropical forests than we have already observed. However, impacts of altering disturbances on rates of forest biomass loss through tree mortality (hereinafter: biomass mortality) have been little described yet. This complicates progress in quantifying the effects of climate change on forests globally. This study aims to analyse the consequences of elevated tree mortality on forest dynamics and to provide a methodology that can reduce uncertainties in estimating biomass mortality rates at local and country level. We achieved this by linking benefits of individual-based forest model-ling, statistical linear regression, and remote sensing. We applied an individual-based forest model to investigate the impact of varying disturbance regimes on the succession dynamic of a humid Terra Firma forest at the Paracou study site in French Guiana. By simulating increased tree mortality rates, we were able to investigate their influence on several forest attributes, namely biomass, leaf area index, forest height, gross primary production, net primary production, and biomass mortality. Based on simulations of leaf area index and forest height, we developed a linear multivariate regression model to project biomass mortality. Our findings demonstrate that severe disturbances altered the succession pattern of the forests in favour of fast-growing species, which changed gross primary production, but net primary production remained stable. We also observed a strong influence on biomass mortality rates as well as observed complex relationships between these rates and single forest attributes (leaf area index, forest height, and biomass). By combining leaf area index and forest height we obtained relationships that allow an estimation of the biomass mortality. Based on these findings, we mapped the biomass mortality for whole French Guiana. We found a nation-wide biomass mortality of 3 % per year (standard deviation = 1.4 % per year). The approach we describe here, provides a novel methodology for quantifying the spatial-temporal distribution of biomass loss, which has recently been identified as particularly critical for monitoring mortality hot spots. Quantifying biomass mortality rates may help reducing uncertainties in the terrestrial component of the global carbon cycle.

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Tackling unresolved questions in forest ecology: The past and future role of simulation models

Maréchaux

Langerwisch

Huth

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Simulation of succession in a neotropical forest: High selective logging intensities prolong the recovery times of ecosystem functions

Cited by 22 publications

References 53 publications

Long‐term influence of early human occupations on current forests of the Guiana Shield

Long‐term influence of early human occupations on current forests of the Guiana Shield

Importance of succession in estimating biomass loss: Combining remote sensing and individual-based forest models

Tackling unresolved questions in forest ecology: The past and future role of simulation models

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