Forest fragmentation impacts the seasonality of Amazonian evergreen canopies

Matheus Henrique Nunes (), José Luís Campana Camargo, Grégoire Vincent, Kim Calders, Rafael S. Oliveira, Alfredo Huete, Yhasmin Mendes de Moura, Bruce Nelson, Marielle N. Smith, Scott C. Stark and Eduardo Eiji Maeda
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Matheus Henrique Nunes: University of Helsinki
José Luís Campana Camargo: Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragment Project, National Institute for Amazonian Research
Grégoire Vincent: AMAP, Univ Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE
Kim Calders: CAVElab—Computational and Applied Vegetation Ecology, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University
Rafael S. Oliveira: Institute of Biology, University of Campinas
Alfredo Huete: School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney
Yhasmin Mendes de Moura: Institute of Geography and Geoecology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Bruce Nelson: National Institute of Amazonian Research
Marielle N. Smith: Michigan State University
Scott C. Stark: Michigan State University
Eduardo Eiji Maeda: University of Helsinki

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Predictions of the magnitude and timing of leaf phenology in Amazonian forests remain highly controversial. Here, we use terrestrial LiDAR surveys every two weeks spanning wet and dry seasons in Central Amazonia to show that plant phenology varies strongly across vertical strata in old-growth forests, but is sensitive to disturbances arising from forest fragmentation. In combination with continuous microclimate measurements, we find that when maximum daily temperatures reached 35 °C in the latter part of the dry season, the upper canopy of large trees in undisturbed forests lost plant material. In contrast, the understory greened up with increased light availability driven by the upper canopy loss, alongside increases in solar radiation, even during periods of drier soil and atmospheric conditions. However, persistently high temperatures in forest edges exacerbated the upper canopy losses of large trees throughout the dry season, whereas the understory in these light-rich environments was less dependent on the altered upper canopy structure. Our findings reveal a strong influence of edge effects on phenological controls in wet forests of Central Amazonia.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28490-7

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