Edge effects on tree architecture exacerbate biomass loss of fragmented Amazonian forests

Matheus Henrique Nunes (), Marcel Caritá Vaz, José Luís Campana Camargo, William F. Laurance, Ana Andrade, Alberto Vicentini, Susan Laurance, Pasi Raumonen, Toby Jackson, Gabriela Zuquim, Jin Wu, Josep Peñuelas, Jérôme Chave and Eduardo Eiji Maeda ()
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Matheus Henrique Nunes: University of Helsinki
Marcel Caritá Vaz: Wilkes University
José Luís Campana Camargo: National Institute for Amazonian Research, (INPA)
William F. Laurance: College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University
Ana Andrade: Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) at National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA)
Alberto Vicentini: Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) at National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA)
Susan Laurance: College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University
Pasi Raumonen: Tampere University
Toby Jackson: University of Cambridge
Gabriela Zuquim: University of Turku
Jin Wu: The University of Hong Kong
Josep Peñuelas: CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès
Jérôme Chave: Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS, UPS, IRD, Université Paul Sabatier
Eduardo Eiji Maeda: University of Helsinki

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Habitat fragmentation could potentially affect tree architecture and allometry. Here, we use ground surveys of terrestrial LiDAR in Central Amazonia to explore the influence of forest edge effects on tree architecture and allometry, as well as forest biomass, 40 years after fragmentation. We find that young trees colonising the forest fragments have thicker branches and architectural traits that optimise for light capture, which result in 50% more woody volume than their counterparts of similar stem size and height in the forest interior. However, we observe a disproportionately lower height in some large trees, leading to a 30% decline in their woody volume. Despite the substantial wood production of colonising trees, the lower height of some large trees has resulted in a net loss of 6.0 Mg ha−1 of aboveground biomass – representing 2.3% of the aboveground biomass of edge forests. Our findings indicate a strong influence of edge effects on tree architecture and allometry, and uncover an overlooked factor that likely exacerbates carbon losses in fragmented forests.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44004-5

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