TY - JOUR
T1 - Seasonal production, allocation and cycling of carbon in two mid-elevation tropical montane forest plots in the Peruvian Andes
AU - Huasco, Walter Huaraca
AU - Girardin, Cécile A.J.
AU - Doughty, Christopher E.
AU - Metcalfe, Daniel B.
AU - Baca, Liliana D.
AU - Silva-Espejo, Javier E.
AU - Cabrera, Darcy G.
AU - Aragão, Luiz E.O.C.
AU - Davila, Angela R.
AU - Marthews, Toby R.
AU - Huaraca-Quispe, Lidia P.
AU - Alzamora-Taype, Ivonne
AU - Mora, Luzmila E.
AU - Farfán-Rios, William
AU - Cabrera, Karina G.
AU - Halladay, Katherine
AU - Salinas-Revilla, Norma
AU - Silman, Miles R.
AU - Meir, Patrick
AU - Malhi, Yadvinder
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Background: Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) are unique ecosystems with high biodiversity and large carbon reservoirs. To date there have been limited descriptions of the carbon cycle of TMCF. Aims: We present results on the production, allocation and cycling of carbon for two mid-elevation (1500-1750 m) tropical montane cloud forest plots in San Pedro, Kosñipata Valley, Peru. Methods: We repeatedly recorded the components of net primary productivity (NPP) using biometric measurements, and autotrophic (R a) and heterotrophic (R h) respiration, using gas exchange measurements. From these we estimated gross primary productivity (GPP) and carbon use efficiency (CUE) at the plot level. Results: The plot at 1500 m was found very productive, with our results comparable with the most productive lowland Amazonian forests. The plot at 1750 m had significantly lower productivity, possibly because of greater cloud immersion. Both plots had similar patterns of NPP allocation, a substantial seasonality in NPP components and little seasonality in Ra. Conclusions: These two plots lie within the ecotone between lower and upper montane forests, near the level of the cloud base. Climate change is likely to increase elevation of the cloud base, resulting in shifts in forest functioning. Longer-term surveillance of the carbon cycle at these sites would yield valuable insights into the response of TMCFs to a shifting cloud base.
AB - Background: Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) are unique ecosystems with high biodiversity and large carbon reservoirs. To date there have been limited descriptions of the carbon cycle of TMCF. Aims: We present results on the production, allocation and cycling of carbon for two mid-elevation (1500-1750 m) tropical montane cloud forest plots in San Pedro, Kosñipata Valley, Peru. Methods: We repeatedly recorded the components of net primary productivity (NPP) using biometric measurements, and autotrophic (R a) and heterotrophic (R h) respiration, using gas exchange measurements. From these we estimated gross primary productivity (GPP) and carbon use efficiency (CUE) at the plot level. Results: The plot at 1500 m was found very productive, with our results comparable with the most productive lowland Amazonian forests. The plot at 1750 m had significantly lower productivity, possibly because of greater cloud immersion. Both plots had similar patterns of NPP allocation, a substantial seasonality in NPP components and little seasonality in Ra. Conclusions: These two plots lie within the ecotone between lower and upper montane forests, near the level of the cloud base. Climate change is likely to increase elevation of the cloud base, resulting in shifts in forest functioning. Longer-term surveillance of the carbon cycle at these sites would yield valuable insights into the response of TMCFs to a shifting cloud base.
KW - Andes
KW - carbon use efficiency
KW - ecophysiology
KW - elevational gradient
KW - gross primary productivity
KW - net primary productivity
KW - soil water content
KW - temperature
KW - tropical montane forests
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U2 - 10.1080/17550874.2013.819042
DO - 10.1080/17550874.2013.819042
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84893301874
SN - 1755-0874
VL - 7
SP - 125
EP - 142
JO - Plant Ecology and Diversity
JF - Plant Ecology and Diversity
IS - 1-2
ER -