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Forest recovery pathways after fire, drought, and windstorms in southeastern Amazonia
Leandro Maracahipes1,2,3, Paulo M Brando1,3,4, Divino V Silvério5
1Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511.
Summary
Tropical forests can recover from disturbances like fire and drought. However, edge effects and repeated disturbances lead to species loss and vulnerability, even after recovery.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Forest Science
- Climate Change Biology
Background:
- Tropical forest resilience is crucial for ecosystem stability.
- Multiple disturbances, including edge effects, fire, drought, and windthrow, threaten forest integrity.
- Understanding forest response to cumulative disturbances is vital for conservation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term impacts of edge effects and multiple disturbances on Amazon-Cerrado transition forests.
- To evaluate forest structure, composition, and functional traits recovery over two decades.
- To determine if degraded forests transition to savanna.
Main Methods:
- Long-term monitoring of forest structure, composition, and functional traits.
- Experimental fires and drought simulations in forest edges and interior.
- Analysis of species richness, community composition, and hydraulic traits.
Main Results:
- Initial resistance to low-intensity fires shifted to high susceptibility during severe droughts.
- Compound disturbances at agricultural edges caused species loss and homogenization.
- Post-fire recovery differed between interior and edge forests, with edge forests recovering slower.
- Embolism-resistant species increased, but drought vulnerability rose.
- Grasses initially colonized edges but declined, with limited savanna species establishment.
Conclusions:
- Degraded forests can recover without new disturbances, but reassembled communities remain vulnerable.
- Edge effects and recurrent disturbances can lead to long-term forest degradation.
- Forests do not readily transition to savanna, but future climate change could increase this risk.
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