Carbon stocks and sequestration in above-ground wood biomass of Central Amazonian white-water floodplain forests
Jochen
Schoengart, Max-Planck-Institute for Limnology, jschoen@gwdg.de
(Presenting)
Florian
Wittmann, Max-Planck-Institute for Limnology, florian@inpa.gov.br
Maria Teresa
Fernandez
Piedade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, maitepp@inpa.gov.br
Martin
Worbes, Institute of Agronomy in the Tropics, mworbes@gwdg.de
Wolfgang
Johannes
Junk, Max-Planck-Institute for Limnology, wjj@mpil-ploen.mpg.de
Understanding dynamical processes of tropical forests is one of the most important questions in tropical forest research linked to the discussion on carbon cycle in the frame of the Kyoto protocol. In this study we focus on the dynamic of almost undisturbed várzea forests along the middle Solimões River, analysing changes in tree species diversity and composition, age structure, wood density, stocks and production of above-ground wood biomass comprising the whole successional gradient from young pioneer stages on fresh deposited sand-bars to climax stages on higher elevated sites.
Above-ground wood biomass accumulates from 19 Mg/ha in the 7 yr-old young pioneer stage to 206 Mg/ha in the 50 yr-old late secondary stage; the estimations in the 120-240 yr-old stages varies between 185 and 194 Mg/ha. The wood biomass production ranges between 5.6 and 16.7 Mg/ha/y depending on the sucessional stage. Above-ground wood biomass production is thus much higher than in terra firme forests, which can be traced back to the good nutrient status of the várzea. The successional sequence shows an accumulation of wood biomass only during the first fifty years. Despite the high wood biomass production in the over 100-yr old forests, the stock of above-ground wood biomass does not increase, indicating losses of wood biomass in these stands by tree damage and gaps in the same range as the annual production. Thus, above-ground wood biomass in várzea forests only can be a significant carbon sink during the first 50 years of the primary succession on newly deposited alluvial soils.
The detection of different successional stages by aerial photographs and multi-spectral optical-based satellite images (Landsat TM) is possible by analysing upper-canopy crown features. A strong correlation can be found between the crown area and the above-ground wood biomass production of canopy trees of different successional stages, which allows us to estimate wood biomass production and carbon stocks by remote-sensing techniques on a regional scale.
Submetido por Jochen Schoengart em 11-MAR-2004
Tema Científico do LBA: CD (Armazenamento e Trocas de Carbono)