Abstract

Background

This study aimed to determine the influence of soil traits, vegetation structure and climate on litterfall dynamics along a successional gradient in a tropical dry forest (TDF) in southeastern Brazil. We used a chronosequence design consisting of three successional stages (early, intermediate, and old-growth) defined based on forest age and vertical and horizontal structures.

Methods

Litterfall was recorded monthly for three years in 12 plots of 50 × 20 m (four plots per stage) where vegetation parameters (species richness, basal area, density and height for trees with diameter at breast height ≥ 5 cm) and soil chemical and physical traits were previously obtained. We placed eight 0.5-m2 litter traps in each plot, totalling 96 traps. Samples were sorted into leaves, twigs, reproductive parts, and debris.

Results

Litterfall mass was composed mainly of leaves and varied slightly among years (4 to 4.5 Mg∙ha− 1), within the range observed for other TDFs. Annual litterfall mass was higher at the old-growth forest than at the early and intermediate forest stages and this successional pattern was driven by vegetation characteristics (forest structural parameters and plant functional groups) and soil traits related to water-holding capacity. Litter amount in the intermediate stage was lower than expected for its forest structure (and similar to the early stage), possibly because its higher soil clay content increased the water holding capacity and leaf retention during the dry season. Seasonal variations in monthly litterfall were strongly driven by forest deciduousness and affected by climatic factors related to water availability. This pattern was consistent across the successional gradient, although differences for each litterfall component were observed.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that litter production in the studied TDF is influenced by multiple factors along succession, such as above-ground biomass and the degree of leaf retention mediated by soil water-holding capacity. Further studies on community phenological patterns can allow a better understanding of successional changes on litterfall and how fast this fundamental function recovers in secondary forests.

Details

Title
Litterfall dynamics along a successional gradient in a Brazilian tropical dry forest
Author
Souza, Saimo R 1 ; Veloso, Maria D M 1 ; Espírito-Santo, Mário M 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Silva, Jhonathan O 2 ; Sánchez-Azofeifa, Arturo 3 ; Betânia G Souza e Brito 1 ; Geraldo Wilson Fernandes 4 

 Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros-Unimontes, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil 
 Colegiado de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco-Univasf, Senhor do Bonfim, BA, Brazil 
 Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 
 Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais-UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil 
Pages
1-12
Publication year
2019
Publication date
Aug 2019
Publisher
Elsevier Limited
ISSN
20956355
e-ISSN
21975620
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2267664000
Copyright
Forest Ecosystems is a copyright of Springer, (2019). All Rights Reserved., © 2019. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.