Author(s): WAGNER, F. H.; HÉRAULT, B.; BONAL, D.; STAHL, C.; ANDERSON, L. O.; BAKER, T. R.; BECKER, G. S.; BEECKMAN, H.; SOUZA, D. B.; BOTOSSO, P. C.; BOWMAN, D. M. J. S.; BRÄUNING, A.; BREDE, B.; BROWN, F. I.; CAMARERO, J. J.; CAMARGO, P. B.; CARDOSO, F. C. G.; CARVALHO, F. A.; CASTRO, W.; CHAGAS, R. K.; CHAVE, J.; CHIDUMAYO, E. N.; CLARK, D. A.; COSTA, F. R. C.; COURALET, C.; MAURICIO, P. H. da S.; DALITZ, H.; CASTRO, V. R. de; MILANI, J. E. de F.; OLIVEIRA, E. C. de; ARRUDA, L. de S.; DEVINEAU, JEAN-LOUIS; DREW, D. M.; DÜNISCH, O.; DURIGAN, G.; ELIFURAHA, E.; FEDELE, F.; FEDELE, L. F.; FIGUEIREDO FILHO, A.; FINGER, C. A. G.; FRANCO, A. C.; FREITAS JÚNIOR, J. L.; GALVÃO, F.; GEBREKIRSTOS, A.; GLINIARS, R.; GRAÇA, P. M. L. de A.; GRIFFITHS, A. D.; GROGAN, J.; GUAN, K.; HOMEIER, J.; KANIESKI, M. R.; KHO, L. K.; KOENIG, J.; KREPKOWSKI, J.; LEMOS-FILHO, J. P.; LIEBERMAN, D.; LIEBERMAN, M. E.; LISI, C. S.; SANTOS, T. L.; LÓPEZ AYALA, J. L.; MAEDA, E. E.; MALHI, Y.; MARIA, V. R. B.; MARQUES, M. C. M.; MARQUES, R.; CHAMBA, H. M.; MBWAMBO, L.; MELGAÇO, K. L. L.; MENDIVELSO, H. A.; MURPHY, B. P.; O’BRIEN, J. J.; OBERBAUER, S. F.; OKADA, N.; PÉLISSIER, R.; PRIOR, L. D.; ROIG, F. A.; ROSS, M.; ROSSATTO, D. R.; ROSSI, V.; ROWLAND, L.; RUTISHAUSER, E.; SANTANA, H.; SCHULZE, M.; SELHORST, D.; SILVA, W. R.; SILVEIRA, M.; SPANNL, S.; SWAINE, M. D.; TOLEDO, J. J.; TOLEDO, M. M.; TOLEDO, M.; TOMA. T.; TOMAZELLO FILHO, M.; VALDEZ HERNÁNDEZ, J. I.; VERBESSELT, J.; VIEIRA, S. A.; VINCENT, G.; CASTILHO, C. V. de; VOLLAND, F.; WORBES, M.; ZANON, M. L. B.; ARAGÃO, L. E. O. C.

Summary: The seasonal climate drivers of the carbon cy- cle in tropical forests remain poorly known, although these forests account for more carbon assimilation and storage than any other terrestrial ecosystem. Based on a unique combina- tion of seasonal pan-tropical data sets from 89 experimental sites (68 include aboveground wood productivity measure- ments and 35 litter productivity measurements), their asso- ciated canopy photosynthetic capacity (enhanced vegetation index, EVI) and climate, we ask how carbon assimilation and aboveground allocation are related to climate seasonal- ity in tropical forests and how they interact in the seasonal carbon cycle. We found that canopy photosynthetic capacity seasonality responds positively to precipitation when rain- fall is < 2000 mm yr-1 (water-limited forests) and to radia- tion otherwise (light-limited forests). On the other hand, in- dependent of climate limitations, wood productivity and lit- terfall are driven by seasonal variation in precipitation and evapotranspiration, respectively. Consequently, light-limited forests present an asynchronism between canopy photosyn- thetic capacity and wood productivity. First-order control by precipitation likely indicates a decrease in tropical forest pro- ductivity in a drier climate in water-limited forest, and in cur- rent light-limited forest with future rainfall < 2000 mm yr-1.

Publication year: 2016

Types of publication: Journal article

Unit: Embrapa Forestry

Keywords: Carbon sinks, Carbono, Climate change, Floresta tropical, Madeira, Mudança Climática, Tropical forests, Wood