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Climate Change Across Seasons Experiment (CCASE) Sapling Study at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest: Root Damage

Root damage, as relative electrolyte leakage, was assessed following winter freeze-thaw cycle experimental treatments in 2014 and 2015. There were seven treatments for each species of maple. For each species, ten saplings experienced ambient temperatures (reference), ten experienced growing season warming with no induced freeze-thaw cycles in winter (warmed), ten in each of four groups experienced warming in the growing season coupled with two, four, six, or eight soil freeze-thaw cycles in winter (warmed + 2 FTC, warmed + 4 FTC, warmed + 6 FTC, warmed + 8 FTC), and ten experienced snow removal in winter with ambient temperatures in the growing-season (snow removal). These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is operated and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station.

Climate Change Across Seasons Experiment (CCASE) Sapling Study at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest: Growth and Litter

Litterfall production and stem growth of red maple and sugar maple saplings were assessed as measures of aboveground productivity in 2013 (to determine baseline values before treatment was initiated) and in 2014 after saplings experienced a combination of soil warming and winter freeze-thaw cycles treatments. There were seven treatments for each species of maple. For each species, ten saplings experienced ambient temperatures (reference), ten experienced growing season warming with no induced freeze-thaw cycles in winter (warmed), ten in each of four groups experienced warming in the growing season coupled with two, four, six, or eight soil freeze-thaw cycles in winter (warmed + 2 FTC, warmed + 4 FTC, warmed + 6 FTC, warmed + 8 FTC), and ten experienced snow removal in winter with ambient temperatures in the growing-season (snow removal). These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is operated and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station.

Climate Change Across Seasons Experiment (CCASE) Sapling Study at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest: Herbivory Damage and Snow Depth

During the winter 2014-15 there was extensive over-winter herbivory damage to sapling stems in the Climate Chaneg Across Seasons (CCASE) sapling experiment in the form of partial or complete girdling from bark consumption. Measurements of the extent of bark damage, the recovery class of the saplings, and the average snow depth during winter were made for each experimental treatment. There were seven treatments for each species of maple. For each species, ten saplings experienced ambient temperatures (reference), ten experienced growing season warming with no induced freeze-thaw cycles in winter (warmed), ten in each of four groups experienced warming in the growing season coupled with two, four, six, or eight soil freeze-thaw cycles in winter (warmed + 2 FTC, warmed + 4 FTC, warmed + 6 FTC, warmed + 8 FTC), and ten experienced snow removal in winter with ambient temperatures in the growing-season (snow removal). These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is operated and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station.

Climate Change Across Seasons Experiment (CCASE) Sapling Study at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest: Soil and Air Temperature

Soil temperature was measured on all Climate Change Across Seasons Experiment (CCASE) sapling treatment plots. There were seven treatments for each species of maple. For each species, ten saplings experienced ambient temperatures (reference), ten experienced growing season warming with no induced freeze-thaw cycles in winter (warmed), ten in each of four groups experienced warming in the growing season coupled with two, four, six, or eight soil freeze-thaw cycles in winter (warmed + 2 FTC, warmed + 4 FTC, warmed + 6 FTC, warmed + 8 FTC), and ten experienced snow removal in winter with ambient temperatures in the growing-season (snow removal). These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is operated and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station.

Climate Change Across Seasons Experiment (CCASE) Sapling Study at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest: Spring Phenology

Timing of spring leaf-out of red maple and sugar maple saplings experiencing combinations of soil warming and winter freeze-thaw cycles was assessed weekly in 2014 and 2015 from late April (when growing season warming began) through early June when leaves were fully expanded. There were seven treatments for each species of maple. For each species, ten saplings experienced ambient temperatures (reference), ten experienced growing season warming with no induced freeze-thaw cycles in winter (warmed), ten in each of four groups experienced warming in the growing season coupled with two, four, six, or eight soil freeze-thaw cycles in winter (warmed + 2 FTC, warmed + 4 FTC, warmed + 6 FTC, warmed + 8 FTC), and ten experienced snow removal in winter with ambient temperatures in the growing-season (snow removal). These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is operated and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station.

opencc-by-4.0Apr 2020View details →

zenodo32/100

Dataset: Seasonality, drivers, and isotopic composition of soil CO2 fluxes from tropical forests of the Congo Basin

These data sets contain data from soil CO2 flux measurements and its drivers (soil moisture, soil temperature) from lowland and montane tropical forests of the Congo Basin. Additionally, 13C values of soil emitted CO2, SOC, Leaflitter, and stream dissolved CO2 are reported. A Manuscript using these data sets has been submitted to Biogeosciences

opencc-zeroOct 2020View details →

Bamboo phenology and life cycle drive seasonal and long-term functioning of Amazonian bamboo-dominated forests

1. Bamboo-dominated forests (BDF) extend over large areas in the drought-prone Southwestern Amazon, yet little is known about the dynamics of these ecosystems. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that bamboo modulates large-scale ecosystem dynamics through competition with coexisting trees for water. 2. We examined spatio-temporal patterns of remotely sensed metrics (Enhanced Vegetation Index [EVI], Normalized Difference Moisture Index [NDMI]) in >300 Landsat images as proxies for canopy leaf phenology and water content at two time scales: (1) a complete bamboo life cycle (~28 years), and (2) the seasonal cycle; and at two spatial scales: (a) comparing adjacent areas of BDF vs. Terra-firme forests (TFF) to investigate regional dynamics, and (b) comparing the vegetation classes of bamboo, trees in BDF, and trees in TFF to investigate the effects of bamboo on coexisting trees. 3. At the regional scale, BDF showed higher EVI (leaf area density) and lower NDMI (water content) than nearby TFF but these differences disappeared as bamboo died, suggesting a strong influence of bamboo life-stage in the functioning of these forests. BDF seasonal cycle showed a bimodal EVI pattern as trees and bamboos had asynchronized leaf production peaks. 4. At the scale of vegetation classes, trees in BDF showed lower NDMI (i.e., water content) than trees in TFF except after bamboo mortality, indicating a release from competition with bamboo for water. Canopy water content of trees in BDF was also reduced during bamboo dry-season greening (increased EVI ~ leaf production) due to increased water demands. Nevertheless, long-term and seasonal phenology of trees in BDF did not differ from that of trees in TFF suggesting a potential selection for drought-tolerant trees in BDF. 5. Synthesis. Bamboo-dominated forests have received less attention than other Amazonian forests and their functional dynamics are commonly ignored or misinterpreted. Using remote sensing to characterize forest phenology and water content, we show the distinctive seasonal and long-term dynamics of BDF and coexisting trees and the importance of bamboo competition for water in shaping this ecosystem. Our results suggest a potential selection for drought-tolerant trees in BDF since they maintain the same EVI as trees in bamboo-free forests but with lower water content. A better characterization of BDF and their cyclical dynamics is crucial for accurately interpreting Amazonian forests' responses to extreme climatic events such as high temperatures and droughts.

opencc-zeroDec 2020View details →

Data from: Genetic diversity of the rain tree (Albizia saman) in Colombian seasonally dry tropical forest for informing conservation and restoration interventions

Albizia saman is a multipurpose tree species of seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTFs) of Mesoamerica and northern South America typically cultivated in silvopastoral and other agroforestry systems around the world, a trend that is bound to increase in light of multimillion hectare commitments for forest and landscape restoration. The effective conservation and sustainable use of A. saman requires detailed knowledge of its genetic diversity across its native distribution range of which surprisingly little is known to date. We assessed the genetic diversity and structure of A.saman across twelve representative locations of SDTF in Colombia, and how they may have been shaped by past climatic changes and human influence. We found four different genetic groups which may be the result of differentiation due to isolation of populations in pre-glacial times. The current distribution and mixture of genetic groups across STDF fragments we observed might be the result of range expansion of SDTFs during the last glacial period followed by range contraction during the Holocene and human-influenced movement of germplasm associated with cattle ranching. Despite the fragmented state of the presumed natural A. saman stands we sampled we did not find any signs of inbreeding, suggesting that gene flow is not jeopardized in humanized landscapes. However, further research is needed to assess potential deleterious effects of fragmentation on progeny. Climate change is not expected to seriously threaten the in situ persistence of A. saman populations and might present opportunities for future range expansion. However, the sourcing of germplasm for tree planting activities needs to be aligned with the genetic affinity of reference populations across the distribution of Colombian SDTFs. We identify priority source populations for in situ conservation based on their high genetic diversity, lack or limited signs of admixture and/or genetic uniqueness.

Data from: Modeling seasonal surface temperature variations in secondary tropical dry forests

Secondary tropical dry forests (TDFs) provide important ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and nutrient cycle regulation. However, their biogeophysical processes at the canopy-atmosphere interface remain unknown, limiting our understanding of how this endangered ecosystem influences, and responds to the ongoing global warming. To facilitate future development of conservation policies, this study characterized the seasonal land surface temperature (LST) behavior of three successional stages (early, intermediate, and late) of a TDF, at the Santa Rosa National Park (SRNP), Costa Rica. A total of 38 Landsat-8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) data and the Surface Reflectance (SR) product were utilized to model LST time series from July 2013 to July 2016 using a radiative transfer equation (RTE) algorithm. We further related the LST time series to seven vegetation indices which reflect different properties of TDFs, and soil moisture data obtained from a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN). Results showed that the LST in the dry season was 15–20 K higher than in the wet season at SRNP. We found that the early successional stages were about 6–8 K warmer than the intermediate successional stages and were 9–10 K warmer than the late successional stages in the middle of the dry season; meanwhile, a minimum LST difference (0–1 K) was observed at the end of the wet season. Leaf phenology and canopy architecture explained most LST variations in both dry and wet seasons. However, our analysis revealed that it is precipitation that ultimately determines the LST variations through both biogeochemical (leaf phenology) and biogeophysical processes (evapotranspiration) of the plants. Results of this study could help physiological modeling studies in secondary TDFs.

opencc-zeroOct 2019View details →

Functional organization of woody plant assemblages along precipitation and human disturbance gradients in a seasonally dry tropical forest

Chronic anthropogenic disturbances (CAD) and rainfall are important drivers of plant community assembly, but little is known about the role played by inter and intraspecific trait variation as communities respond to these pervasive forces. Here we examined the hypothesis that lower precipitation and higher CAD reduce both intra and interspecific trait variation in Caatinga dry forests. We sampled woody plants across 15 plots along precipitation and CAD gradients and measured resource-use traits. Effects of precipitation and CAD on RaoQ functional diversity were decomposed into species turnover and intraspecific variability. We used "T-statistics" to assess the trait sorting from the regional pool to local communities (i.e. external filtering), and within-community forces leading to low trait overlap (i.e. internal filtering) at individual- and species-level. Intraspecific variability explained at least one third of the total trait variation and 46% of variation in multitrait diversity across communities. Increasing disturbance reduced multitrait diversity, while precipitation affected some particular traits, such as wood density. Overall, precipitation determined species sorting across communities, while disturbance relaxed internal filters, leading to higher trait overlap within communities due to higher intraspecific variability. Our results suggest that the woody Caatinga flora contains a substantial amount of both inter and intraspecific trait variation. This variation is not randomly distributed within and across communities, but varies according to rainfall conditions and disturbance intensity. These findings reinforce the emerging idea that human-disturbances can reorganize plant communities at multiple scales and highlight trait variability as a key biological asset for the resilience of dry forests.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Leaf development and demography explain photosynthetic seasonality in Amazon evergreen forests

In evergreen tropical forests, the extent, magnitude, and controls on photosynthetic seasonality are poorly resolved and inadequately represented in Earth system models. Combining camera observations with ecosystem carbon dioxide fluxes at forests across rainfall gradients in Amazônia, we show that aggregate canopy phenology, not seasonality of climate drivers, is the primary cause of photosynthetic seasonality in these forests. Specifically, synchronization of new leaf growth with dry season litterfall shifts canopy composition toward younger, more light-use efficient leaves, explaining large seasonal increases (~27%) in ecosystem photosynthesis. Coordinated leaf development and demography thus reconcile seemingly disparate observations at different scales and indicate that accounting for leaf-level phenology is critical for accurately simulating ecosystem-scale responses to climate change.

opencc-zeroDec 2018View details →

Data from: Impacts of growing-season climate on tree growth and post-fire regeneration in ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests

We studied the impacts of climate variability on low-elevation forests in the U.S. northern Rocky Mountains by quantifying how post-fire tree regeneration and radial growth varied with growing-season climate. We reconstructed post-fire regeneration and radial growth rates of Pinus ponderosa and Pseudotsuga menziesii at 33 sites that burned between 1992 and 2007, by aging seedlings at the root-shoot boundary. We also measured radial growth in adult trees from 12 additional sites that burned between 1900 and 1990. To quantify the relationship between climate and regeneration, we characterized seasonal climate before, during, and after recruitment pulses using superposed epoch analysis. To quantify growth sensitivity to climate, we performed moving regression analysis for each species and for juvenile and adult life stages. Climatic conditions favoring regeneration and tree growth differed between species. Water deficit and temperature were significantly lower than average during recruitment pulses of ponderosa pine, suggesting that germination-year climate limits regeneration. Growing degree days were significantly higher than average during years with Douglas-fir recruitment pulses, but water deficit was significantly lower one year following pulses, suggesting moisture sensitivity in two-year-old seedlings. Growth was also sensitive to water deficit, but effects varied between life stages, species, and through time, with juvenile ponderosa pine growth more sensitive to climate than adult growth and juvenile Douglas-fir growth. Increasing water deficit corresponded with reduced adult growth of both species. Increases in maximum temperature and water deficit corresponded with increases in juvenile growth of both species in the early 20th century but strong reductions in growth for juvenile ponderosa pine in recent decades. Changing sensitivity of growth to climate suggests that increased temperature and water deficit may be pushing these species towards the edge of their climatic tolerances. Our study demonstrates increased vulnerability of dry mixed-conifer forests to post-fire regeneration failures and decreased growth as temperatures and drought increase. Shifts towards unfavorable conditions for regeneration and juvenile growth may alter the composition and resilience of low-elevation forests to future climate and fire activity.

Data from: Association between rainfall seasonality and the flowering of epiphytic plants in a Neotropical montane forest

The association between the reproductive phenology of epiphytic communities with environmental and ecological factors remains largely unexplored. Because epiphytes depend on environmental moisture, seasonal changes in moisture conditions likely act as the primary determinants of their reproductive timing. We examined whether water limitation or pollinator competition structures the flowering phenologies of an epiphytic community in a seasonal mountain forest in Costa Rica. Additionally, we addressed the environmental factors that might trigger floral induction. Using a 24-month dataset of bimonthly flowering records from 104 species, we found high seasonality of flowering at the species level but somewhat lower seasonality at the community level. The flowering mid-dates of most epiphytes, particularly from monocotyledonous species, occurred during the wettest months, as predicted if water limitation structures flowering. The increased moisture and nutrient availability during the rainy season give epiphytes the resources needed to complete floral development and anthesis, and later fruit and seed maturation. The observed flowering pattern of epiphytes coincides with reproductive patterns of terrestrial herbs and shrubs from seasonal tropical ecosystems, and suggests shared constraints to sexual reproduction in both ecological guilds under similar climatic conditions. In contrast, flowering patterns of congeneric epiphytes in the same pollination guild mostly did not follow the expectations of a pollinator competition scenario. Finally, we discuss the possible combined effect of precipitation, temperature, and daily insolation on floral induction of epiphytic plants.

Data from: AFLP diversity and spatial structure of Calycophyllum candidissimum (Rubiaceae), a dominant tree species of Nicaragua's critically endangered seasonally dry forest

The Central American seasonally dry tropical (SDT) forest biome is one of the worlds' most endangered ecosystems, yet little is known about the genetic consequences of its recent fragmentation. A prominent constituent of this biome is Calycophyllum candidissimum, an insect-pollinated and wind-dispersed canopy tree of high socio-economic importance, particularly in Nicaragua. Here, we surveyed amplified fragment length polymorphisms across 13 populations of this species in Nicaragua to elucidate the relative roles of contemporary vs historical factors in shaping its genetic variation. Genetic diversity was low in all investigated populations (mean HE=0.125), and negatively correlated with latitude. Overall population differentiation was moderate (ΦST=0.109, P<0.001), and Bayesian analysis of population structure revealed two major latitudinal clusters (I: 'Pacific North'+'Central Highland'; II: 'Pacific South'), along with a genetic cline between I and II. Population-based cluster analyses indicated a strong pattern of 'isolation by distance' as confirmed by Mantel's test. Our results suggest that (1) the low genetic diversity of these populations reflects biogeographic/population history (colonisation from South America, Pleistocene range contractions) rather than recent human impact; whereas (2) the underlying process of their isolation by distance pattern, which is best explained by 'isolation by dispersal limitation', implies contemporary gene flow between neighbouring populations as likely facilitated by the species' efficient seed dispersal capacity. Overall, these results underscore that even tree species from highly decimated forest regions may be genetically resilient to habitat fragmentation due to species-typical dispersal characteristics, the necessity of broad-scale measures for their conservation notwithstanding.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Forest disturbance and seasonal food availability influence a conditional seed dispersal mutualism

The interaction between granivorous scatter-hoarding mammals and plants is a conditional mutualism: scatter-hoarders consume seeds (acting as predators), but the movement of seed by scatter-hoarders may contribute to dispersal (acting as mutualists). Understanding the ecological factors that shape this relationship is highly relevant in anthropogenically disturbed tropical forests where large-bodied frugivores are extirpated. In such forests, large-seeded trees that once depended on these frugivores for dispersal may now only have scatter-hoarders as prospective dispersers. We studied Carapa oreophila (Meliaceae) in an Afromontane forest, to test the hypotheses that the proportion of seeds immediately consumed or hoarded (dispersed) would vary over a disturbance gradient. Temporal replication also afforded exploration of how habitat effects might vary with food availability. Using a Bayesian framework, we demonstrate that seeds were more likely to be hoarded in less disturbed forest, irrespective of temporal variation in food abundance. In contrast, forest disturbance only appeared to increase seed predation in temporal replicates that coincided with sustained food availability. These results highlight the potential variability in the dynamics between plants and scatter-hoarders over fine temporal scales, elucidating possible ecological scenarios where scatter-hoarders might act as mutualists (contributing positively to plant recruitment). Our study also fills important knowledge gaps about the importance of scatter-hoarders as dispersers in tropical forests depleted of large-bodied frugivores, particularly in Africa where scatter-hoarding mutualisms have not been extensively studied.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Hydrological niche segregation defines forest structure and drought tolerance strategies in a seasonal Amazon forest

1) Understanding if and how trees coordinate rooting depth and aboveground hydraulic traits to define drought-resistance strategies in seasonal Amazon forests is a major gap to model parametrization aimed at predicting the effects of climate change in these ecosystems. 2) We assessed the rooting depth of 12 dominant tree species (representing ~ 42% of the forest basal area) in a seasonal Amazon forest, using the stable isotope ratios (δ18O and δ²H) of water collected from tree xylem and soils from a range of depths. We took advantage of a major ENSO-related drought in 2015/2016 that caused substantial evaporative isotope enrichment on soil. We measured the minimum dry-season leaf water potential both in a normal year (2014; Ψnon-ENSO) and in an extreme drought year (2015; ΨENSO). Furthermore, we measured xylem hydraulic traits that indicate the range of water potentials that trees tolerate without risking hydraulic failure (P50 and P88). 3) We demonstrate that coexisting trees are largely segregated along a single hydrological niche axis defined by root depth differences, access to light, and tolerance of low water potential. These differences in rooting depth were strongly related to tree size; diameter at breast height (DBH) explained 72% of the variation in the δ18Oxylem. Additionally, δ18Oxylem explained 49% of the variation in P50 and 70% of P88, with higher tolerance of low water potential in shallow-rooted species, while δ18O of xylem water explained 47% and 77% of the variation of minimum Ψnon-ENSO and ΨENSO. 4) We propose a new formulation to estimate an effective functional rooting depth, i.e., the likely soil depth from which roots can sustain water uptake for physiological functions, using DBH as predictor of root depth at this site. Based on these estimates, we conclude that a number of families, genera and species are restricted to drawing water from shallow to deep soil in a large area of the Tapajós forest. 5) Our results support the theory of hydrological niche segregation and its underlying trade-off related to drought resistance, which also affect the dominance structure of trees in this seasonal eastern Amazon forest.

Data from: How do seasonality, substrate, and management history influence macrofungal fruiting assemblages in a central Amazonian Forest?

Worldwide, fungal richness peaks in tropical forest biomes where they are the primary drivers of decomposition. Understanding how environmental and anthropogenic factors influence tropical macrofungal fruiting patterns should provide insight as to how, for example, climate change and deforestation may impact their long-term demographic stability and evolutionary potential. However, in Amazonia no studies have yet to disentangle the effects of substrate, seasonality and forest history on phenology. Here, we quantitate spatial and temporal variation in community structure of fruiting macrofungi in relation to these factors at a long-term forest management research site in central Amazonia: the Biomass and Nutrients of Tropical Rain Forest (BIONTE's). Basidiome surveys of four substrate classes (leaves, soil, branches and trunks) were conducted along 250 m2 transects in primary and secondary (managed) forests, between 2012–13. From the 669 basidiomes collected, 290 taxa were identified of which 44 percent were restricted to primary and 36 percent to secondary forests. Although species-accumulation curves did not asymptote, rarefaction analyses and Fisher's alpha indicate contrasting differences in richness among forests in relation to substrate type. For example, leaf litter basidiome richness was higher in secondary forests, whereas the contrary was observed for soil communities, suggesting that variation in fruiting patterns in relation to disturbance is substrate-dependent possibly due to differences in necromass quality and/or understory micro-climates. Furthermore, secondary forests harbored significantly lower basidiome richness and abundance in dry months, suggesting synergistic impacts of seasonality and management history on fruiting regimes.