Mudanças no estoque de carbono da biomassa lenhosa de florestas de várzea baixa da Amazônia central ao longo de um gradiente sucessional

Abstract

Rain forests accumulate a large amount of carbon in the aboveground woody biomass (AGWB), but there are uncertainties about the role of flooded forests in the absorption, storage and dynamic of carbon in the AGWB. So far, no data are available on mortality and recruitment rates from tree species in flooded forests in the Central Amazon. These data are essential to estimate the carbon balance in AGWB of different sucessional stages varying in stand age. The objective of this study is to estimate the carbon balance of the AGWB in permanent sample plots in different successional stages of the várzea in the Mamirauá Reserve (central Amazon) based on increment, mortality and recruitment rates. The permanent sample plots have area 1 ha and have been established in 1999 in different successional stages with current stand ages of 30, 135 and 250 years. From each tree with diameter at breast height (DBH) above 10 cm, the DBH was remeasured in 2008. Trees that died during the period 1999-2008 were registered. From trees that passed over the DBH of 10 cm during this period (recruitment), diameter was measured and the trees were mapped by theirs coordinates (x/y). The data from the forest inventory were transformed into estimates of AGWB and carbon storage (50% of the AGWB) by three allometric models using three predictors (DBH, wood density, tree height). Wood density was obtained from a data base, and tree height was estimated by species-specific regression models describing the relationship between DBH and tree height. Mean diameter increment rates declined with increasing stand age from 0,42 cm year -1 (30-year-old successional stage) to 0,35 cm year -1 (30-year-old successional stage) and 0,32 cm year -1 (250-year-old successional stage). The same trend was observed for the mean annual mortality rate which decreased from 4,28% (30- year-old successional stage) to 3,31% (135-year-old successional stage) reaching 3,33% in the 250-year-old successional stage. The trees with the highest mortality rates were: Cecropia membranaceae, Rhodostemonodaphne sp. and Pseudobombax munguba (30-year-old successional stage); Nectandra hihua, Oxandra riedeliana and Pouteria elegans (135-year- old successional stage); Mabea sp., Oxandra riedeliana and Paramachaerium ormosioides (250-year-old successional stage). However, the mean annual losses of AGWB were much higher in the 135-year-old and 250 year-old stands (4,2 Mg ha -1 year -1 and 5,3 Mg ha -1 year -1 , respectively) in comparison to the 30-year-old stage (3,1 Mg ha -1 year -1 ). The mean AGWB production from the remaining trees declined along the sucessional gradient from 6,8 Mg ha -1 year -1 (30-year-old stand), to 6,2 Mg ha -1 year -1 in the 135-year-old stand to finally 5,1 Mg ha - 1 year -1 in the 250-year-old successional stage. The recruitment only contributed 0,60 Mg ha -1 year -1 in the 30-year-old stage, 0,24 Mg ha -1 year -1 in the 135-year-old stage and 0,30 Mg ha -1 year -1 in the 250-year-old stage. Estimating the carbon balance (AGWB gained by increment of the remaining trees and recruitment minus losses of AGWB by tree mortality) indicates that the young successional stage has a carbon sequestration of 2,0 Mg C ha -1 year -1 . With increasing stand age the carbon sequestration decreases to 1,1 Mg C ha -1 year -1 in the 135- year-old stage and reaches an equilibrium in the oldest stand. The AGWB only has a significant function in the carbon sequestration in first decades of primary succession. Mature forests above 200 years old indicate an equilibrated carbon balance in AGWB.