O bioma Cerrado possui a mais rica flora entre as savanas do mundo e apresenta alto nível de endemismo. Em relação ao contexto estadual, o Tocantins está situado na zona de transição geográfica entre o Cerrado e Amazônia. O desenvolvimento deste trabalho objetivou avaliar a composição florística e fitossociológica, bem como, quantificar a necromassa e lianas em um fragmento de Cerrado sensu stricto. Em uma área de 3,6 hectares, por meio de censo, foram identificados indivíduos arbóreos com circunferência a altura do peito (CAP) maior ou igual a 15 cm, que tiveram sua altura medida, bem como indivíduos que apresentavam lianas usando como suporte. Na área, também foi mensurada a necromassa disposta sobre o solo que se encontrava na área e com diâmetro de no mínimo 2 cm, usando a metodologia de smalian, cubagem. Além disso, foram medidas as lianas lenhosas com diâmetros ≥ 1 cm a 1,30 m de altura. Foram amostrados 8.943 indivíduos, pertencentes a 75 espécies, 69 gêneros e 33 famílias das quais predominaram as famílias Vochysiaceae e Fabaceae. A densidade total da área e área basal foram, respectivamente, de 2.484 ind.ha-1 e 13,95 m².ha-1. Foi constatado pelos índices de Shannon (H’=3,39) e Pielou (J=0,79), em comparação com outros trabalhos, a alta diversidade e heterogeneidade de espécies. Foram medidos um total de 1.547 peças lenhosas caída sobre o solo e suspensos sobre as árvores com uma densidade total de 430 peças.ha-1, sendo a maioria composto por galhos. Em relação as lianas, foram amostrados 2.174 indivíduos (604 ind.ha-1), com uma biomassa média de 16,81 Mg.ha-1. Na área de estudo as espécies que se destacaram em relação aos parâmetros fitossociológicos foram: Myrcia splendens, Byrsonima stipulacea, Qualea parviflora, Machaerium brasiliense, Qualea multiflora, Magonia pubescens e Astronium fraxinifolium; alta riqueza de espécies e heterogeneidade de distribuição; poucas espécies com mesmos gêneros; e maior abundância de necromassa e lianas em diâmetros menores está relacionada à estrutura da área uma vez que, grande parte das espécies lenhosas está concentrada em plantas de pequeno porte. / The Cerrado biome has the richest flora among the world's savannas and presents a high level of endemism. In relation to the state context, the Tocantins is situated in the geographical transition zone between the Cerrado and the Amazon. The development of this work aimed to evaluate the floristic and phytosociological composition, as well as quantify the necromass and lianas in a Cerrado fragment sensu stricto. In an area of 3.6 hectares, by census, arboreal individuals with chest circumference (CAP) greater than or equal to 15 cm were identified, which had their height measured, as well as individuals who presented lianas using as support. In the area, we also measured the necromass arranged on the soil that was in the area and with diameter of at least 2 cm, using the methodology of smalian, cubing. In addition, woody lianas with diameters ≥ 1 cm at 1.30 m were measured. A total of 8,943 individuals belonging to 75 species were sampled, 69 genera and 33 families of which the families Vochysiaceae and Fabaceae predominated. The total density of the area and basal area were, respectively, 2,484 ind.ha-1 and 13,95 m².ha-1. It was verified by the indexes of Shannon (H '= 3.39) and Pielou (J = 0.79), in comparison with other studies, the high species diversity and heterogeneity. A total of 1,547 woody pieces were measured lying on the ground and suspended above the trees with a total density of 430 pieces.ha-1, most of which were composed of twigs. Regarding the lianas, 2,174 individuals (604 ind.ha-1) were sampled, with a mean biomass of 16.81 Mg.ha-1. In the study area the species that stood out in relation to the phytosociological parameters were: Myrcia splendens, Byrsonima stipulacea, Qualea parviflora, Machaerium brasiliense, Qualea multiflora, Magonia pubescens and Astronium fraxinifolium; high species richness and distribution heterogeneity; few species with the same genera; and greater abundance of necromasses and lianas in smaller diameters is related to the structure of the area since most of the woody species is concentrated in small plants.

Expanding anthropogenic development within the tropical forest biome is driving the loss of an irreplaceable global resource. Mega-diverse tropical forests are vital for regulating the global carbon cycle, and are essential for climate change mitigation. Today, over half of the world’s remaining tropical forest is degraded or regenerating secondary forest. Tropical forests are becoming increasingly fragmented through the expansion of agriculture and roads. Landscape-scale flooding of terrestrial habitats caused by dam construction is an emerging driver of habitat loss and fragmentation. Much attention has been paid to the long-term impacts of tropical forest fragmentation for biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and carbon emissions. Most of our understanding of the impacts associated with habitat fragmentation originates from systems in which the habitat matrix surrounding remnant forest patches is another, albeit low quality, terrestrial habitat. However, dam-induced habitat fragmentation results in remnant terrestrial biological communities becoming isolated on islands within a water matrix. A water matrix presents the worst-case scenario for remnant habitat fragments. In Chapter 2 I synthesise the results of numerous studies reporting the responses of taxonomic groups to isolation on reservoir land-bridge islands, and uncover a globally-applicable pattern of extinction debt acting upon remnant biological communities on reservoir islands. All islands, regardless of taxonomic group, habitat type, or island area lose species as island isolation time increases. Moreover, I show that contrary to existing ecological theory, once terrestrial habitat becomes isolated within a water matrix, it is effectively too isolated for species losses to be buffered by metapopulation dynamics. Dam development is rapidly expanding in the largest remaining tract of intact tropical forest, the Amazon Basin. In Chapters 3 and 4 I study the Balbina mega-dam system in the central Brazilian Amazon. Here, I use detailed field inventories of trees and lianas on islands and in continuous mainland habitat to determine the impact of landscape-scale habitat fragmentation caused by reservoir creation on these taxonomic groups. I find that islands maintain tree communities at significantly lower densities, richness and diversity compared to continuous forest. Furthermore, tree communities on islands exhibit compositional divergence from those found in mainland continuous forest. Island tree assemblages are dominated by low-wood density species, and may be on a trajectory towards communities characteristic of early successional forests with reduced carbon storage capacity. In contrast, liana assemblages remain compositionally intact and are becoming increasingly dominant relative to trees. Thus, lianas appear robust to many of the negative impacts associated with landscape-scale habitat fragmentation. As insular tree communities continue to degrade through area- and edge-effects, lianas may become a key feature of this archipelagic landscape due to their competitive advantage over trees in disturbed forest habitats. Lianas significantly inhibit tree recruitment and carbon storage. Thus, findings from Chapters 3 and 4 provide strong evidence for additional, and currently unaccounted-for biodiversity and carbon impacts associated with tropical dams. As development of tropical forest regions increases, there is an urgent need to reconcile the need for resources with the need for ecosystem service provision, such as carbon storage, particularly as we attempt to mitigate the impacts of rising atmospheric carbon. Recent studies have shown that secondary tropical forests have the potential to rapidly uptake atmospheric carbon, and act as a powerful tool in climate change mitigation policy. Broad-scale estimates of secondary forest carbon uptake are currently based on above-ground biomass alone. In Chapter 5 I present carbon stock estimates of additional tropical forest carbon pools - soil and dead woody biomass - in secondary forests ranging from 40-120 years. I find that soil fertility (nitrogen concentration) is key in determining carbon storage in secondary forests, and that the stability of carbon stocks held in dead woody biomass increases with secondary forest stand age. I highlight the need to integrate detailed site-specific information into broad-scale predictive models of secondary tropical forest carbon sequestration. This thesis links ecological theory and landscape-scale field inventories, to provide new understanding of the long-term costs of tropical forest fragmentation for biodiversity conservation and carbon storage, and provides further evidence of the important role secondary tropical forests may play in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.

No description available.

Se investigó la estructura y la dinámica de las raíces finas a lo largo de un gradiente altitudinal en un bosque montano de lluvioso en el sur de Ecuador. Se estudió la biomasa y la necromasa de las raíces finas, la distribución espacial, la morfología de las raíces vivas y muertas asi como su distribución temporal en tres localidades ubicadas a 1890 m, 2380 m y 3060 m sobre el nivel del mar.Se pudo comprobar un incremento de la masa de las raíces finas en la capa orgánica y en el suelo mineral (0-20 cm) con el aumento de altitud. La misma tendencia se observó en la biomasa de las raíces finas y en la necromasa, que aumentaron de 393 a 978 g m-2 y de 640 a 2398 g m-2, respectivamente. El contenido de agua en el suelo se matuvó entre 20 y 30 Vol. %. La relación de bio- y necromasa varió bastante. La fluctuación temporal de las raíces finas no mostró ninguna concordancia con las temporadas climáticas. La producción de las raíces finas aumentó con la altitud de 676 a 2193 g m-2, así como también la producción de necromasa de raíces finas que aumentó de 523 a 2085 g m-2. El tiempo de vida de las raíces finas se estimó entre 0.75 y 0.44 años aproximadamente, al mismo tiempo la masa de las raíces finas era renovada. Experimentos sobre la descomposición biológica con bolsas de hojarasca (litter bags) monstraron que la tasa de descomposición disminuye con el aumento de altitud. La superficie específica de las raíces (SRA) también diminuyó con el aumento de altitud asi como la superficie específica de las ojas (SLA). El índice areal des las raíces (RAI) aumentó por causa del aumento de la biomasa de las raíces finas. La producción de hojarasca disminuyó con el aumento de altitud, mientras que simultaneamente crecía la masa de las raíces finas y disminuía la altura de los árboles.Se pudo comprobar estadísticamente una relación entre la masa de las raíces finas y la producción de hojarasca con la altitud sobre el nivel del mar. La superficie específica de las raíces (SRA), la producción de las raíces finas y su mortalidad monstraron también una dependencia con la altitud, la temperatura del aire, el contenido de nitrógeno, los parámetros morfológicos (SLA, SRA), la altura media del tronco y el diámetro medio del tronco (medido a un 1.3 m). Se encontró una correlación negativa entre la precipitación y la tasa de retorno y la expectativa de vida de las raíces finas.