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JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 113, G00B05, doi:10.1029/2007JG000577, 2008

Effects of selective logging on tropical forest tree growth

Adelaine Michela e S. Figueira

Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
CENA, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil


Scott D. Miller

Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, California, USA


Cleilim Albert D. de Sousa

Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Resources, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil


Mary C. Menton

Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, California, USA


Augusto R. Maia

Federal University of Para, Santarem, Para, Brazil


Humberto R. da Rocha

Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil


Michael L. Goulden

Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, California, USA


Abstract

We combined measurements of tree growth and carbon dioxide exchange to investigate the effects of selective logging on the Aboveground Live Biomass (AGLB) of a tropical rain forest in the Amazon. Most of the measurements began at least 10 months before logging and continued at least 36 months after logging. The logging removed ∼15% of the trees with Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) greater than 35 cm, which resulted in an instantaneous 10% reduction in AGLB. Both wood production and mortality increased following logging, while Gross Primary Production (GPP) was unchanged. The ratio of wood production to GPP (the wood Carbon Use Efficiency or wood CUE) more than doubled following logging. Small trees (10 cm < DBH < 35 cm) accounted for most of the enhanced wood production. Medium trees (35 cm < DBH < 55 cm) that were within 30 m of canopy gaps created by the logging also showed increased growth. The patterns of enhanced growth are most consistent with logging-induced increases in light availability. The AGLB continued to decline over the study, as mortality outpaced wood production. Wood CUE and mortality remained elevated throughout the 3 years of postlogging measurements. The future trajectory of AGLB and the forest's carbon balance are uncertain, and will depend on how long it takes for heterotrophic respiration, mortality, and CUE to return to prelogging levels.

Received 25 August 2007; accepted 23 July 2008; published 4 October 2008.

Keywords: disturbance; dendrometry; selective logging; tropical forest; LBA-ECO; biometry.

Index Terms: 0439 Biogeosciences: Ecosystems, structure and dynamics (4815); 0315 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions (0426, 1610); 0414 Biogeosciences: Biogeochemical cycles, processes, and modeling (0412, 0793, 1615, 4805, 4912); 0426 Biogeosciences: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions (0315); 0428 Biogeosciences: Carbon cycling (4806).

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Citation: Figueira, A. M. e S., S. D. Miller, C. A. D. de Sousa, M. C. Menton, A. R. Maia, H. R. da Rocha, and M. L. Goulden (2008), Effects of selective logging on tropical forest tree growth, J. Geophys. Res., 113, G00B05, doi:10.1029/2007JG000577.