Parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in South American and African forest communities with elevation
The Amazon and Congo basins are the two largest continuous blocks of tropical forest with a central role for global biogeochemical cycles and ecology. However, both biomes differ in structure and species richness and composition. Understanding future directions of the response of both biomes to...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2017-11-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | https://www.biogeosciences.net/14/5313/2017/bg-14-5313-2017.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818484362519248896 |
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| author | M. Bauters M. Bauters H. Verbeeck M. Demol S. Bruneel C. Taveirne D. Van der Heyden L. Cizungu P. Boeckx |
| author_facet | M. Bauters M. Bauters H. Verbeeck M. Demol S. Bruneel C. Taveirne D. Van der Heyden L. Cizungu P. Boeckx |
| author_sort | M. Bauters |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Amazon and Congo basins are the two largest continuous blocks of tropical
forest with a central role for global biogeochemical cycles and ecology.
However, both biomes differ in structure and species richness and
composition. Understanding future directions of the response of both biomes
to environmental change is paramount. We used one elevational gradient on
both continents to investigate functional and stoichiometric trait shifts of
tropical forest in South America and Africa. We measured community-weighted
functional canopy traits and canopy and topsoil <i>δ</i><sup>15</sup>N signatures. We
found that the functional forest composition response along both transects
was parallel, with a shift towards more nitrogen-conservative species at
higher elevations. Moreover, canopy and topsoil <i>δ</i><sup>15</sup>N signals
decreased with increasing altitude, suggesting a more conservative N cycle at
higher elevations. This cross-continental study provides empirical
indications that both South American and African tropical forest show a
parallel response with altitude, driven by nitrogen availability along the
elevational gradients, which in turn induces a shift in the functional forest
composition. More standardized research, and more research on other
elevational gradients is needed to confirm our observations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T15:54:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69e3310129274b41adf66c69d9624137 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T15:54:20Z |
| publishDate | 2017-11-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-69e3310129274b41adf66c69d96241372022-12-22T01:42:41ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892017-11-01145313532110.5194/bg-14-5313-2017Parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in South American and African forest communities with elevationM. Bauters0M. Bauters1H. Verbeeck2M. Demol3S. Bruneel4C. Taveirne5D. Van der Heyden6L. Cizungu7P. Boeckx8Isotope Bioscience Laboratory – ISOFYS, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumCAVElab, Computational and Applied Vegetation Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumCAVElab, Computational and Applied Vegetation Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumCAVElab, Computational and Applied Vegetation Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumCAVElab, Computational and Applied Vegetation Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumIsotope Bioscience Laboratory – ISOFYS, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumIsotope Bioscience Laboratory – ISOFYS, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumFaculty of Agronomy, Université Catholique de Bukavu, Avenue de la mission, BP 285, Bukavu, DR CongoIsotope Bioscience Laboratory – ISOFYS, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumThe Amazon and Congo basins are the two largest continuous blocks of tropical forest with a central role for global biogeochemical cycles and ecology. However, both biomes differ in structure and species richness and composition. Understanding future directions of the response of both biomes to environmental change is paramount. We used one elevational gradient on both continents to investigate functional and stoichiometric trait shifts of tropical forest in South America and Africa. We measured community-weighted functional canopy traits and canopy and topsoil <i>δ</i><sup>15</sup>N signatures. We found that the functional forest composition response along both transects was parallel, with a shift towards more nitrogen-conservative species at higher elevations. Moreover, canopy and topsoil <i>δ</i><sup>15</sup>N signals decreased with increasing altitude, suggesting a more conservative N cycle at higher elevations. This cross-continental study provides empirical indications that both South American and African tropical forest show a parallel response with altitude, driven by nitrogen availability along the elevational gradients, which in turn induces a shift in the functional forest composition. More standardized research, and more research on other elevational gradients is needed to confirm our observations.https://www.biogeosciences.net/14/5313/2017/bg-14-5313-2017.pdf |
| spellingShingle | M. Bauters M. Bauters H. Verbeeck M. Demol S. Bruneel C. Taveirne D. Van der Heyden L. Cizungu P. Boeckx Parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in South American and African forest communities with elevation Biogeosciences |
| title | Parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in South American and African forest communities with elevation |
| title_full | Parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in South American and African forest communities with elevation |
| title_fullStr | Parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in South American and African forest communities with elevation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in South American and African forest communities with elevation |
| title_short | Parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in South American and African forest communities with elevation |
| title_sort | parallel functional and stoichiometric trait shifts in south american and african forest communities with elevation |
| url | https://www.biogeosciences.net/14/5313/2017/bg-14-5313-2017.pdf |
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