ECOFOR - Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Functioning in degraded and recovering
Amazonian and Atlantic Forests
Sao Luiz da Piraitinga
28/03/2014
Jos Barlow & Carlos Joly
Lancaster Environment Centre
University of Campinas
ECOFOR - Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Functioning in degraded and recovering
Amazonian and Atlantic Forests
Context talks
Jos – Ecofor geral
Joly – Biota/gradiente
Yadvinder – Carbon, traits
Erika - RAS
Helber – hydoclimatica
Sophie – TFS
Joe Tobias – Bird traits
Debora - Data
ECOFOR development
Morning (breakout)
Soil
Birds and bird traits
Afternoon (all)
Site selection
Carbon cycling
Modelling & Plant traits
Up-scaling
PROGRAMME GOALS
5. Apply methods and approaches used in Sabah to Brazil
1. Biodiversity &
Ecosystem
Function
2. Link function
with species of
conservation
concern
3. Policy &
management
PROGRAMME GOALS
5. Apply methods and approaches used in Sabah to Brazil
2. Link function
with species of
conservation
concern
1: Examine carbon and
2. Explore patterns of
biodiversity, functional
traits and carbon
cycling and storage
(landscape-scale)
3. Integrate results to
inform policy
(landscape-scale)
Vegetation dynamics
i. Assess carbon
stocks, plants & birds in
extensive network of
plots
i. Extrapolate treebased models to wider
landscapes
ii. Develop trait-based
understanding of plant
and bird communities
Carbon and bird data
nutrient cycling and
plant and animal trait
distributions (intensive
study plots)
ECOFOR DESIGN
i. Assess above and
below-ground carbon &
nutrient dynamics in
permanent plots
Carbon dynamics,
Soil hydrology
3. Policy &
management
1. Biodiversity &
Ecosystem
Function
Plant traits
iii. Develop individual
tree-based models of
HMTFs
Plant and
bird traits
Model
outputs
ii. Develop models
linking biodiversity and
ecosystem functioning
in HMTFs
ii. Analysis of existing
and potential
restoration and avoided
degradation options
Model
outputs
Study sites: Atlantic Forest
(intensive plots)
• These are:
– Established plots in
undisturbed and logged
humid montane forests
(n = 4)
– New plots in logged and
fragmented humid
montane forest (n = 2)
Study sites: Atlantic Forest
(extensive plots)
• Extensive sites include:
– Continuous forest in the
Serra do Mar
– Large tracts of forest in
the Serra do Mantiqueira
– Fragmented secondary
forests along gradient of
forest cover & isolation
in Vale de Paraiba
Study sites: Amazon
(Santarém)
• 24 0.25ha intensive plots
will be chosen from subset
of extensive plot network:
–
–
–
–
Undisturbed forest (n = 18)
Logged forest (n = 27)
Logged and burned (n = 28)
Secondary (n = 31)
• Good relations with
farmers/reserve managers
Intensive plot measurements:
Above- and
Below-ground
carbon and
nutrient dynamics
Plant traits
Soil type, bulk
density, texture &
nutrient stocks
Bird traits
Weather and soil
moisture
Extensive plot measurements:
Landscape structure
& history (Landsat
time series, aerial
photos, etc)
Plant community data
Bird community data
Plant and bird
phylogenies,
functional trait
databases
Study sites: Amazon
(validation sites)
Stem turnover rates
vary according to soil
fertility
Quesada et al. 2012 Biogeosciences
Study sites: Amazon
(validation sites)
Will plant trait-stem growth relationships in intact and
burned forests be predictable along this gradient?
Acre:
NE/l018123
NE/F015356/2
Pará:
NE/G000816/1
NE/F015614X/1
Linkages to other projects:
• Build on data collected
in the Atlantic Forest
and Amazon in previous
projects
• Link to protocols already
being implemented in
SAFE (carbon and
nutrient cycling;
biodiversity and
functional trait analysis)
• Link to global scientific
networks
Key challenges:
• Management of NERC and FAPESP
budgets
• Effective communication between UK
and Brazilian partners
• Ensuring field and lab protocols link
between field sites, to other HMTF
consortia, and global scientific
initiatives
• Data management – linking data
between different databases
(ForestPlots, GEMtraits, Biodiversity
data, EarthCape, NERC).
Timeline for 2014-17:
2014: PDRAs (4) and PhD students
recruited; Visa application to CNPq &
permission to work in reserves; First project
meeting (now); protocols and sampling
design defined; first fieldwork started
2014-2016: Two years of fieldwork in
intensive plots (carbon dynamics, trait
campaigns)
2014-2015: Extensive plots established and
monitored in Atlantic forest.
2016-2017: Modelling work (TFS, linking
functional traits of birds and trees).