Abstract booklet - gtö – Society for Tropical Ecology

212 SCIENTIFIC POSTER SESSION | FOYERSCIENTIFIC POSTER SESSION | FOYER213Topic: Ecological networks and ecosystem functioningBIOMASS ESTIMATIONS IN FORESTS OF DIFFERENT DISTURBANCEHISTORY IN THE ATLANTIC RAINFOREST OF RIO DE JANEIRO,BRAZILTopic: The Andean biodiversity hotspot and its future: biodiversity, ecosystemfunctioning and ecosystem services under environmental changeDATA HANDLING AND ANALYSIS OF NEW EMISSION DATABASESFOR MATTER DEPOSITION IN THE TROPICAL MOUNTAIN FORESTAndré Lindner 1 , Dietmar Sattler 1Sandro Makowski 11LCRS-Universität Marburg, Marburg, DE, Makowsks@students.uni-marburg.deWEDNESDAY | FOYER1University of Leipzig, Leipzig, DE,Tropical forests are large reservoirs of biomass and the carbon stored inaboveground living tree biomass (AGB) makes up the biggest stock of carbonsequestered by this ecosystem. Reliable estimates of aboveground biomassstocks within the Atlantic Forest are rarely available. Past human disturbanceis an important factor affecting forest structure variation and biomassaccumulation among tropical forest ecosystems. For a better estimation of thecurrent biomass carbon storage capacity of this disturbed forest we comparedthe aboveground tree biomass of forest sites with three disturbance histories:complete cut down, selective logging and conservation since 60 years. Weidentified high AGB-values in the preserved forest area. Intermediate resultsfor AGB were found at the former clear cut site and lowest AGB was calculatedfor the area with past selective logging. Our results lead to the conclusion thatbiomass productivity can recover in a forest which was completely cleared 60years ago. On the other hand the outcome of our study shows that “gentle”influences like selective logging can have tremendous impact, even if stoppedseveral decades ago.Thetropical mountain forest of southern Ecuador is among the most biologicallydiverse places in the world. However, the stability of the ecosystem can bethreatened by a variety of phenomenons. Since this particular ecosystem hasdeveloped above very acidic and nutrient-poor soils, the equilibrium amongthe plant species and between them and their environment is very delicate.It has been revealed by the study of Boy and Wilcke (2008) and confirmed byFabian et al. (2009), that many of the nutrients which are essential for the tropicalmountain forest of southern Ecuador are transported as far as from the Bodeléedepression, in the African Chad, and deposited in the Amazon basin. However,Saharan dust is not theonly element whichis transported fromlong distance sourcesand deposited in theEastern hills of theEcuadorian Andes.Limiting factors,such as elevatedsulphates andnitrates, generatedin the atmospherefrom biomassburning emissionsand pollution, anddeposited primarilyduring the dryseason, can reduceniche dimension andtherefore affect plantdiversity (Harpoleand Tilman, 2007).Wednesday 16:00 | FoyergtöSociety for Tropical Ecology | Gesellschaft für Tropenökologie e.V. Status and future of tropical biodiversity | Frankfurt, 21 - 24 February 2011gtö