Giants of the Amazon: How does environmental variation drive the diversity patterns of large trees?

For more than three decades, major efforts in sampling and analyzing tree diversity in South America have focused almost exclusively on trees with stems of at least 10 and 2.5 cm diameter, showing highest species diversity in the wetter western and northern Amazon forests. By contrast, little attention has been paid to patterns and drivers of diversity in the largest canopy and emergent trees, which is surprising given these have dominant ecological functions. Here, we use a machine learning approach to quantify the importance of environmental factors and apply it to generate spatial predictions of the species diversity of all trees (dbh ≥ 10 cm) and for very large trees (dbh ≥ 70 cm) using data from 243 forest plots (108,450 trees and 2832 species) distributed across different forest types and biogeographic regions of the Brazilian Amazon. The diversity of large trees and of all trees was significantly associated with three environmental factors, but in contrasting ways across regions and forest types. Environmental variables associated with disturbances, for example, the lightning flash rate and wind speed, as well as the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation, tend to govern the diversity of large trees. Upland rainforests in the Guiana Shield and Roraima regions had a high diversity of large trees. By contrast, variables associated with resources tend to govern tree diversity in general. Places such as the province of Imeri and the northern portion of the province of Madeira stand out for their high diversity of species in general. Climatic and topographic stability and functional adaptation mechanisms promote ideal conditions for species diversity. Finally, we mapped general patterns of tree species diversity in the Brazilian Amazon, which differ substantially depending on size class.

Composition and structure of a stretch of tropical forest in the Eastern Amazon / Composição e estrutura de um trecho de floresta tropical na Amazônia Oriental

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the diversity. composition. forest structure of a stretch of dense ombrophilous forest in the state of Amapá. The area is located in the east of the state of Amapá. in the Eastern Amazon. at the following coordinates: 2º 0'0.00 '' N. 14º 0'0.00''O. The sampling process used was systematic. where nine plots of 1 ha (100 m x 100 m) were allocated. 0.5 km apart. within a 13 km long and 0.03 km wide transect. The horizontal structure of the forest was evaluated using phytosociological parameters. One thousand seven hundred and ninety trees were sampled in this study. they were distributed in 131 species. 69 genera and 48 families. The species that presented more individuals were Pouteria guianensis Aubl. (136). Eschweilera coriacea (DC.) S.A.Mori (78). Inga paraensis Ducke (45). Licania paraensis Prance (38). The area is highly diverse and dissimilar with great variability and complexity in vegetable formation.

RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a diversidade, composição e estrutura florestal de um trecho de floresta ombrófila densa do estado do Amapá. A área está localizada a leste do Estado do Amapá, Amazônia Oriental. Nas seguintes coordenadas: 2º 0'0,00'' N. 14º 0'0.00''O. O processo de amostragem utilizado foi o sistemático em que foram alocadas nove parcelas de 1 ha (100 m x 100 m), distanciadas em 0.5 km entre si, dentro de um transecto de 13 km de comprimento por 0.03 km de largura. A estrutura horizontal da floresta foi avaliada por meio de parâmetros fitossociológicos. 1790 árvores foram amostradas neste estudo. Elas estão distribuídas em 131 espécies, 69 gêneros e 48 famílias. As espécies que apresentaram mais indivíduos foram Pouteria guianensis Aubl. (136), Eschweilera coriacea (DC.) S.A.Mori (78), Inga paraensis Ducke (45), Licania paraensis Prance (38). A área é altamente diversa e dissimilar com grande variabilidade e complexidade na formação vegetal.