Carbon in Amazon Forests: Unexpected Seasonal Fluxes and Disturbance-Induced Losses

Scott R. Saleska; Scott D. Miller; Daniel M. Matross; Michael L. Goulden; Steven C. Wofsy; Humberto R. Da Rocha; Plinio B. De Camargo; Patrick M. Crill; Bruce C. Daube; Helber C. de Freitas; Lucy Hutyra; Michael Keller; Volker Kirchhoff; Mary Menton; J. William Munger; Elizabeth Hammond Pyle; Amy H. Rice; Hudson Silva

doi:10.1126/science.1091165

Carbon in Amazon Forests: Unexpected Seasonal Fluxes and Disturbance-Induced Losses

Scott R. Saleska^*, Scott D. Miller, Daniel M. Matross, Michael L. Goulden, Steven C. Wofsy, Humberto R. Da Rocha, Plinio B. De Camargo, Patrick M. Crill, Bruce C. Daube, Helber C. de Freitas, Lucy Hutyra, Michael Keller, Volker Kirchhoff, Mary Menton, J. William Munger, Elizabeth Hammond Pyle, Amy H. Rice, Hudson Silva

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

570 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide was measured by eddy covariance methods for 3 years in two old-growth forest sites near Santarém, Brazil. Carbon was lost in the wet season and gained in the dry season, which was opposite to the seasonal cycles of both tree growth and model predictions. The 3-year average carbon loss was 1.3 (confidence interval: 0.0 to 2.0) megagrams of carbon per hectare per year. Biometric observations confirmed the net loss but imply that it is a transient effect of recent disturbance superimposed on long-term balance. Given that episodic disturbances are characteristic of old-growth forests, it is Likely that carbon sequestration is lower than has been inferred from recent eddy covariance studies at undisturbed sites.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1554-1557
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	302
Issue number	5650
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1091165
Publication status	Published - 28 Nov 2003

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Saleska, S. R., Miller, S. D., Matross, D. M., Goulden, M. L., Wofsy, S. C., Da Rocha, H. R., De Camargo, P. B., Crill, P. M., Daube, B. C., de Freitas, H. C., Hutyra, L., Keller, M., Kirchhoff, V., Menton, M., Munger, J. W., Pyle, E. H., Rice, A. H., & Silva, H. (2003). Carbon in Amazon Forests: Unexpected Seasonal Fluxes and Disturbance-Induced Losses. Science, 302(5650), 1554-1557. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1091165

@article{3355b0d4d3cc4e0ca227c14858e8d35a,

title = "Carbon in Amazon Forests: Unexpected Seasonal Fluxes and Disturbance-Induced Losses",

abstract = "The net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide was measured by eddy covariance methods for 3 years in two old-growth forest sites near Santar{\'e}m, Brazil. Carbon was lost in the wet season and gained in the dry season, which was opposite to the seasonal cycles of both tree growth and model predictions. The 3-year average carbon loss was 1.3 (confidence interval: 0.0 to 2.0) megagrams of carbon per hectare per year. Biometric observations confirmed the net loss but imply that it is a transient effect of recent disturbance superimposed on long-term balance. Given that episodic disturbances are characteristic of old-growth forests, it is Likely that carbon sequestration is lower than has been inferred from recent eddy covariance studies at undisturbed sites.",

author = "Saleska, {Scott R.} and Miller, {Scott D.} and Matross, {Daniel M.} and Goulden, {Michael L.} and Wofsy, {Steven C.} and {Da Rocha}, {Humberto R.} and {De Camargo}, {Plinio B.} and Crill, {Patrick M.} and Daube, {Bruce C.} and {de Freitas}, {Helber C.} and Lucy Hutyra and Michael Keller and Volker Kirchhoff and Mary Menton and Munger, {J. William} and Pyle, {Elizabeth Hammond} and Rice, {Amy H.} and Hudson Silva",

year = "2003",

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doi = "10.1126/science.1091165",

language = "English",

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Saleska, SR, Miller, SD, Matross, DM, Goulden, ML, Wofsy, SC, Da Rocha, HR, De Camargo, PB, Crill, PM, Daube, BC, de Freitas, HC, Hutyra, L, Keller, M, Kirchhoff, V, Menton, M, Munger, JW, Pyle, EH, Rice, AH & Silva, H 2003, 'Carbon in Amazon Forests: Unexpected Seasonal Fluxes and Disturbance-Induced Losses', Science, vol. 302, no. 5650, pp. 1554-1557. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1091165

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T1 - Carbon in Amazon Forests: Unexpected Seasonal Fluxes and Disturbance-Induced Losses

AU - Saleska, Scott R.

AU - Miller, Scott D.

AU - Matross, Daniel M.

AU - Goulden, Michael L.

AU - Wofsy, Steven C.

AU - Da Rocha, Humberto R.

AU - De Camargo, Plinio B.

AU - Crill, Patrick M.

AU - Daube, Bruce C.

AU - de Freitas, Helber C.

AU - Hutyra, Lucy

AU - Keller, Michael

AU - Kirchhoff, Volker

AU - Menton, Mary

AU - Munger, J. William

AU - Pyle, Elizabeth Hammond

AU - Rice, Amy H.

AU - Silva, Hudson

PY - 2003/11/28

Y1 - 2003/11/28

N2 - The net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide was measured by eddy covariance methods for 3 years in two old-growth forest sites near Santarém, Brazil. Carbon was lost in the wet season and gained in the dry season, which was opposite to the seasonal cycles of both tree growth and model predictions. The 3-year average carbon loss was 1.3 (confidence interval: 0.0 to 2.0) megagrams of carbon per hectare per year. Biometric observations confirmed the net loss but imply that it is a transient effect of recent disturbance superimposed on long-term balance. Given that episodic disturbances are characteristic of old-growth forests, it is Likely that carbon sequestration is lower than has been inferred from recent eddy covariance studies at undisturbed sites.

AB - The net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide was measured by eddy covariance methods for 3 years in two old-growth forest sites near Santarém, Brazil. Carbon was lost in the wet season and gained in the dry season, which was opposite to the seasonal cycles of both tree growth and model predictions. The 3-year average carbon loss was 1.3 (confidence interval: 0.0 to 2.0) megagrams of carbon per hectare per year. Biometric observations confirmed the net loss but imply that it is a transient effect of recent disturbance superimposed on long-term balance. Given that episodic disturbances are characteristic of old-growth forests, it is Likely that carbon sequestration is lower than has been inferred from recent eddy covariance studies at undisturbed sites.

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EP - 1557

JO - Science

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ER -

Carbon in Amazon Forests: Unexpected Seasonal Fluxes and Disturbance-Induced Losses

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