Drought-mortality relationships for tropical forests

Oliver L. Phillips; Geertje van der Heijden; Simon L. Lewis; Gabriela López-González; Luiz E. O. C. Aragão; Jon Lloyd; Yadvinder Malhi; Abel Monteagudo; Samuel Almeida; Esteban Alvarez Dávila; Iêda Amaral; Sandy Andelman; Ana Andrade; Luzmila Arroyo; Gerardo Aymard; Tim R. Baker; Lilian Blanc; Damien Bonal; Átila Cristina Alves de Oliveira; Kuo Jung Chao; Nallaret Dávila Cardozo; Lola da Costa; Ted R. Feldpausch; Joshua B. Fisher; Nikolaos M. Fyllas; Maria Aparecida Freitas; David Galbraith; Emanuel Gloor; Niro Higuchi; Eurídice Honorio; Eliana Jiménez; Helen Keeling; Tim J. Killeen; Jon C. Lovett; Patrick Meir; Casimiro Mendoza; Alexandra Morel; Percy Núñez Vargas; Sandra Patiño; Kelvin S-H Peh; Antonio Peña Cruz; Adriana Prieto; Carlos A. Quesada; Fredy Ramírez; Hirma Ramírez; Agustín Rudas; Rafael Salamão; Michael Schwarz; Javier Silva; Marcos Silveira; J. W. Ferry Slik; Bonaventure Sonké; Anne Sota Thomas; Juliana Stropp; James R.D. Taplin; Rodolfo Vásquez; Emilio Vilanova

doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03359.x

Drought-mortality relationships for tropical forests

Oliver L. Phillips (Lead / Corresponding author), Geertje van der Heijden, Simon L. Lewis, Gabriela López-González, Luiz E. O. C. Aragão, Jon Lloyd, Yadvinder Malhi, Abel Monteagudo, Samuel Almeida, Esteban Alvarez Dávila, Iêda Amaral, Sandy Andelman, Ana Andrade, Luzmila Arroyo, Gerardo Aymard, Tim R. Baker, Lilian Blanc, Damien Bonal, Átila Cristina Alves de Oliveira, Kuo Jung ChaoNallaret Dávila Cardozo, Lola da Costa, Ted R. Feldpausch, Joshua B. Fisher, Nikolaos M. Fyllas, Maria Aparecida Freitas, David Galbraith, Emanuel Gloor, Niro Higuchi, Eurídice Honorio, Eliana Jiménez, Helen Keeling, Tim J. Killeen, Jon C. Lovett, Patrick Meir, Casimiro Mendoza, Alexandra Morel, Percy Núñez Vargas, Sandra Patiño, Kelvin S-H Peh, Antonio Peña Cruz, Adriana Prieto, Carlos A. Quesada, Fredy Ramírez, Hirma Ramírez, Agustín Rudas, Rafael Salamão, Michael Schwarz, Javier Silva, Marcos Silveira, J. W. Ferry Slik, Bonaventure Sonké, Anne Sota Thomas, Juliana Stropp, James R.D. Taplin, Rodolfo Vásquez, Emilio Vilanova

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453 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The rich ecology of tropical forests is intimately tied to their moisture status. Multi-site syntheses can provide a macro-scale view of these linkages and their susceptibility to changing climates. Here, we report pan-tropical and regional-scale analyses of tree vulnerability to drought.

We assembled available data on tropical forest tree stem mortality before, during, and after recent drought events, from 119 monitoring plots in 10 countries concentrated in Amazonia and Borneo.

In most sites, larger trees are disproportionately at risk. At least within Amazonia, low wood density trees are also at greater risk of drought-associated mortality, independent of size. For comparable drought intensities, trees in Borneo are more vulnerable than trees in the Amazon. There is some evidence for lagged impacts of drought, with mortality rates remaining elevated 2 yr after the meteorological event is over.

These findings indicate that repeated droughts would shift the functional composition of tropical forests toward smaller, denser-wooded trees. At very high drought intensities, the linear relationship between tree mortality and moisture stress apparently breaks down, suggesting the existence of moisture stress thresholds beyond which some tropical forests would suffer catastrophic tree mortality.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	631-646
Number of pages	16
Journal	New Phytologist
Volume	187
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03359.x
Publication status	Published - Aug 2010

Keywords

Amazon
Borneo
Drought
Lags
Mortality
RAINFOR
Trees
Tropics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physiology
Plant Science

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10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03359.x

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Phillips, O. L., van der Heijden, G., Lewis, S. L., López-González, G., Aragão, L. E. O. C., Lloyd, J., Malhi, Y., Monteagudo, A., Almeida, S., Dávila, E. A., Amaral, I., Andelman, S., Andrade, A., Arroyo, L., Aymard, G., Baker, T. R., Blanc, L., Bonal, D., de Oliveira, Á. C. A., ... Vilanova, E. (2010). Drought-mortality relationships for tropical forests. New Phytologist, 187(3), 631-646. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03359.x

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abstract = "The rich ecology of tropical forests is intimately tied to their moisture status. Multi-site syntheses can provide a macro-scale view of these linkages and their susceptibility to changing climates. Here, we report pan-tropical and regional-scale analyses of tree vulnerability to drought. We assembled available data on tropical forest tree stem mortality before, during, and after recent drought events, from 119 monitoring plots in 10 countries concentrated in Amazonia and Borneo. In most sites, larger trees are disproportionately at risk. At least within Amazonia, low wood density trees are also at greater risk of drought-associated mortality, independent of size. For comparable drought intensities, trees in Borneo are more vulnerable than trees in the Amazon. There is some evidence for lagged impacts of drought, with mortality rates remaining elevated 2 yr after the meteorological event is over.These findings indicate that repeated droughts would shift the functional composition of tropical forests toward smaller, denser-wooded trees. At very high drought intensities, the linear relationship between tree mortality and moisture stress apparently breaks down, suggesting the existence of moisture stress thresholds beyond which some tropical forests would suffer catastrophic tree mortality.",

keywords = "Amazon, Borneo, Drought, Lags, Mortality, RAINFOR, Trees, Tropics",

author = "Phillips, {Oliver L.} and {van der Heijden}, Geertje and Lewis, {Simon L.} and Gabriela L{\'o}pez-Gonz{\'a}lez and Arag{\~a}o, {Luiz E. O. C.} and Jon Lloyd and Yadvinder Malhi and Abel Monteagudo and Samuel Almeida and D{\'a}vila, {Esteban Alvarez} and I{\^e}da Amaral and Sandy Andelman and Ana Andrade and Luzmila Arroyo and Gerardo Aymard and Baker, {Tim R.} and Lilian Blanc and Damien Bonal and {de Oliveira}, {{\'A}tila Cristina Alves} and Chao, {Kuo Jung} and Cardozo, {Nallaret D{\'a}vila} and {da Costa}, Lola and Feldpausch, {Ted R.} and Fisher, {Joshua B.} and Fyllas, {Nikolaos M.} and Freitas, {Maria Aparecida} and David Galbraith and Emanuel Gloor and Niro Higuchi and Eur{\'i}dice Honorio and Eliana Jim{\'e}nez and Helen Keeling and Killeen, {Tim J.} and Lovett, {Jon C.} and Patrick Meir and Casimiro Mendoza and Alexandra Morel and Vargas, {Percy N{\'u}{\~n}ez} and Sandra Pati{\~n}o and Peh, {Kelvin S-H} and Cruz, {Antonio Pe{\~n}a} and Adriana Prieto and Quesada, {Carlos A.} and Fredy Ram{\'i}rez and Hirma Ram{\'i}rez and Agust{\'i}n Rudas and Rafael Salam{\~a}o and Michael Schwarz and Javier Silva and Marcos Silveira and {Ferry Slik}, {J. W.} and Bonaventure Sonk{\'e} and Thomas, {Anne Sota} and Juliana Stropp and Taplin, {James R.D.} and Rodolfo V{\'a}squez and Emilio Vilanova",

year = "2010",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03359.x",

language = "English",

volume = "187",

pages = "631--646",

journal = "New Phytologist",

issn = "0028-646X",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "3",

}

Phillips, OL, van der Heijden, G, Lewis, SL, López-González, G, Aragão, LEOC, Lloyd, J, Malhi, Y, Monteagudo, A, Almeida, S, Dávila, EA, Amaral, I, Andelman, S, Andrade, A, Arroyo, L, Aymard, G, Baker, TR, Blanc, L, Bonal, D, de Oliveira, ÁCA, Chao, KJ, Cardozo, ND, da Costa, L, Feldpausch, TR, Fisher, JB, Fyllas, NM, Freitas, MA, Galbraith, D, Gloor, E, Higuchi, N, Honorio, E, Jiménez, E, Keeling, H, Killeen, TJ, Lovett, JC, Meir, P, Mendoza, C, Morel, A, Vargas, PN, Patiño, S, Peh, KS-H, Cruz, AP, Prieto, A, Quesada, CA, Ramírez, F, Ramírez, H, Rudas, A, Salamão, R, Schwarz, M, Silva, J, Silveira, M, Ferry Slik, JW, Sonké, B, Thomas, AS, Stropp, J, Taplin, JRD, Vásquez, R & Vilanova, E 2010, 'Drought-mortality relationships for tropical forests', New Phytologist, vol. 187, no. 3, pp. 631-646. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03359.x

TY - JOUR

T1 - Drought-mortality relationships for tropical forests

AU - Phillips, Oliver L.

AU - van der Heijden, Geertje

AU - Lewis, Simon L.

AU - López-González, Gabriela

AU - Aragão, Luiz E. O. C.

AU - Lloyd, Jon

AU - Malhi, Yadvinder

AU - Monteagudo, Abel

AU - Almeida, Samuel

AU - Dávila, Esteban Alvarez

AU - Amaral, Iêda

AU - Andelman, Sandy

AU - Andrade, Ana

AU - Arroyo, Luzmila

AU - Aymard, Gerardo

AU - Baker, Tim R.

AU - Blanc, Lilian

AU - Bonal, Damien

AU - de Oliveira, Átila Cristina Alves

AU - Chao, Kuo Jung

AU - Cardozo, Nallaret Dávila

AU - da Costa, Lola

AU - Feldpausch, Ted R.

AU - Fisher, Joshua B.

AU - Fyllas, Nikolaos M.

AU - Freitas, Maria Aparecida

AU - Galbraith, David

AU - Gloor, Emanuel

AU - Higuchi, Niro

AU - Honorio, Eurídice

AU - Jiménez, Eliana

AU - Keeling, Helen

AU - Killeen, Tim J.

AU - Lovett, Jon C.

AU - Meir, Patrick

AU - Mendoza, Casimiro

AU - Morel, Alexandra

AU - Vargas, Percy Núñez

AU - Patiño, Sandra

AU - Peh, Kelvin S-H

AU - Cruz, Antonio Peña

AU - Prieto, Adriana

AU - Quesada, Carlos A.

AU - Ramírez, Fredy

AU - Ramírez, Hirma

AU - Rudas, Agustín

AU - Salamão, Rafael

AU - Schwarz, Michael

AU - Silva, Javier

AU - Silveira, Marcos

AU - Ferry Slik, J. W.

AU - Sonké, Bonaventure

AU - Thomas, Anne Sota

AU - Stropp, Juliana

AU - Taplin, James R.D.

AU - Vásquez, Rodolfo

AU - Vilanova, Emilio

PY - 2010/8

Y1 - 2010/8

N2 - The rich ecology of tropical forests is intimately tied to their moisture status. Multi-site syntheses can provide a macro-scale view of these linkages and their susceptibility to changing climates. Here, we report pan-tropical and regional-scale analyses of tree vulnerability to drought. We assembled available data on tropical forest tree stem mortality before, during, and after recent drought events, from 119 monitoring plots in 10 countries concentrated in Amazonia and Borneo. In most sites, larger trees are disproportionately at risk. At least within Amazonia, low wood density trees are also at greater risk of drought-associated mortality, independent of size. For comparable drought intensities, trees in Borneo are more vulnerable than trees in the Amazon. There is some evidence for lagged impacts of drought, with mortality rates remaining elevated 2 yr after the meteorological event is over.These findings indicate that repeated droughts would shift the functional composition of tropical forests toward smaller, denser-wooded trees. At very high drought intensities, the linear relationship between tree mortality and moisture stress apparently breaks down, suggesting the existence of moisture stress thresholds beyond which some tropical forests would suffer catastrophic tree mortality.

AB - The rich ecology of tropical forests is intimately tied to their moisture status. Multi-site syntheses can provide a macro-scale view of these linkages and their susceptibility to changing climates. Here, we report pan-tropical and regional-scale analyses of tree vulnerability to drought. We assembled available data on tropical forest tree stem mortality before, during, and after recent drought events, from 119 monitoring plots in 10 countries concentrated in Amazonia and Borneo. In most sites, larger trees are disproportionately at risk. At least within Amazonia, low wood density trees are also at greater risk of drought-associated mortality, independent of size. For comparable drought intensities, trees in Borneo are more vulnerable than trees in the Amazon. There is some evidence for lagged impacts of drought, with mortality rates remaining elevated 2 yr after the meteorological event is over.These findings indicate that repeated droughts would shift the functional composition of tropical forests toward smaller, denser-wooded trees. At very high drought intensities, the linear relationship between tree mortality and moisture stress apparently breaks down, suggesting the existence of moisture stress thresholds beyond which some tropical forests would suffer catastrophic tree mortality.

KW - Amazon

KW - Borneo

KW - Drought

KW - Lags

KW - Mortality

KW - RAINFOR

KW - Trees

KW - Tropics

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955161276&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03359.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03359.x

M3 - Article

C2 - 20659252

AN - SCOPUS:77955161276

SN - 0028-646X

VL - 187

SP - 631

EP - 646

JO - New Phytologist

JF - New Phytologist

IS - 3

ER -

Drought-mortality relationships for tropical forests

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Keywords

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