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LBAManaus July2002 PDF
LBAManaus July2002 PDF
The abstracts included here are those that were submitted and accepted prior
to the conference.
• Within each subject, abstracts are listed first by oral, then by poster
presentations.
Os resumos incluídos aqui são aqueles que foram submetidos e aceitos antes
do início da conferência.
Diogo Selhorst UFAC Poster A Comparison of Satellite Fire Products and In Situ
Observations in Southwestern Amazonia: A Case Study in
Acre, Brazil.
Eraldo Matricardi Basic Science and Remote Poster The Contribution of Selective Logging to Forest
Sensing Initiative - BSRSI- Degradation in the Brazilian Amazon
MSU
Eraldo Matricardi Basic Science and Remote Poster Conservation Units: The New Deforestation Frontier in the
Sensing Initiative - BSRSI- state of Rondonia, Brazil.
MSU
Eric Smith NASA/GSFC Poster Space-time Controls on Carbon Sequestration over
Large-Scale Amazon Basin
George Hurtt University of New Hampshire Poster IKONOS Imagery for Large-scale Biosphere Atmosphere
Experiment in Amazonia
George Sanches Universidade Federal de Mato Poster Estimate of the consumption of photosyntheticaly active
Suli Grosso radiation (PAR) for the forest and the leaf area index (LAI)
from remote sensing, related with collected field data.
Jeffrey Cardille Federal University of Vicosa Poster Agricultural land use in 2000-2001 Amazonia using new
(UFV) methods for merging agricultural census data with satellite
reflectances: obtaining land use data from satellite
information
Jiaguo Qi Michigan State University Poster Scaling of Biophysical Variables of Tropical Forests
Luciano Dutra INPE Poster Some Results from the 2000 P and X band Airborne
Polarimetric INPE-DSG SAR Mission for Biomass
Estimation, Land Cover Classification and Digital Elevation
and Surface Model Estimation
Marcelo Sestini INPE/CPTEC Poster Integration and update of cartographic information of Legal
Amazon land cover
Maycira Costa INPE Poster Estimate of net primary production of aquatic vegetation of
the Amazon floodplain using radar satellite imagery.
Sassan Saatchi JPL/CALTECH Poster Measuring Vegetation Aerodynamic Roughness from
Radar Interferometry
Tomoaki Miura Terrestrial Biophysics and Poster Discriminating Land Cover Types and Conversions in the
Remote Sensing Lab, Brazilian Cerrado Using EO-1 Hyperion Hyperspectral
University of Arizona Imagery
Toshiro Inoue Meteorological Research Poster Characteristics of deep convection over the Amazonia
Institute during LBA using GOES and PR/TRMM data
Xiangming Xiao University of New Hampshire Poster Satellite observations of inter-annual variation of
vegetation productivity and water content in Legal Amazon
Basin during 1998-2001
A Look at Amazon Basin Seasonal Dynamics with the Biophysical
Products from the Terra-MODIS Sensor
Abstract
We evaluated the initial two years of satellite biophysical products from the Moderate
Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) over the Amazon Basin and
surrounding regions of Brazil. A suite of ecological MODIS products is currently
available at spatial resolutions of 250 m to 1 km and 8- and 16-day temporal time
intervals. These include atmospherically-corrected surface reflectances in 7 bands in the
visible, near- and shortwave infrared; two vegetation indices (VI), the normalized
difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI); a leaf area
index (LAI) and fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) product,
and net primary production (NPP). We examined the usefulness of the MODIS data in
characterizing the seasonal dynamics of the Amazon Basin along primary climate-based
ecological transects as well as land cover and land use intensity gradients. An eco-
climatic transect was more carefully examined along a gradient from the semiarid
Brazilian cerrado to the seasonal tropical rainforests within the Amazon Basin.
Multitemporal profiles of the MODIS data revealed well-defined seasonal patterns in the
cerrado region with decreasing dry-wet seasonal patterns in the transitional areas near
Araguaia National Park. Seasonality was observed to a small extent at the Tapajos
National Forest site, however, it was unclear whether this was associated with seasonal
changes in forest leaf area or temporal changes in understory vegetation. We further
found MODIS VI seasonal patterns to significantly vary in land converted and land
degraded areas. In comparison with AVHRR data, we found MODIS to be much more
useful in characterizing the spatial and temporal dynamics of the Amazon Basin.
Surface Water Dynamics in the Amazon Basin:
Application of Satellite Radar Altimetry
1
Universities Space Research Association, NASA/GSFC, Maryland, USA
2
Department of Geography and ICESS, University of California at Santa Barbara, USA
3
Bren School of Environmental Science and Management and ICESS, University of California at
Santa Barbara, USA
4
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil
5
Hydrological Sciences Branch, NASA/GSFC, Maryland, USA
Abstract. Satellite radar altimetry has the ability to monitor variations in surface water height
(stage) for large wetlands, rivers, and associated floodplains. A clear advantage is the provision
of data where traditional gauges are absent. As part of an international programme a complete
altimetric analysis of the Amazon Basin is being undertaken. Here, an updated and more rigorous
evaluation of the TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) dataset is presented for the first ~7.5 years of the
mission. With an initial study group of 230 targets, height variability at many ungauged locations
can be observed for 30-50%, the range reflecting the clarity of the variations in lieu of instrument
limitations. An assessment of the instrument performance confirms that the minimum river width
attainable is ~1 km in the presence of some inundated floodplain. This constraint does allow
observation of the main stem (Solimões/Amazon) and the larger tributaries, but rugged terrain in
the vicinity of the target additionally places severe limitations on data retrieval. First-order
validation exercises with the deduced 1992-1999 time series of stage fluctuations reveal
accuracies ranging from tens of centimeters to several metres (mean ~1.1 m rms). Altimetric
water levels in the Solimões and Amazon are particularly well defined with amplitudes <13 m
and variations in peak level timing from May to July. The water-surface gradient of the main
stem is found to vary both spatially and temporally, with values ranging from 1.5 cm/km
downstream, to 4.0 cm/km for more upstream reaches. In agreement with ground-based
estimates, the seasonal variability of the gradients reveals that the hysteresis characteristic of the
flood wave varies along the mainstem and the derived altimetric velocity of this flood wave is
estimated to be ~0.35 ms-1. Overall, the altimetric results demonstrate that the T/P mission is
successfully monitoring the transient flood waves of this continental-scale river basin.
Speaker: Chrisopher Potter
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
D.A. Roberts1
1
Dept of Geography, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4060,
E-mail: dar@geog.ucsb.edu
Abstract
The main purpose of this research is the construction and maintenance of a system
to provide reliable rainfall information to the current hydrological models covering the
Amazon region. The presentation is an overview of the development and implementation
of an automated satellite rainfall estimation scheme for the Amazonia area to provide real
time rainfall rate free of cost to Internet users. The study is an extension of the automated
satellite rainfall estimation technique (Auto-Estimator) developed for the USA at the
request of the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS). It provides real-time, high
spatial (4 by 4 km) and temporal resolution (half-hour) rainfall estimates using a similar
multi-channel, multi-spectral methodology that has proved to be from 70% to 90%
percent satisfactory over the US. The real time rainfall rate estimates are derived from the
infrared channel carried by the GOES-8 geosynchronous satellite plus model-derived
precipitable water and relative humidity. This technique has consistently generated
rainfall estimates every half-hour over the whole South America region for over three
years. It acknowledges the diurnal variation of precipitation and has better temporal and
spatial coverage than the TRMM and DMSP(SSM/I) satellite estimates. The real time
estimates are available in GRADS format through the NOAA/NESDIS web site
http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/arad/ht/ff/gilberto.html.
Monitoring The Spatial And Temporal Dynamics Of The Brazilian Cerrado
Physiognomies With Spectral Vegetation Indices: An Assessment Within
The Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment In Amazonia (LBA)
Abstract
1
Amazonian Wetlands Mapping with Active Microwave Sensors
Laura L. Hess
University of California, Santa Barbara
lola@icess.ucsb.edu
Abstract
Datasets from active microwave sensors are providing a new view of Amazonian wetlands,
with important implications for basin biogeochemistry and hydrology. Dual-season mapping of
inundation and vegetation has been completed for a central Amazon quadrat extending from
72W,0S to 54W,8S. Imagery was acquired by the Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1 (JERS-1) L-
band, HH-polarized synthetic aperture radar (SAR) during Sept.-Oct. 1995 and May-June 1996,
and mosaicked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory into low- and high-water mosaics with pixel
dimensions of approx.100 m. Image segmentation software developed at INPE was used to carry
out a polygon-based classification of the co-registered mosaics into wetland and non-wetland
classes. Wetland areas were classified by inundation state (flooded vs. non-flooded) and vegetation
type (non-vegetated, woody, or herbaceous), and classification accuracy was assessed using geo-
coded digital videography acquired during aerial surveys of the Brazilian Amazon. Seventeen
percent of the central Amazon quadrat is occupied by wetlands, which are 96% inundated at high
water and 26% inundated at low water, including river and stream channels. Flooded forest
constitutes nearly 70% of the wetland area at high water. The inundation and vegetation mapping
was combined with stream network data and field measurements to estimate regional CO2 evasion
from waters of rivers and wetlands. This mapping methodology is being applied to the entire
lowland portion of the basin using the dual-season JERS-1 mosaics. In order to map inundation
extent at intermediate water stages, to increase classification accuracy in savanna regions, and to
create habitat maps of intensive study sites, we are analyzing time series of high-resolution (25 m)
JERS-1 and Radarsat data. Time series of JERS-1 data acquired at key times during the annual
flood cycle were used to generate maps of vegetation, inundation, and elevation for the Cabaliana
reach of the Solimões River. These high-resolution maps are being used to estimate methane
emissions, assess fish habitat quality, and model floodplain hydrology.
Vegetation Types of Amazon Basin from Fusion of Optical
and Microwave Remote Sensing Data
Sassan S. Saatchi1, Marc K. Steininger3, Tim Killeen3
Compton J. Tucker2, Bruce Nelson4, Marc Simard1
1. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, California 91109, USA. saatchi@congo.jpl.nasa.gov
2. Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt,
MD 20771, USA
3. Conservation International, 1919 M Street, NW Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036
4. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Av. André Araujo, 1756 69011-970,
Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Abstract
This paper reports on the synergistic use of optical and microwave remote sensing data to
map the vegetation types of the Amazon basin. The primary application of this map is to
improve the land surface parameterization for surface-atmosphere interaction models.
The vegetation types are divided in three categories based on their biomass, phenology,
and flooding conditions. Terre firme forest and savanna are separated according to
estimates of biomass and phenology from the radar and optical data. Floodplain
vegetation is mapped according to high- and low-water signal responses of L-band radar
data, canopy openness, and NDVI patterns of low-, medium-, and high-density
vegetation. The radar data layers are the JERS-1 radar mosaics at 1 km resolution for
high and low water seasons of the Amazon basin in 1995 and 1996, and two first order
texture measures derived from the 100 meter resolution of radar mosaics at 1km
resolution. The optical images are 12 monthly composite of NDVI images at 1 km
resolution. The NDVI images produced as a result of several applications of cloud
removal filters over three years of 10 day composite of SPOT VEGETATION NDVI
images for 1998-2001 period. Fusion of the optical and microwave data is performed at
pixel level with all images converted to the same projection and well registered to less
than a pixel accuracy. Classification of optical and radar images are performed in a
probabilistic decision tree algorithm developed for input layers with different signal
statistics. A set of training and test areas are chosen based on existing maps and Landsat
TM images. These data sets are used for both growing and prunning of decision trees to
produce a set of optimum rules for the classifier and to assess the accuracy of the final
thematic product. The result is a 1 km vegetation map with 18 land cover types and an
overall accuracy of above 85%. The final map is also compared with existing 1 km
resolution vegetation maps of the basin, the RADAMBRASIL map, and Landsat TM
classified images to assess the classification accuracy and to produce the area estimate of
each land cover type in the basin.
Estimation of Tropical Forest Fractional Cover for Rondonia State
A.M.S. e Silva1, E. Matricardi1, W. Chomentowski1, C. Wang1, D. Skole1
1
Michigan State University - Basic Science and Remote Sensing Initiative
1405 S. Harrison Road, Room 101
East Lansing, MI 48823
(andrea@bsrsi.msu.edu)
Tropical land use change is complex, with forests undergoing recovery as well as
degradation, logging, and conversion to shifting cultivation/forest fallow, permanent
agriculture, and urban lands. These changes respond to complex social, cultural, and
ecological conditions that vary with the region and need to be better understood. To assess
forest degradation and recovery, we can verify the measurement and monitoring of forest
fractional cover (fc). To estimate fc, the required inputs are vegetation indices, and we
assumed that the tropical forest areas consisted of two components: vegetation (tree canopies)
and bare soil. In this study, we used 16 Landsat images to derive fractional cover estimates
for Rondonia State. We used two models to calculate vegetation indices: the Normalized
Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index
(MSAVI). NDVI can be derived directly from remote sensing images, but it is influenced by
external factors such as atmosphere and soil conditions. MSAVI incorporates a soil
adjustment factor, improving its use in extracting vegetation information. Two forest
fractional cover maps were derived from ETM+ images using the different models of
vegetation indices. Then, we validated these results comparing the fc maps with the thematic
classes obtained from image classification (forest, deforestation, regrowth and cerrado). We
also showed the differences between the vegetation indices models.
EOS-WEBSTER - NEW Satellite Imagery and Model Products in
Support of LBA Science
Annette L. Schloss, George Hurtt, Rob Braswell, and Berrien Moore, III.
Complex Systems Research Center, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space,
University of New Hampshire
Dr. Annette Schloss, 446 Morse Hall, 39 College Rd., University of New Hampshire,
Durham, NH, 03824, USA
annette.schloss@unh.edu
Abstract
Our newest addition is a set of MODIS products that cover the entire LBA region. These
include 8-day reflectances (MOD09A1), daily fire products (MOD14A1), and 16-day
NDVI products (MOD13Q1). The regional data sets were developed in cooperation with
Eros Data Center to facilitate use of MODIS products by the LBA science community.
Regional data can be clipped to smaller rectangular or irregular areas of interest, such as a
field site, a political boundary, or a watershed. Selected data are available in several
formats, including GrADS, and can be ordered by ftp or shipped on CD-ROM.
This poster introduces the EOS-WEBSTER LBA collection, including how to select and
order MODIS data, and highlights some applications using the data. Applications include
mapping landcover distributions, studying secondary forest regrowth, and quantifying the
spatial extent of logging. In the future, we plan to provide concurrent data from several
sensors at various resolutions (MODIS, MISR, Landsat, IKONOS) for subpixel-level
analysis. One of our main objectives is to serve the LBA community, and we invite
suggestions for making available additional products of general use to the LBA
community. EOS-WEBSTER (http://eos-webster.sr.unh.edu) is a member of the NASA's
Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIPs). All data are registered with
and searchable through Beija-flor.
Constructing Subpixel landcover characterizations in the Amazon basin
by combining medium and high-resolution satellite data in a physical
context
B.H. Braswell, S.C. Hagen, X. Xiao, W.A. Salas, and J.P. Jenkins
University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
Complex Systems Research Center, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space,
University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
rob.braswell@unh.edu
Abstract
The development of reliable databases describing the extent and quality of multiple
natural and human-modified landcover types is crucial for ecological studies of the LBA
region as a whole. However, regionalization of local and site-level ecosystem process
information remains a challenge because of well-known nonlinearities and heterogeneity
in terrestrial systems. Conversely, for the same reasons, verification of medium resolution
terrestrial products based on global satellite instruments is a necessary but difficult
problem. We present initial results of a multiscale synthesis of MODIS and MISR data
with high spatial resolution imagery and canopy reflectance modeling. We utilize an
unmixing scheme, together with the parameter sensitivity of a plant canopy reflectance
model to provide a top-down analysis of sub-pixel canopy characteristics. The approach
complements both vegetation-index based and more complex inverse-modeling based
algorithms.
Large Area Mapping in Rondônia using Spectral Mixture Analysis and Decision
Tree Classifiers, an Update
Land cover change has been occurring in the Brazilian Amazon over the past 30 years at
an average rate of 18500 km2 per year from 1975 to 1999. In that time nearly 10 percent
(440 km2) of the Brazilian Amazon has been converted to pasture and other agricultural
uses. The patterns of land use change are intricate and occur over a 5 million square
kilometer area designated as the Amazon Legal. The Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM)
and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) were used to capture spatial patterns of land
cover change over the whole region for three time periods. 700 Landsat scenes were
collected for three time periods 1992, 1996, and 1999. Each time period spanned three
years (i.e. 1992 data was collected in 1991, 1992, and 1993) in order to acquire images
with the least cloud cover. The data was digitally processed into data layers of forest,
deforestation, regenerating forest, water, clouds and Cerrado, co-registered to 1999 ETM
+ images and merged into regional land cover data set. Accuracy was assessed sby
ground truth comparison in, 1993, 1997, and 2000. A distance/probability model was
used on the mosaic to remove clouds, and make water and Cerrado boundaries consistent
over time. This data set and the images it was derived from are available on the World
Wide Web at the Tropical Rainforest Information Center (TRFIC) www.bsrsi.msu.edu.
Carbon emissions from Land Cover Change in Amazonia
Land cover change in ecosystems of dense biomass like the humid tropical forests of the
Amazon basin affects the carbon budget for the earth. Since the early 70’s nearly 10
percent (440 km2) of the Brazilian Amazon has been converted to pasture and other
agricultural uses. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper
(ETM+) were used to map land cover change over the region for three time periods,
1992, 1996 and 1999 at a scale of 1:250,000. During the last 30 years of land cover
change in Amazonia carbon has been released into the atmosphere from forest clearing,
logging and degradation. Carbon has also been sequestered by regenerating forests. The
Tropical Rainforest Information Center (TRFIC) Landsat TM land cover data set is used
in conjunction with an above ground carbon map developed from the RADAM
vegetation data set to spatially quantify sources and sinks of carbon in Amazonia over the
past 30 years.
A Comparison of Satellite Fire Products and In Situ Observations in
Southwestern Amazonia: A Case Study in Acre, Brazil.
D. Selhorst1, I.F. Brown2, E.R.H. Mendoza3 E. Prins4
In southwestern Amazonia of Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, fires have already caused
environmental, social and economic problems. With the future axis of integration
(Avança Brasil) implanted in the region, fire frequency will increase, if patterns in other
parts of Amazonia serve as a guide. This study offers a preliminary analysis of the
accuracy of fire monitoring in 2001 by GOES-8 and NOAA-12 satellites through the
comparison with field data, digital imagery, and official data. The field data are from an
enforcement campaign of PROARCO/IBAMA-Acre with georeferenced fire scars
observed from helicopter over flights. An over flight with INPE/IBAMA continuous
videography covered over 400 km2 where fire scars were counted and then extrapolated
for the state. These data were also compared with official burn permits from IBAMA and
IMAC, the State Environmental Agency. For 2001, 7100 permits for slash and burn were
granted for the entire Acre State. Many fires, accidental and deliberate, are not associated
with permits. Videographic data indicated > 6800 fires before 19 September. The
number of fires extrapolated from the IBAMA enforcement flights is >2700. Hot pixels
for the period of July to November 2001 from AVHRR/NOAA-12 indicate 830 (spring
Web). A partial GOES-8 half-hourly fire pixel database for the period 15 September
through 31 October reported 1700 processed fire pixels This analysis did not include
saturated, cloudy, or other possible fires which account for a large fraction of the total
number of GOES-8 detected fire pixels. During the traditional period of intense burning
in Acre (1-11 September), two analyses of NOAA-12 showed <20 hot pixels for the
entire State, inconsistent with personal observations. For the burning season of 2001, hot
pixels from NOAA-12 and the GOES-8 partial data set are 2 to 9 times fewer than fires
associated with burning permits. As the true number of fires is likely to be larger that
indicated by the permits, the underestimate of fire frequency from hot pixel data may be
significant. Additional analyses using more complete satellite fire product data sets will
be done to further investigate this relationship and the possible impact on public policy to
control fire frequency in this region
1
BIOMA Foundation and Zoobotanical Park, Federal University of Acre, Rio Branco,
AC selhorst@bol.com.br , setem@ufac.br
2
Woods Hole Research Center, Woods Hole, MA USA, and Federal Fluminense
University, Niteroi, RJ Brazil
3
Institute of Environmental Research in Amazon–IPAM and Federal University of Acre
4
NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Advanced Satellite Products Team, Madison, WI
The Contribution of Selective Logging to Forest Degradation
in the Brazilian Amazon
The impacts caused by logging in tropical forest are considered significant in terms of
forest degradation, varying according to the site, forest characteristics, and logging
intensity. The forest damages resulted from these impacts usually increase fire
susceptibility. Matricardi et all. (2001) detected and mapped selective logging areas in the
Amazon region using texture algorithm (automatic analysis) and visual interpretation of
Landsat 5 and 7 (TM and ETM+) scenes. They observed that selectively logged forest
areas have been significantly increased in the Brazilian Amazon, from 5.6 thousand
square kilometers by 1992 to 9.4 thousand square kilometers by 1996, and to 23.4
thousand square kilometers by 1999. Although it was possible to estimate the selectively
logged forest areas Amazon wide, the techniques to detect selective logging do not
estimate the intensity of canopy degradation by selective logging. The Modified Soil
Vegetation Index (MSAVI) was retrieve from three Landsat ETM+ scenes (path/row
226/068) acquired in 1992, 1996, and 2000, in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, where
selectively logged forests were detected in those years. The Fractional Coverage was
modeled from MSAVI to estimate green fractional percentage. With these multi-temporal
measurements of green fractional percentage, we could estimate canopy degradation by
selective logging and analyze the synergism between logging and deforestation in that
study area.
Conservation Units: The New Deforestation Frontier
in the state of Rondonia, Brazil.
During the 1970s, the Brazilian federal government started a massive program of
colonization projects in the Amazon to decrease increasing population and political
tension in the middle south of Brazil. As a result of such colonization projects Rondonia,
a state located in the western portion of the Brazilian Amazon, faced an explosive
population growth that led to rapid deforestation due to logging, mining, farming and
cattle ranching. Deforestation increased significantly in Rondonia since the 1970s;
growing from 4,200 km2 in 1978 to 30,000 km2 in 1988, and has reached 53,300 km2 in
1998. On this study, we analyzed deforestation on conservation units located in Rondonia
using remotely sensed data and thematic covers provided by the Tropical Rainforest
Information Center of the Michigan State University and by the Rondonia Secretariat of
Environment. We measured deforestation for all protected areas located in Rondonia for
1992 and 1999. We also conducted analysis on the most impacted conservations units on
1992, 1996, and 1999. Moreover, we conducted a case study on the Bom Futuro National
Forest, which presented the highest deforestation in Rondonia, using satellite data for
1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. On Bom Futuro we carried out a correlation analysis
of roads and soil types with deforestation totals and performed an approach to define risk
zones of deforestation. The results of this work provided useful information to agencies
involved in defining strategies to preclude the continuation of the present trends of
deforestation on conservation units in Rondonia.
Space-time Controls on Carbon Sequestration over
Large-Scale Amazon Basin
Eric A. Smith 1, Harry J. Cooper 2, Jiujing Gu 2, Andrew Grose 2, John Norman 3,
Humberto R. da Rocha 4, & Pedro Silva Dias 4
1 NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771
[301-286-5770; easmith@pop900.gsfc.nasa.gov]
2 Dept. of Meteorology, Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL 32306
[850-644-4253; cooper@met.fsu.edu]
[850-644-7511; jgu@met.fsu.edu]
[850-644-2575; agrose@met.fsu.edu]
3 Dept. of Soil Sciences, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706
[608-262-4576; jmnorman@facstaff.wisc.edu]
4 Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences, Univ. of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
[55-11-818-4732; humberto@model.iag.usp.br]
[55-11-818-4732; pldsdias@model.iag.usp.br]
For presentation at 2nd International LBA Scientific Conference
[July 7-10, 2002; Manaus, Brazil]
Abstract
A major research focus of the LBA Ecology Program is an assessment of the carbon budget
and the carbon sequestering capacity of the large scale forest-pasture system that dominates the
Amazônia landscape, and its time-space heterogeneity manifest in carbon fluxes across the large
scale Amazon basin ecosystem. Quantification of these processes requires a combination of in
situ measurements, remotely sensed measurements from space, and a realistically forced
hydrometeorological model coupled to a carbon assimilation model, capable of simulating details
within the surface energy and water budgets along with the principle modes of photosynthesis
and respiration.
The space-time controls on carbon sequestration are partitioned into sets of factors
classified by: (1) above canopy meteorology, (2) incoming surface radiation, (3) precipitation
interception, and (4) indigenous stomatal processes varied over the different land covers of
pristine rainforest, partially, and fully logged rainforests, and pasture lands. These are the
principle meteorological, thermodynamical, hydrological, and biophysical control paths which
perturb net carbon fluxes and sequestration, produce time-space switching of carbon sources and
sinks, undergo modulation through atmospheric boundary layer feedbacks, and respond to any
discontinuous intervention on the landscape itself such as produced by human intervention in
converting rainforest to pasture or conducting selective/clearcut logging operations.
IKONOS Imagery for Large-scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment
in Amazonia
Hurtt G (1,2), Xiao X (1), Keller M (1), Palace M (1), Fearon M (1), Braswell R (1),
Hagen S (1), Cardoso M (1), Schloss A (1), Moore B (1), Nobre C (3)
Institute for the Study of Earth Oceans and Space, University of New Hampshire,
Durham, NH 03824 USA
george.hurtt@unh.edu
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - São Jose dos Campos, SP 12201 Brazil
Abstract
Abstract
Jeffrey A. Cardille, Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment and
Environmental Monitoring Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 USA,
Tel: +1-608-262-4775, Fax: +1-608-265-4113, E-mail: cardille@students.wisc.edu
Jonathan A. Foley, Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, University of
Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 USA, Tel: +1-608-265-5144, Fax: +1-608-262-5964, E-
mail: jfoley@facstaff.wisc.edu
Abstract
Abstract
The tropical forest ecosystems are being altered by both human-induced and natural
disturbances. Logging, wildfires and land cover/use conversions are major mechanisms by
which the ecosystems are being modified, and eventually lead to substantial negative
impacts on human environment. To better understand these processes and interactions
among all agents, efforts have been made to observe the dynamics of the tropical forest
ecosystems via intensive ground experiments and satellite observations. One of the key
issues is to scale up results at plot or local scale to regional scale, i.e., can we extrapolate
the findings at plot scale to understand the regional process? Although there are many
issues to be addressed in order to answer this question, in this study, we analyzed a set of
biophysical variables derived from remote sensing images at varying spatial scales, ranging
from 1m (IKONOS), 30m (ETM+), to 250m, 500m, and 1000m (MODIS and
VEGETATION) spatial resolutions. We used signal-unmixing and improved classification
techniques to examine the scaling properties of some of the key biophysical variables such
as cover dynamics that are functionally related to tropical ecosystem interactions with
atmosphere and are major manifestations of human disturbances. The local study sites near
Rondonia have been selected as starting point and are scaled up to the entire Brazilian
Amazon.
Some Results from the 2000 P and X band Airborne Polarimetric
INPE-DSG SAR Mission for Biomass Estimation, Land Cover
Classification and Digital Elevation and Surface Model Estimation.
Luciano V. Dutra1, Corina C. Freitas1, João R. Santos1 , José C. Mura1, Pedro Hernandez1 F.,
Luciana S. Araújo1, Marcos Timbó Elmiro2, Pedro R. Vieira3 , Sérgio M. Soares3, Paulo César
Gurgel de Albuquerque1, Fábio F. Gama1, Leonardo S. Bins1, Britaldo Silveira Soares2
1
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais– INPE
Av. dos Astronautas, 1758 CP. 515 email: dutra@dpi.inpe.br
12.227-010 São José dos Campos, SP. - Brazil
2
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais – UFMG
Departamento de Cartografia.
3
Diretoria do Serviço Geográfico do Exército Brasileiro
ABSTRACT
Abstract
Maycira Costa
Ralph Dubayah
Dept. of Geography, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
Abstract
Abstract
The savanna, typically found in the sub-tropics and seasonal tropics, are the dominant vegetation
biome type in the southern hemisphere, covering approximately 45 % of the South America. In
Brazil, the savanna, locally known as "cerrado", is the most intensely stressed biome with rapid
and aggressive land use conversions. Better characterization and discrimination of cerrado land
cover types are needed in order to improve assessments of the impact of these land cover
conversions on carbon storage, nutrient dynamics, and the prospect for sustainable land use in
the Amazon region. In this study, we explored the utility of hyperspectral remote sensing in
improving discrimination and biophysical/biochemical characterization of the cerrado land cover
types by taking an advantage of a newly available satellite hyperspectral imaging sensor, "EO-1
Hyperion". A Hyperion image was acquired over study sites located in the Brasilia National
Park and surrounding areas on July 20, 2001. The study sites included cerrado grassland, shrub
cerrado, cerrado woodland, and gallery forest as undisturbed vegetation cover types, and pasture
as a converted land cover. The high resolution spectral signatures clearly depicted the
differences between pasture, gallery forest, and other cerrado land cover types. The pasture
spectral signatures exhibited an overall high reflectance with a red absorption peak shifted
toward shorter wavelengths which is associated with yellowing of pasture leaves. Spectral
signatures in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions for undisturbed cerrado vegetation types
(physiognomies) showed small differences, rendering the discrimination or classification among
these land cover types based on the red-NIR reflectance contrast. On the other hand, the
reflectance values at the shortwave-infrared (SWIR) region (1400 – 2500nm) and the ligno-
cellulose absorptions at 2090nm and around 2300nm wavelengths showed larger differences
among these land cover types. Cerrado land cover types with less arboreous cover showed
higher SWIR reflectances and deeper ligno-cellulouse absorptions. These preliminary analyses
showed a great potential of hyperspectral data in biophysical/biochemical characterization as
well as discrimination of the land cover types in the Brazilian cerrado.
Characteristics of deep convection over the Amazon
during LBA using GOES and PR/TRMM data
T. Inoue
Meteorological Research Institute
tinoue@mri-jma.go.jp
ABSTRACT
Life cycle of deep convection and diurnal variation of deep convection
over the Amazon are studied using the GOES-8 split window (11 and 12
micron) data. Using the split window data we can classify optically thick
cumulus type cloud and optically thin cirrus type cloud. The life cycle
of deep convection is characterized as cumulus type cloud is dominant
during the developing stage and optically thin cirrus type cloud (anvil)
is dominant during the decaying stage. Considering the cloud amount of
cumulus type cloud and cirrus type cloud within the cloud area defined
by the brightness temperature colder than 253K, we tried to define the
stage of deep convection. Using the coincident and collocated GOES and
TRMM data, we compared the rain type observed by PR/TRMM and life stage
of deep convection. There is a tendency that convective rain is dominant
during the developing stage and stratiform rain is dominant during the
decaying stage. The diurnal variation of deep convection is also studied
using the cloud type classified by the split window. The cloud amount
peak of cumulonimbus type cloud appears earlier than that of cloud colder
than 253K. The local time of the peak of cumulonimbus cloud is closer
to the peak of rainfall observation by surface radar than the peak of
cloud colder than 253K.
Satellite observations of inter-annual variation of vegetation productivity and water
content in Legal Amazon Basin during 1998-2001
Xiangming Xiao, Qingyuang Zhang, Rob Braswell, Stephen Frolking, Stephen Boles, and
Berrien Moore III
Abstract
Climate and land use change are two major factors that drive spatial and temporal variations of
vegetation in the Legal Amazon Basin. In an effort to characterize interannual variation of
vegetation in the basin, we have assembled the 10-day composite images from the SPOT-4
VEGETATION sensor (VGT) over the period of April 1-10, 1998 to November 11- 20, 2001 for
the entire basin. The VGT sensor has 4 spectral bands (blue, red, near infrared and short-wave
infrared) and provides daily observation of the globe at 1-km spatial resolution. In this study our
objective is to develop better understanding of vegetation indices in relation to climate variation.
Three remote sensing proxies were calculated and compared: Normalized Difference Vegetation
Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and Normalized Difference Water Index
(NDWI). The NDVI and EVI are the proxies for vegetation productivity. The EVI includes
information from the blue band to account for residual atmospheric contamination (e.g., aerosols
and water vapor) and soil/vegetation background, while the NDVI does not. The NDWI is the
proxy for vegetation water content. Anomalies of NDWI, NDVI and EVI over 1998-2001 were
calculated and compared with anomalies of precipitation and temperature from the National
Climate Data Center Global History Climate Network. At the basin scale, the NDWI anomaly is
correlated well with the precipitation anomaly, indicating that NDWI has a potential for
assessing vegetation water content in the tropical ecosystems. The temporal pattern of EVI
anomaly is different from the NDVI anomaly, particularly in 1998 and 1999. Consistent with the
earlier studies, this basin-scale study also suggests EVI might be a more useful alternative
vegetation index than NDVI for vegetation monitoring.
Aerosols & Climate interactions in Amazonia
Abstract
The State of Acre is located in Northwestern Brazil. The climate of this region,
Tropical Forest, must be observed throughout environmental disturbances such as the
increased biomass burning, deforestation and the highway construction (BR-317) opening
traffic to the Pacific Ocean. The objective of the present work consists in an evaluation of
atmospheric black carbon concentration (BC) related to other variables of the conventional
meteorology. The meteorological data analysis (1970- 2002) reveals a correlated seasonal
behavior between rainfalls, temperatures, evaporation, atmospheric pressure and relative
humidity. Recent measurements (2000- 2002) of the smoke concentration (BC) in the local
atmosphere reveal values up to (5 - 10) µg m-3, for the rainy station, and up to (15- 30) µg
m-3, for the dry season. Comparable results were observed in Rondônia. Daily, the highest
concentrations occur at night, approximately between 17:00 and 09:00 hours. The
concentrations are comparable to those calculated by INPE, based on the regional model of
gas and aerosol transportation ETA. Assuming, on average, that about 6 % of the
atmospheric aerosols corresponds to BC, the total aerosol concentration in Rio Branco's
atmosphere, in dry season - the period of intense biomas burnings in Amazonia- reaches
300 - 500 µg m-3. Similar values has been recorded in Alta Floresta in the past decade.
This fact indicates that, probably, the local biomass burning in different places and the
smoke transportation across atmosphere contribute affecting all Amazonian regions.
Irradiance and insolation measurements, however, show that PAR fraction for Rio Branco
is practically the same all the year (0,40 ± 0,02), a different behavior than that of Alta
Floresta.
On the local and global effects of aerosol - cloud microphysics in deep convective clouds.
Hans-F. Graf and Frank J. Nober, MPI for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany
Abstract:
From recent satellite observations it is evident that an increase in cloud condensation nuclei, for instance
due to biomass burning, can substantially reduce rain efficiency of convective clouds. This is potentially
important for the global climate since the release of latent heat due to condensation of water vapour and
fallout of rain from cumulus convection is the most important source for available potential energy in the
free troposphere. Beyond this, cumulus convection is a key process in controlling the water vapour
content of the atmosphere. The sensitivity of the global climate to alteration of rain efficiency of convective
clouds due to the suppression of drop coalescence by anthropogenic aerosols is studied by using the
atmospheric general circulation model ECHAM4 for a 15 year sensitivity study considering the aerosol
effect on warm precipitation formation. Effects on ice processes are not included yet, and therefore the
results likely are conservative regarding the magnitude of the full effects due to suppression of
precipitation.
The main 15 year experiment allows the global dynamics to respond to the modified convective forcing,
and an additional experiment with single time step analysis was performed which allows to locate and to
measure the origin effect of aerosols on convective clouds. We found a definite perturbation of the global
circulation, showing distinct sensitivity to the impact of aerosols on suppressing rainfall.
Abstract submitted to LBA Meeting – Manaus 2002.
P. Artaxo, M. A. Silva-Dias
University of São Paulo, Brazil
M. Claeys
University of Antwerp, Belgium
H.-F. Graf
Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany
W. Maenhaut
University of Gent, Belgium
D. Rosenfeld
Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
E. Swietlicki
University of Lund, Sweden
T.F. Eck1,2, B.N. Holben2, J.S. Schafer3,2, P. Artaxo4, M.A. Yamasoe5, A.S. Procopio4, E.
Prins6, O. Dubovik1,2, and A. Smirnov1,2
In order to quantify the changes in the diurnal cycle of solar flux reduction as a result of
aerosol attenuation at the peak of the burning season, we model the diurnal cycle of total
shortwave (SW; 300-4000 nm), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR; 400-700 nm),
and Ultraviolet- A (UVA; 320-400 nm) fluxes in mid-September using the AERONET
monthly average AOD measurements (AOD550=1.11). These average diurnal cycle flux
reductions show significant temporal delays in the morning for equivalent flux levels in
all three spectral bands, of ~50 min to 2 hr 15 min at mid-morning (midpoint between
sunrise and solar noon). The largest time delays in flux occur in the UVA band and the
smallest in the total SW broadband due to a rapid decrease in AOD as wavelength
increases for the accumulation mode smoke aerosols. The time delays in solar flux have
implications for possible delay of the onset of cumulus convection, the shortening of the
photo-period when plants photosynthesize, and reduced time interval for UVA fluxes
which may have implications for survival of airborne bacteria, insect activity, and plant
responses.
Abstract submitted for presentation at the
2nd International LBA Scientific Conference, Manaus, Brazil, July 7-10, 2002
Intensive atmospheric chemistry study was performed in Balbina (1º 55.20’ S 59º 28.07’
W), located 150 km north of Manaus, in the State of Amazon, Brazil, in June and July
2001, as part of the CLAIRE 2001 campaign. Trace gases measurements, including
nitrogen oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were performed simultaneously with
aerosol particles number, total mass and black carbon concentrations. Meteorological
parameters, such as total solar radiation, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR),
temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction were also measured. The NO
and NO2 were measured 12 meters above the surface at each 1 minute.
The NO and NO2 average concentrations during daytime were 0.05 (± 0.07) ppb and 0.26
(± 0.19) ppb, respectively. At nighttime, NO average concentration was 0.15 (± 0.18) ppb
and NO2 0.40 (± 0.36) ppb. These observed low concentration levels of NO and NO2 are
characteristic of the Amazonian pristine conditions. At nighttime of June, 20 and 21, a
large increase of 4 ppb in the NO2 concentration was observed. An enhancement of the
aerosol particle concentration was also observed in the same period, especially in the fine
mode. In order to understand this change of the NO2 and particle concentrations pattern,
an atmospheric numerical simulation of the period was carried out using the RAMS
regional atmospheric model. The simulation results showed a transport event from the
South of Amazonia due to an approach of a mid-latitude cold front. Backward air mass
trajectories from the measurement site suggested southward biomass burning as the
possible source of pollutants.
Bim Graham,1 Pascal Guyon,1 Olga L. Mayol-Bracero,1 Paulo Artaxo,2 Ana Lucia
Rodrigues Antonio do Nascimento,2 Alcides Carmago,2 Sabine Matthias-Maser,3
Martin Ebert,4 Joachim Huth,5 Willy Maenhaut,6 Philip Taylor,7 Ricardo H. M. Godoi,8
René Van Grieken,8 Meinrat O. Andreae1,*
1
Biogeochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany.
2
Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
3
Institute for Atmospheric Physics, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
4
Institute of Mineralogy, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
5
Cosmochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany.
6
Institute for Nuclear Sciences, Gent University, Gent, Belgium.
7
Department of Chemical Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA.
8
Micro and Trace Analysis Center, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
*
Biogeochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060,
D-55020 Mainz, Germany, moa@mpch-mainz.mpg.de.
As part of the recent CLAIRE 2001 campaign in Balbina, Amazonia, aerosol samples
were collected and analysed using a variety of techniques (PIXE, INAA, IC, GC-MS,
EPXMA, EGA, SEM, ESEM and light microscopy) in order to try to better characterise
the composition and temporal variability of the aerosol under near-background
conditions. Our results indicate that biogenic particles emitted by the rainforest make up
the major fraction of the aerosol. These particles, and the elements, ions and compounds
associated with them (P, S, K, Cu, Zn, ammonium, sugars and sugar alcohols), are
abundant in both the coarse and fine aerosol fractions, with the highest mass
concentrations generally occurring in the coarse fraction. There is a distinct increase in
their concentrations at ground level at night. This is probably due to the formation of a
shallow nocturnal inversion, which reduces dispersion of the aerosol. Sodium - a tracer
for marine aerosol - is more concentrated at ground level during the daytime, which may
be attributed to intense convective downward mixing of air from aloft. Only very low
levels of chlorine are observed, suggesting that much of the marine aerosol undergoes
reaction with acidic species emitted by the rainforest during its transport from the
Atlantic Ocean to the measurement site. Soot particles and levoglucosan - tracers for
biomass burning - are present in relatively small amounts and are confined primarily to
the fine aerosol fraction.
Microscopic images of atmospheric aerosol particles collected at
Balbina, Amazonia, during the CLAIRE 2001 campaign
Bim Graham,1 Pascal Guyon,1 Paulo Artaxo,2 Sabine Matthias-Maser,3 Joachim Huth,4
Martin Ebert,5 Philip Taylor,6 Meinrat O. Andreae1,*
1
Biogeochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany.
2
Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
3
Institute for Atmospheric Physics, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
4
Cosmochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany.
5
Institute of Mineralogy, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.
6
Department of Chemical Engineering, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA.
*
Biogeochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, P.O. Box 3060,
D-55020 Mainz, Germany, moa@mpch-mainz.mpg.de.
The chemical composition of the precipitation varies geographically and it depends on the sources
of the chemical elements emitted from the surface and the chemical transformations within the
atmosphere. The objective of this work is to determine the chemical composition of the
atmosphere over Manaus, to determine the impact of anthropogenic activities. The rain sampling
was conducted during one month of the rain season and one month of the dry season in Manaus.
The chemical analysis showed larger concentrations of Na+ during the dry season than that in the
wet season. These results are consistent with the slash an burning activities of the dry season,
which increase the concentration of Na+ . Concentration values of Potassium (K+) were lower
during the wet season. Because the K ion sources in the atmosphere are surface biogenic
emissions and soil dust, the lower concentration values will occur during the wet season where
dilution will occur due to the high precipitation volume. During the wet season concentration
values of Ca++ were below the detection threshold of the method utilized and the concentration
values Mg++ presented oscillations according to the frequency and duration of non-precipitating
periods within the season. These preliminary results do not show that the atmospheric chemical
composition has been altered by man, as it is comparable with the precipitation analysis over
pristine areas in the Amazonia. Further chemical analysis of additional elements will be performed
to verify these results.
1Science Systems and Applications Inc., Code 923, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
20771 e-mail: jschafer@aeronet.gsfc.nasa.gov
2Biospheric Sciences Branch, Code 923, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland.
3Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center, University of Maryland – Baltimore County, Baltimore,
Maryland.
4Instituto de Física Aplicada, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
5Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
In Brazil, we now have a data set of pyranometer measurements at several sites distributed
across the Amazon basin, with a record spanning more than 3 years at some locations. This
network provides an opportunity to characterize the nature of atmospheric effects on surface,
broadband irradiance. Sufficient data are now available to assess trends in cloud attenuation on a
range of timescales (diurnally, seasonally, and interannually).
Cloud-induced fractional and absolute total flux reductions at the surface were evaluated for
all years and sites. The fractional reduction, ƒB was computed as the ratio of received irradiance
to the modeled clear-sky irradiance for background (low) aerosol conditions. A distinct
difference was found between cloud attenuation in the wet and dry seasons, particularly in the
southern Amazon.
Histograms of ƒB for typical wet season months reveal a bi-modal distribution with a
reduction peak (when the solar beam is obstructed) and an enhancement peak (produced by edge
reflections from broken cloud cover). This phenomenon has been noted previously at the
Abracos Hill sites during a 2 month study in 1999 (Gu et al., 2001). Our multi-year, multi-site
data now suggest this is a fairly consistent feature of wet season months in the southern sites in
Rondônia and northern Mato Grosso, and of most or all months at the equatorial sites (Balbina,
Belterra) in Pará and Amazonas. The average reduction by clouds observed at one site was 54%
for February and only 15% for June. Such dramatic differences in available surface insolation
(due to seasonal cloud variation) need to be quantified for climate modeling applications.
Modeling the influence of land use change on the concentration of
organic aerosol and oxidant species concentrations in Amazon.
Luciana Varanda Rizzo (1), Paulo Artaxo (1), Ana Maria Cordova (2)
and Luciana V.Gatti (2)
(1) Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, Travessa R, 187,
CEP 05508-900, Sao Paulo, S.P., Brazil. E-mail: lrizzo@if.usp.br
(2) Laboratório de Química Atmosférica, IPEN, São Paulo, Brazil.
Tropical forests are one of the most important sources of volatile organic
compounds (VOCs), which directly influence the atmospheric concentration of oxidative
species, and also can act as gas phase precursors on the productions of new organic
particles. Biogenic VOC emission depends highly on the surface covering. Making use of
the model MAPS – Model for Aerosol Processes Studies, an one-dimensional box model
developed by NCAR – National Center for Atmospheric Research (USA), the influence of
land use change in Amazon over the secondary organic aerosol concentrations was
simulated. For forest, the program generated 2.1 µg/m3 of new organic particles from gas to
particle conversion, in 24 hours of model simulation. The fine to coarse mode ratio of
organic aerosol obtained by the model fits the observed concentrations. Varying the land
use from forest to pasture, there is an alteration of monoterpene emissions, and, as a result,
the secondary organic aerosol concentration changes. The variation of the organic aerosol
concentration can affect the population of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The model
also indicates that land use changes affect significantly the hydroxyl radical concentration.
This result could be an evidence that the VOCs concentrations greatly influence the
oxidative capacity of the atmosphere in Amazonia.
Rainwater samples from two sites in Amazonia were collected as part of the LBA
Experiment. The first site, Rondonia, is located in the western part of Amazonia, and is a
heavily disturbed site with significant land use changes. The rainwater sampling was
performed from February 1999 to May 1999. The second sampling site, named Balbina is
located in Central Amazonia, about 150 Km North of Manaus. In Balbina, rainwater
sampling was performed from April 1998 to May 1999, and is a pristine region, relatively
free from biomass burning impacts, representative of natural Amazonian conditions.
Samples were analyzed by Ion Chromatography for major cations and anions, and for
about 50 trace elements by Induced Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).
The results show that, even in Central Amazonia, about 2,000 Km from the sea
coast, the influence of marine emissions is significant, given the large amounts of Na+
and Cl-. The acidity of the rainwater on each site has different origins: in Rondônia, there
is a predominance of mineral acids, such as sulfate and nitrate, in opposition to Balbina,
where there is no correlation between mineral acids and H+. Organic acids should
dominates the acidity in pristine areas in Amazonia, while in deforested areas, mineral
acids dominates rainwater acidity. The pH values of the Balbina site showed higher
acidity during the dry season (<pHdry> = 4.75, <pHwet> = 5.50). The deposition rates
shows higher values for Ca++, Mg++, Na+ and K+ in the wet season, and for NO3- - in the
dry season. Wet deposition rates for the wet season are higher in Balbina than Rondonia
for most of the ionic components, with the exception of NO32-.
Carbon Budgets at the Stand Scale in Amazonia
Jonathan Evans Centre for Ecology Poster Comparison of an Open-Path Mk3 Hydra
& Hydrology, Instrument for the Measurement of Surface
Wallingford Carbon Flux with a Closed-Path Eddy
Correlation System over Amazonian
Rainforest
Juarez Robinson IAG-USP Poster ESTIMATION OF LEAF AREA INDEX
USING THE GAP FRACTION METHOD:
AN ALGORITHM USING THRESHOLD'S
DEFINITION FOR CANOPIES OF
TROPICAL FOREST, PASTURELAND
AND SAVANNAH .
Julio Tóta INPE Poster A MULTI-LAYER BIOPHYSICAL MODEL
CALIBRATION TO AMAZONIA: TEST OF
AN INTEGRATED MODEL
Lina Mercado Max Planck Poster An attempt to model Manaus k34, k14 and
Institute for Caixuana eddy covariance data with a big-
Biogeochemistry, leaf and sun/shade model
Jena-Germany
Luitgard Schwendenmann Institute of Soil Poster Dynamics of dissolved organic matter
Science and (DOM) in an old growth neotropical rain
Forest Nutrition, forest
University of
Goettingen,
Germany
Luiz Aragao INPE Poster LEAF AREA INDEX MEASUREMENTS AT
CAXIUANÃ FOREST AND AT BRAGANÇA
MANGROVE IN PARÁ STATE
Scott Saleska Harvard University Poster Carbon balance and seasonal patterns via
eddy covariance measurements in an old-
growth Amazon foreest
Sérgio de Paulo Universidade Poster A METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO
Federal de Mato STUDY THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
Grosso THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE
SINOP-MT TOWER AND OTHER LBA
TOWERS
Tim Baker School of Poster Climatic and edaphic control of regional-
Geography, scale patterns of forest structure in
University of Leeds Amazonia
On the scope of BR/EU LBA Flux Tower Consortium, the turbulent fluxes of
sensible and latent heat, CO2 fluxes and general meteorological variables have been
measured continuously in a forest site (Rebio Jaru, 10.08o S, 61.93o W) and in a pasture
site (Fazenda Nossa Senhora, 10.75º S; 62.37º W) in state of Rondonia, since February
1999. The technique used to measure the fluxes is the eddy covariance technique. On this
work, results from these three-year measurements are presented. Seasonal variations of
energy and CO2 fluxes are analyzed at both sites. Due to the higher reflectivity and net
long wave loss at pasture than at the forest, the net radiation is 16 – 22 % lower in the
pasture, with the larger differences occurring during dry seasons. The partition of this
energy in sensible and latent heat is also different in the two vegetation covers and
sensitive to the season. Three-month averaged Bowen ratios (ratio between sensible and
latent heat fluxes) ranged from 0.21 during wet seasons to 0.28 during dry seasons at forest
and from 0.33 (wet season) to 0.81 (dry season) at the pasture. The major differences
between CO2 fluxes at the two sites also occur during dry seasons, when the humidity of
the top layers of soil is severely reduced. Both the daytime-averaged Net Ecosystem
Exchange (NEE), which is mainly influenced by photosynthesis activity, and nighttime-
averaged NEE, which is dominated by respiration, show clear variations between the
seasons, especially at the pasture site, being higher (more negative in the case of daytime)
at the wet seasons. The daily NEE values, which represent the difference between
photosynthesis and respiration, are negative throughout the year, leading to a high annual
uptake at both sites. At the forest, the annual uptake ranges from 4 to 6 ton C / ha / year. In
the pasture, the preliminary values are similar, however, a recent analysis indicate that
fluxes might be underestimated in calm nights at this site. After applying an appropriate
filter for underestimation at low turbulence conditions, final values for the pasture site will
be presented. At the forest, apparently there is no underestimation of nighttime fluxes in
calm nights.
Long-term data indicate a strong negative relation between ecosystem carbon balance and
interannual temperatures in a Central American lowland rain forest
Deborah A. Clark (U. Missouri-St. Louis), David B. Clark(U. Missouri-St. Louis), Steven
F. Oberbauer (Florida International U.), and Hank Loescher (U. Florida)
In tropical wet forest at La Selva, Costa Rica, long-term datasets from two on-going
studies have linked interannual variation in forest carbon (C) balance to yearly
temperature variation. In the TREES Project, a comparative study of ecologically-diverse
species, >3,000 trees in 250 ha of old-growth have been measured annually since 1984.
In the CARBONO Project, a multi-investigator study of forest C cycling, activities since
1997 include 3 yr of eddy covariance estimation of forest NEE, and annual measurement
of all trees (> 10 cm diameter) in 18 0.5-ha edaphically-stratified forest plots. Findings
from both studies indicate a strong negative relation between annual temperatures and
annual forest C balance. Annual tree growth varied more than 2-fold over the 16-yr
period 1984-2000. The annual growth deviations were significantly negatively correlated
with annual means for daily minimum temperatures (and were unrelated to annual rainfall
or irradiance). Similar trends occur in the CARBONO data. Estimated aboveground
biomass increment (EAGBI) strongly varied among years; it was 39% lower in the
record–hot 1997/8 El Niño year than in the two cooler years that followed, and this El
Niño depression of EAGBI was forest-wide (18 of 18 plots). NEE as estimated from the
eddy flux data varied strongly among years, in parallel with the EAGBI data. For the
mega-Niño 97/98 year, estimated NEE was close to 0 (-0.4 Mg C ha-1yr-1); in strong
contrast, significant uptake was estimated for the two cooler years that followed (-3.7 and
-5.5 Mg C ha-1yr-1, respectively). These findings point to significantly depressed forest
P:R ratios with small increases in temperature.
Recuperação dos fluxos de CO2, água e energia em um cerrado sensu
strict pós-fogo
Maia, J.M.F.¹; Paixão, A.D.¹; Santos, A.J.B.¹; Miranda, A.C.¹; Miranda; H.S.¹; Lloyd J. ²
O Cerrado ocupa cerca de 25% do território brasileiro e além de sua rica diversidade teve a sua importância
comprovada como sorvedouro de CO2. Entretanto, o uso de queimadas como forma de manejo tem aumentado
a freqüência de fogo na região, o que pode, via impactos na vegetação, alterar substancialmente os fluxos de
CO2, H2O e energia. Embora a vegetação do Cerrado se comporte como um forte sorvedouro de CO2, no
período da seca ela é uma fonte de CO2 para a atmosfera. Todavia, ainda não foi determinada para todas as
fisionomias de Cerrado a duração e a quantidade de carbono emitida para a atmosfera durante esse período.
Esse estudo foi desenvolvido na Reserva Ecológica do IBGE (Brasília, DF), e teve como objetivo determinara
a quantidade de carbono emitida para a atmosfera por uma área de cerado sensu stricto que sofreu queima
acidental no final da estação seca de 1999. Foram mensurados fluxos de CO2, H2O e energia através da técnica
de “eddy correlation”. Foi observado no ano de 2000 que esta área funcionou como fonte de CO2 durante 64
dias, entre o meio e o final da estação seca, sendo de 65,15 Kg C/ ha a quantidade de carbono emitida para a
atmosfera durante o período. Observou-se também que a vegetação voltou a atuar como sorvedouro de CO2
antes mesmo do início da estação chuvosa, 1511,58 Kg C /ha. Para o ano de 2001, observou-se que nos
primeiros 75 dias da estação seca a área ainda manteve-se como sorvedouro, acumulando 582,09 kg C /ha. A
partir do meio da seca (final de julho, início de agosto) a área passou a funcionar como fonte, liberando
623,22 kg C /ha, durante os 63 dias que vieram do meio até o final da seca. A fitomassa no estrato herbáceo
para este ano foi de 2.416,03 g/m² enquanto que o estrato arbóreo apresentou cobertura média flutuando entre
15 % na época de chuva e 11% na época da seca. Tais resultados são semelhantes aos relatados na literatura
para campo sujo e cerrado sensu stricto e podem estar associado a relação de dominância entre as populações
de plantas herbáceas e lenhosas e/ou entre as plantas C3 e C4.
Atmospheric boundary layer measurements belie the existence of a strong
Jon Lloyd, Olaf Kolle, Holger Fritsch, Maria A. F. da Silva Dias, Paulo Artaxo, Antonio
D. Nobre, Alessandro C. de Araújo, Bart Kruijt, Larissa Sogacheva, Axel Thielmann &
Meinrat O. Andreae
Some high estimates of a tropical forest sink in the Amazon Basin have recently
net carbon sink of 40-60 mol C m-2 a-1 which if occurring for all forests across the
Amazon Basin would give rise to a sink of around 0.25 Pmol C a-1; equal to about 50% of
global fossil fuel emissions. Here we use atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) budgetting
overestimate the magnitude of the Amazonian carbon sink at a regional scale. Although
perhaps partly due to unaccounted for losses of carbon from forests in the form of volatile
organic compound (VOC) emissions9 or being caused by nearby rivers being a substantial
source of CO2 to the atmosphere10, failure of the eddy covariance methodology at night
shallow drainage flows of nocturnally released CO2 towards rivers and away from
measurement towers13,14. Our results do not, however exclude, the Amazon Basin and
other tropical rainforest areas being modest sinks for anthropogenically released carbon
dioxide of order 10 mol C m-2 a-1 as has been previously suggested from earlier studies.
15
1
. Malhi, Y. et al. Carbon dioxide transfer over a Central Amazonian rain forest. J.
Amazonian rainforest: The Manaus LBA site. J. Geophys. Res. (in the press)
4
. Carswell, F. et al. Seasonality in CO2 and H2O flux at an eastern Amazonian
CO2 concentrations at local and regional scales. Aust. J. Bot. 40, 697-716 (1992).
6
. Lloyd, J. et al. Vertical profiles, boundary layer budgets and regional flux estimates
for CO2, its13C/12C ratio and for water vapour above a forest/bog mosaic in central
isotopic composition in the convective boundary layer. Tellus 51B, (in the press)
8
. Laubach, J. & Fritsch, H. Convective boundary layer budgets derived from aircraft
carbon fixation and the terrestrial carbon budget. Global Biogeochem. Cycles (in the
press).
10
. Richey, J. E., Melack, J. M., Aufdenkampe, A. K., Ballester, V. M. & Hess, L. L..
– 396 (1999).
12
. Finnigan, J. J., Clements, R., Malhi, Y., Leuning, R. & Cleugh, H. A. A re-
(2001).
14
. Grace, J. & Malhi, Y. Carbon dioxide goes with the flow. Nature 416, 594-595.
(2002).
15
Physiological Controls on Tropical Forest CO2 Exchange
We used eddy covariance to measure the net exchange of CO2 between the atmosphere
and a primary tropical forest in Para, Brazil from June 20, 2000 to July 1, 2001. The
mean air temperature and daily temperature range varied little year round, and the rainy
season lasted from late December to late June. Daytime maximum CO2 uptake was ~20
µmol m-2 s-1 and nocturnal CO2 efflux was 6 to 7 µmol m-2 s-1. The year-round growing
season and high rate of canopy photosynthesis (~25 µmol m-2 s-1) resulted in an annual
Gross Primary Production of ~26 tC ha-1 yr-1. Light intensity was the main controller of
diel CO2 exchange, explaining 48% of the variance. CO2 uptake increased with an initial
slope of 0.045 µmol CO2 µmol PAR-1 before saturating partially at 500 to 1000 µmol
PAR m-2 s-1. CO2 uptake at a given light intensity was ~3 µmol m-2 s-1 lower in the
afternoon than in the morning, possibly due to stomatal closure. The seasonal pattern of
daily carbon balance was the opposite of what we expected, with greater carbon
accumulation during the dry season. Nocturnal CO2 efflux was 2.1 µmol m-2 s-1 lower in
the dry season than the wet season. The surface litter became quite dry in the dry season,
and we believe the seasonal pattern of respiration was a direct effect of reduced forest
floor decomposition caused by desiccation. CO2 uptake at a given light intensity was 3.3
µmol m-2 s-1 greater from October to April than from May to September. We believe the
seasonal pattern of CO2 uptake was a result of seasonal changes in leaf area or leaf-level
photosynthetic capacity, rather than a direct effect of drought stress. The trees at the site
were apparently sufficiently deeply rooted to escape drought stress, whereas litter
decomposition was curtailed by desiccation, resulting in an increase in daily carbon
uptake during the dry season.
Carbon Release from Stems and Branches in a Seasonally Flooded Amazon Forest
Viviana Horna 1,2) and Reiner Zimmermann 1,2)
1)
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Carl Zeiss Promenade 10, D-07701 Jena
Germany
2)
Forest Ecology and Remote Sensing Group, Ecological-Botanical Gardens, University
of Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth, Germany
Release of CO2 from woody tree tissue was measured in eight major tree species of a central
Amazonian “Varzea” white water inundation forest. Varzea forests are believed to have a high
carbon release since net wood productivity is low in spite of favorable nutrient supply and
climate. Consecutive daily courses of carbon release were measured starting in March 1999,
using stem and branch chambers in an open system with an integrated infrared gas analyzer
running in differential mode. Deciduous tree species (Albizia multiflora, Tabebuia barbata,
Pseudobombax munguba, Crataeva benthamii, Vitex cymosa) and evergreen tree species
(Nectandra amazonum, Laetia corymbulosa, Pouteria glomerata) were compared. The results
were analyzed for different flooding conditions of increasing water level (February-April),
maximum water level (May-July), decreasing water level (August-October) and under
conditions of no flooding (November-January).
Trees showed maximum rates of woody tissue CO2 release during early flooding and varied
from 2 to 14 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 in the lower part of the main stem during the day. These values
are higher than those reported in the literature for broad-leaved species. The highest values of
carbon release were observed in the main stem of the evergreen Nectandra amazonum. For
the remaining seasons daily variation of main stem CO2 release was smaller with a maximum
of 4 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 between night and midday hours. CO2 release rates in the upper stem
were rather constant throughout the year. Branch CO2 release was high during new leaf
development indicating a tight relationship with leaf phenology.
The up-scaled values of CO2 release from above-ground woody parts per season showed a
linear relationship with tree basal area: lowest correlation (r2 =0.53) was found for the season
of increasing water level and highest correlation (r2 =0.68) during the season of decreasing
water level. Annual stand carbon release from above-ground tree woody biomass was
estimated to be 1870 g C ha-1 a-1. This value is 5 to 6 times higher than stand carbon release
values reported for other non-flooded neotropical forest (Odum, 1970, Ryan et al. 1994, Meir
1996).
The results of this study support the hypothesis of a high respiration in seasonally flooded
tropical forests. A close relationship exists between apparent carbon release in branches and
tree leaf phenology.
Long term measurements of carbon dioxide, water and energy combined with the
fetch analysis in central Amazonia.
Araujo, A. C. de1, Nobre, A. D.1, Kruijt, B.2, Dallarosa, R. G.1, Von Randow, C.3,
Manzi, A., Xavier, H. B.1, A. O.3, Dolman, A. J.4, Waterloo, M. J.4, Evans, J. G.5, Gash,
J. H.C.5, Hodnett, M. G.5, Pacheco, V. B.1, Kabat, P.2
1
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Manaus, Brazil
2
Alterra, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
3
Centro de Previsão do Tempo e Estudos Climáticos – CPTEC, São Paulo, Brazil
4
Vrije University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
5Centre for Ecology and Hydrology – CEH, Wallingford, United Kingdom
Av. André Araújo, 2936, INPA, Petropólis, Aloj 09, Projeto LBA - ManausFlux,
CEP:69083-000, Tel: 00 55 92 643 3255
E-mail: carioca@inpa.gov.br
Studies by Grace et al. (1996) and Malhi et al. (1998) show high rates of net CO2
uptake by Amazon rain forest, suggesting that such forests may represent the “missing”
carbon sink that is required to close the Earth's carbon budget. In contrast, atmospheric
inversion models and analyses of satellite images suggest that important terrestrial sinks
are located in the northern hemisphere (Schulze & Schimel, 2001). Therefore, much
uncertainty exists about the real location of the missing carbon sink. Araújo et al. (2002)
and Aubinet et al. (2001) revealed variation in carbon uptake rates, distributed over
different areas in the same ecosystem. Such differences could be related to the
topography, associated with variation in soil water content and the depth to which water
is available to plants, leading to contrasting edaphic conditions for the functioning of the
vegetation (Chauvel et al., 1987 e Hodnett et al., 1997). Fluxes of CO2, water and
energy have been measured by the eddy correlation technique for several years near
Manaus. An investigation of the location of sources responsible for the measured fluxes
was performed using footprint models in the context of such landscape. Analysis of
fetch related to availability of energy has shown that when the wind blows from the
northwest and southwest quadrants less radiation is available than in the others, with
consequently lower net carbon uptake rates. Also, the respiration rates are higher
suggesting that the CO2 respired from the valleys or drained from the plateaus is being
captured by the eddy covariance system.
Estimation of Amazon night-time CO2 fluxes and flux losses and effects
on inferring ecosystem physiology
B. Kruijt1), A. Araújo2), J.A. Elbers1).A.D. Nobre2), C. Von Randow3), P.J. Oliveira3)4),
1) Alterra, Wageningen, Netherlands;2) INPA, Manaus, AM, Brazil); 3) INPE, Caxioeira Paulista,
SP, Brazil; 4) Universidade Federal de Para, PA, Brazil.
Several years of CO2 flux data now exist for four flux towers in the Brazilian Amazon,
collected within the scope of the international LBA project. These data sets show many
similarities in the diurnal and seasonal behaviour of fluxes, as well as in the physiological
responses of NEE to radiation, VPD and CO2 concentration. Clear differences exist,
however, in seasonality.
One overriding aspect of the results is the very high rates of carbon uptake on an annual
scale, and these rates are subject to much skepticism. Nevertheless, despite rigorous
sensitivity tests we cannot identify the reason for this discrepancy in eddy correlation
methodology.
It is often found in eddy correlation studies that the system seems to underestimate CO2
emission fluxes during the night, if turbulent mixing is reduced. Even if properly corrected
for storage of CO2 inside the canopy, ecosystem exchange in these conditions appears
lower than expected from values measured during windy nights. If we apply such analysis
to the data collected in some of the Amazon sites, this effect is present to such a large
extent, that it could take away the full annual carbon uptake if it were corrected for. For
another Amazon forest site, with equally high uptake, the effect is completely absent. We
here subject the data to some alternative analysis, shedding a rather different light on
Amazon night-time flux losses.
For example, if we consider 24-hour totals of NEE, there is only little dependence of these
totals on night-time turbulence. Also, there often is a consistent high emission peak during
early morning which is NOT compensated for by storage fluxes. We analyse these
morning fluxes in more detail by comparing them with the expected light response during
these hours, and find that light response is significantly 'stalled' at low light. Also we
attempt to interpret respiration, photosynthesis and night-time leakage from a simple
combined mass balance-turbulence model. This observation may be used to construct a
more realistic method to assess the real total night-time losses. Also, this may be used to
correct day-time values to determine real canopy photosynthesis. We will explore this
approach and investigate how this affects analysis of canopy physiology through, for
example, canopy-scale light response and A-Ci curves.
Spatial variation of soil properties in a 63 ha low productivity Amazon pasture
C.E.P. Cerri a,*, M. Bernoux b, V. Chaplot c, R.L. Victoria a, J. M. Mellilo d, B.J. Feigl a,
The present study investigates the spatial variation of soil chemical and physical
regular 25 m grid was used for collecting a total of 2,955 soil samples at the 0 to10, 10 to
20 and 20 to 30 cm layers. Soil samples were analyzed for total carbon and nitrogen, δ
13 15
C and δ N, pH in H2O, pH in KCl, clay, silt, and sand contents. Conventional
statistical methods and geostatistics were performed in order to analyze soil properties
spatial dependence. Mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis for all measured
variables were evaluated. All variograms generally were well structured with a relatively
large nugget effect. Total C, total N, pH in H2O, pH in KCl, δ13C and δ15N
semivariograms were best fitted by spherical models, while clay and sand contents were
validation and external validation) were conducted, indicating a lack of bias for the used
prediction models. Models were used to interpolate the values at unmeasured locations
using block kriging. Data were overlaid using Geographic Information System (GIS),
rehabilitation.
Using the eddy covariance technique over a tropical rainforest in Santarem, Brazil, a
continuous decline in photosynthesis in the afternoon has been noted even after light
differences have been eliminated. This study attempts to understand what causes this
post-noontime decline in photosynthesis. Although there are many possibilities, this
study focuses on the decline either being caused by water stress of the tree or an internal
circadian rhythm. Using the platform tower at site 83 in the Tapajos national forest,
leaves of several tree species were continually lit with 1000 micromoles of light and kept
at constant temperature and humidity levels for a period of 24 hours as photosynthesis
measurements were taken every 20 minutes using a Licor 6400. In addition, water
potential measurements using a pressure chamber were taken every 2 hours. These two
measurements will determine if photosynthesis changes over the course of a day despite
constant conditions and also how water potential changes over the course of a day. If
under constant conditions photosynthesis is lowest at night when water potential is also
likely to be lowest then this indicates the decline may be due to a circadian rhythm. If
however, photosynthesis is highest at night, this indicates that the decline is likely due to
water stress in the tree.
FOREST CANOPY-TROPOSPHERE CO2 AND TRACE GAS EXCHANGE
RATES IN THE FLONA TAPAJOS, PARA, BRAZIL, DETERMINED BY
RADON-222 CANOPY AND SOIL FLUX MEASUREMENTS
C.S. Martens1, H.P. Mendlovitz1, T.J. Shay1, M.C. Menton1, J.M.S. Moura1, O.L.L.
Moraes2, R.L. Lima1 and P.M. Crill3
1
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2Universidade Federal de Santa Maria,
3
University of New Hampshire
ABSTRACT
Continuous canopy air and soil-air flux measurements of radon-222 have been
combined to quantify canopy air exchange rate coefficients, eddy diffusivities, and CO2
plus trace gas fluxes with the troposphere in old growth and selectively logged forests in
the Amazonian terre firme forest and pasture sites near Santarém, Pará, Brazil. The radon
canopy air and soil flux measurements, when fully integrated with LBA-ECO tower eddy
covariance flux, forest canopy gas inventory and soil gas flux studies led by other teams
including Keller et al, (TG-07), Goulden and Rocha (CD-04), and Wofsy et al., (CD-10)
can provide quantification of gas production, consumption and net fluxes that is
independent of eddy covariance measurements. Arrays of custom designed flow-through
radon detectors have been deployed since April, 2000 at 65 meter tower sites at both
primary forest (km 67) and selectively logged (km 83) sites in the Tapajos National
Forest. A solar powered array has been utilized at the km 77 pasture site to help quantify
the development of nocturnal and convective boundary layers in collaboration with
Fitzjarrald and Moraes (CD-03). The detectors can accurately resolve 0.01 pCi/l/m radon
activity gradients within the forest canopy using 15 minute counting intervals. Canopy
and above-canopy air radon activities at up to ten tower elevations at both sites decrease
systematically with height above the soil surface and range from over 1.0 pCi/l (0.3 meter
elevation) to less than 0.05 pCi/l (64 meter elevation). Diel radon activity variations in
the Tapajos forest canopy at both sites are characterized by dual maxima peaking near
approximately 0900 and 1730 local time that occur respectively as a result of nocturnal
stratification and late afternoon stratification during the early evening transition. Radon
inventories within the lower 10m of the forest canopy typically range by over 200 percent
over a diel cycle. Soil-air radon fluxes have been determined using portable radon
fluxometers capable of repeated thirty-minute flux measurements on soil collars installed
around the tower sites. Changes in the canopy air radon inventory combined with radon
soil flux measurements have been utilized to determine forest canopy-troposphere
exchange rates that are combined with CO2 and other trace gas concentration data to
determine their net forest canopy-troposphere fluxes.
Photosynthesis light curves of sun and shade plants of transitional tropical forest
(cerradão) in Mato Grosso
Eduardo Jacusiel Miranda, José Holanda Campelo Jr., José de Souza Nogueira, Nicolau
Priante Filho -Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - Depto. de Física - Grupo de
Física e Meio Ambiente - Av. Fernando Correa da Costa s/n, 78060-900 -Cuiabá -MT
Brasil.
The photosynthesis light response curves for several sun and shade plants of
Quiina pteridophylla and D. exelcia were measured during portions of the wet and dry
seasons in the transitional tropical forest of northern Mato Grosso. Although the
photosynthesis curves of sun and shade plants show the same qualitative trend, plants
growing in full sun had a higher rate of light-saturated photosynthesis (Pmax) than the
plants growing in shade. In measurements made during the peak of the dry season
(July), Q. pteridohylla plants growing in full sun had a Pmax value of on average of 5
µmol m-2 s-1, while plants growing in shade had a Pmax value of around 4 µmol m-2 s-1.
During the wet season (December), Q. pteridohylla plants growing in full sun had a
Pmax value of 9 µmol m-2 s-1 while shade plants had a Pmax of 7 µmol m-2 s-1. Similarly,
measurements during the wet season of D. exelcia individuals growing in full sun had
Pmax values of on average 13 µmol m-2 s-1, while individuals growing in shade had Pmax
values of 10 µmol m-2 s-1. During the dry season, however, Pmax values were
approximately 40% lower for plants growing in sun and shade, indicating that seasonal
declines in precipitation led to corresponding declines in Pmax. Plants growing in sun
also exhibited dark respiration rates that were approximately 1.5 times higher than
plants growing in shade. These data indicate that spatial variations in sun exposure to
plants growing in the sub-canopy of transitional tropical forests have important
implications for the maximum rates of leaf photosynthesis, and these differences appear
to be consistent over seasonal variations in rainfall. Our data also indicate that the
seasonal variation in rainfall also cause substantial variation in the rate of maximum
photosynthesis, as there is a significant increase in the photosynthesis for all the plants
as the water availability increases.
Calibrating the carbon and energy-water exchange processes represented in the
BATS2 model for a set of natural forest ecosystems within the Amazon
Over the last decade, carbon exchange processes have been introduced into some of
the more realistic and important land-surface models used in General Circulation
Models (GCMs). In particular, carbon exchange is now calculated (albeit in an
appropriately simple way) in the second-generation Biosphere Atmosphere Transfer
Scheme (BATS2). This paper discusses automatic calibration of the description of the
carbon and energy-water exchange processes represented in BATS2 using state-of-
the-art multi-parameter estimation techniques and long-term measurements of fluxes
over several undisturbed Amazon forest sites. Optimization of the parameters in BATS2
was made by simultaneously minimizing the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between
time series of observed and modeled latent- and sensible-heat fluxes and CO2
exchange. This procedure provides values of preferred sets of the many model
parameters used in BATS2 in the different conditions for which extended time series of
undisturbed forest data are available through the LBA Experiment. In most cases the
optimization algorithm defines preferred parameters that lie comfortably within the
predefined range of plausible values, but in some cases the preferred values are close
to the edge of this range. The RMSE between modeled and measured fluxes was
significantly reduced when the optimized parameters were used over the “default”
values of parameters that would otherwise be assigned in BATS for the tropical forest
biome. Investigations were carried out as to how preferred sets of model parameters
change with site and season. It should be noted that model calibration also (implicitly)
provides an extra level of quality control on the LBA data by flagging times when
individual data points are inconsistent with the remainder of the data.
Seasonality of Stem Respiration at the Tapajos National Forest
Evilene Lopes1, Patrick Crill1, Michael Keller1,2, Rosenildes Guimaraes3 and Willey
Machado4
1
Complex System Research Center, Morse Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham,
NH 03824, USA
2
USDA Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Rio Piedras, Puerto
Rico
3
Desenvolvimento Regional RHAE/LBA
4
Iniciacao cientifica CNPq/LBA
Abstract
Wavelet and Fourier analysis was performed to study and compare the spectral
characterstics, the fluxes of the wind velocity (u,v,w components), temperature and
humidity concentrations using two different instruments and on two different towers in the
Amazon rain forest at Manaus in 2000. The comparison was made of the spectra and
fluxes estimated from the Gill (Solent A1012R) and Campbell sonic anemometers, H2O
measurements of the LiCor and Krypton instruments for the days, 216 to 248 at the C14
site (02°35’21’’S , 60°06’53’’ W) and for days 252 to 267 at site K34(02°36’33’’S ,
60°12’34’’ W). The sampling frequency for Gill is 10.42 Hz while for the Campbell it is
16Hz. In the first stage of the analysis no attempt has been made to reduce to a common
sampling frequency. Since the sampling frequencies are not the same the data sets were
aligned using the minimum of the temperature. After adjusting for calibrations it was
found that there is good agreement in only the w component and the w spectra in both the
instruments at both the sites. The temperature measured by the Campell instrument is
always higher and the fluctuations smaller than those measured by Gill. The actual
differences vary with the time of the day. There are also differences between the water
vapour measurements. The Krypton appears to be much more sensitive to small changes in
humidity compared to LiCor. At the K34 site, at low wind speeds, there are significant
differences in u and v between the Gill and Campbell. We are now examining the
differences between the two sites and the instruments after reducing to a common sampling
frequency of 2Hz.
___________________
*Corresponding author.
E-mail: prasad@cptec.inpe.br
The role of seasonal variations in meteorology on the net CO2 exchange
of Brazilian Cerradão
George L. Vourlitis, Nicolau Priante Filho, Mauro M. S. Hayashi, José de S.Nogueira,
Fernando T. Caseiro, Fernando Raiter and José Holanda Campelo Jr.
California State University
The net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) of a 28-30 m tall transitional (ecotonal) tropical
forest of the Brazilian Amazon was quantified using tower-based eddy covariance.
Measurements were made between August 1999 and July 2001 and were used to develop
non-linear statistical models to assess daily variations in ecophysiological parameters and
provide annual estimates of NEE, gross ecosystem CO2 exchange (GEE), and respiration
(Re). Diurnal trends in NEE were correlated with variations in photosynthetic photon flux
density (Q), vapor pressure deficit (V), and temperature. Seasonal trends in the CO2 flux
components estimated from non-linear regression (Amax and R0) were highly correlated
with soil water availability and canopy structural properties (LAI and litter production).
These results suggest that variations in soil water content can affect rates of canopy
photosynthesis and whole forest respiration by altering both physiological processes and
canopy structural properties. Estimates of the annual NEE suggest that the forest was in
balance with respect to CO2 during the study period, which in terms of rainfall, was a
relatively typical period compared to the 30-year average rainfall regime. Our results
also suggest that the warmer and dryer microclimate and decline in LAI that accompany
land cover change will cause transitional forests to be sources of CO2 to the atmosphere.
Soil-Atmosphere Flux of Carbon Dioxide in Undisturbed Forest at the FLONA
Tapajos, Brazil
Hudson Silva1, Patrick M. Crill1, Michael Keller1,2, Jadson Dias3, Peter Czepiel1, Michael
Palace1, Eraclito Sousa Neto3, Raimundo Cosme de Oliveira Junior4
1
University of New Hampshire, Complex Systems Research Center, Morse Hall,
Durham, N.H., USA 03824-3525; (603)862-0297; Fax (603) 862-0188
2
USDA Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Rio Piedras, Puerto
Rico
3
Fundacao Floresta Tropical, Santarem, Para, Brazil
4
EMBRAPA Amazonia Oriental, Santarem, Para, Brazil
In forests, the respiration of roots and soil dwelling organisms accounts for a large
part of ecosystem respiration. We installed an automated chamber system for
measurement of the soil-atmosphere flux of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Tapajos
National Forest, Para, Brazil in April 2001. This is a mature forest site that is relatively
undisturbed. Soils are clay textured oxisols. Mean annual temperature is 25oC and mean
annual precipitation is 2000 mm of rain per year. A set of 18 aluminum chambers were
installed in a 0.5 ha area close to the flux tower at the km 67 LBA site. Green surface was
excluded. Eight of these chambers are closed individually and sampled for approximately
21 minutes about 5 times per day (closed 7% of the day). The other 10 chambers are
sampled individually approximately once per day (closed 1.5% of the day). We measured
CO2 concentration with an IRGA (Campbell 6262). The IRGA response for zero and
span gases was measured at 5 hour intervals. We found that during the late wet season
(April – June 2001) CO2 fluxes for the 8 frequently sampled chambers averaged about
3.2 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1. Fluxes decreased slowly from the end of the wet season in June
through the end of the dry season (November-December) when CO2 flux averaged only
about 1.8 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1. With the onset of the rain in January 2002, fluxes increased
rapidly to approximately 3.0 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1.
Oxygen isotope ratio of CO2 in forest and pastures ecosystems in the Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin in South America represents the largest extent of tropical forest in the
world, with high species diversity and an estimate forest stock of carbon over 169Mg C
ha-1. Forest-to-pasture conversions and logging activities are expected to have an impact
on the carbon balance within the Amazonian Basin, resulting in landscapes consisting of
primary forest, logged forest, and pasture ecosystems. Stable isotope ratio analyses of
atmospheric CO2 provide useful information regarding the balance between
photosynthetic carbon gain and respiratory carbon loss in each of these ecosystem types.
The oxygen isotope ratio of the CO2 emitted by the biosphere is entirely dependent on the
18 16
O/ O of the water associated to soil and plants within that ecosystem and on relative
humidity. Our studies over the past 2 years have shown that there was an enrichment on
18
O of leaf water above source water in leaves from all ecosystems, with upper canopy
leaves being more 18O enriched than lower canopy leaves. A seasonal shift of 5 to 10 ‰
has been observed between wet and dry seasons, which was not due to a change in the
source water but instead to changes in humidity. The leaf water 18O enrichment can be
accurately modeled and a permanent record of this labile signal was reflected in the 18O
signal of cellulose through the canopy profile. We have not identified a strong difference
between the nighttime 18O of respired CO2 between adjacent forests and pasture
ecosystems, although daytime values are different between these ecosystem types.
CENA/USP
Av. Centenário, 303
Piracicaba, SP, Brasil
13416-970
jpometto@cena.usp.br
Comparison of an Open-Path Mk3 Hydra Instrument for
the Measurement of Surface Carbon Flux with a Closed-
Path Eddy Correlation System over Amazonian Rainforest
Email: J.Evans@ceh.ac.uk
Abstract
The Mk3 Hydra, a fast response open-path infra-red gas analyser, measuring water
vapour and carbon dioxide concentrations, integrated into a Solent three-axis sonic
anemometer, was tested over pristine rainforest on the ‘K34’ tower near Manaus, AM.
Eddy correlation flux measurements from the Mk3 Hydra were compared to an
existing Li6262/R2 closed-path eddy-correlation system. Both systems showed very
good energy closure (within 5%), with little difference in the latent & sensible heat
fluxes. Most of the CO2 flux data agreed well, but with larger open-path fluxes during
peak daytime CO2 uptake. These larger than expected fluxes may in part be due to the
open-path calibration being affected by high solar radiation levels. The comparison
shows how an open-path instrument can be successfully deployed in Amazonian
conditions, with the advantages, compared to a closed path system, of a much simpler,
lower maintenance and lower power system.
ESTIMATION OF LEAF AREA INDEX USING THE GAP FRACTION
METHOD: AN ALGORITHM USING THRESHOLD'S DEFINITION FOR
CANOPIES OF TROPICAL FOREST, PASTURELAND AND SAVANNAH
The Leaf Area Index (LAI) estimated using hemispherical photographs can use the
gap fraction method. We used the CID-110 digital canopy imager under three different
canopies of tropical forest (Santarém km 83) and pastureland (Santarém km 77) and a
woodland savannah (Cerrado sensu strictu) in São Paulo during May to June 2001. It uses
the non-linear estimation method (Norman and Campbell, 1989), which has however
appeared to underestimate the observations (destructive mesurements or tipical literature’s
values) under heterogeneous canopies. The algorithm varies with the threshold’s selection,
which in turn depends on sky’s brightness and the local canopy’s architecture. We
introduced on the calculations the entropy crossover method (Sahoo et al. 1997) and an
mutually exclusive hypothesis to select the optimal threshold. The optimal threshold is
initially based on the minium histogram entropy’s difference, and the final decision to
accept/neglect the threshold is taken by the mutually exclusive hypothesis. The clumping
factor was assumed as equal to 1. The mutually exclusive hypothesis computes the mean
square error (MSE) between the transmitted light fraction (predicted by Norman and
Campbell method) and that one absolutely accounted over the image’s pixels. Thresholds
associated to values of MSE greater than 1 are disregarded. We have calculated average
LAI values equal to 4.7 and 1.1 for the tropical forest (wet season) and the cerrado (early
dry season), respectively. At the pasture areas, LAI was estimated at three 1m2 plots on a
destructive basis, and the calculated LAI using the above method showed errors lower than
5%.
A MULTI-LAYER BIOPHYSICAL MODEL CALIBRATION TO AMAZONIA: TEST
OF AN INTEGRATED MODEL
Abstract
An integrated model of canopy micrometeorology and exchanges of mass and energy was
tested for an Amazonian rain forest. In this model, plant canopies are divided vertically into
multiple layers. After obtaining profiles of air temperature, water vapor and CO2 partial
pressures inside plant canopies using the Localized Near-Field (LNF) theory, canopy-scale
fluxes were obtained by integrating these exchanges over the canopy depth. The model was
tested against of diurnal measurements of canopy net radiation, sensible heat flux, water
vapor flux, CO2 flux, friction velocity, and profiles of air temperature, water vapor partial
pressure and CO2 concentration. The NEEs output was decomposed into contributions
from different ecosystem elements and analyzed. The results showed that daytime
exchanges of energy and mass in this tropical forest were largely controlled by its LAI.
However, the degree of dominance varied for sensible heat, water vapor and CO2 from
daytime to nighttime. Relative contributions of different ecosystem elements to NEEs of
sensible heat and water vapor remained largely unchanged from day to day during the
testing period. In contrast, relative contributions of different ecosystem elements to NEE of
CO2 fluctuated significantly from day to day in responses to changes in environmental
conditions. The role of the understory was most significant for the CO2 exchange and least
significant for the sensible heat exchange with the water vapor exchange being
intermediate. The soil and stem respiration balanced much of the foliage CO2 absorption
during the daytime while during the nighttime they dominated the CO2 exchange.
An attempt to model Manaus k34, k14 and Caixuana eddy covariance data with
a big-leaf and sun/shade model
Lina Mercado 1*, Jon Lloyd 2, Bart Kruijt 3, Yadvinder Mahli 4 and Antonio Nobre5.
1,2
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena,Germany.
Carl-Zeiss-Promenade 10, 07745 Jena, Germany
Eddy covariance data from the Manaus K34 (1999-2000), K14 (1995-1996) and Caixuana
(1999) towers in the Brazilian Amazon have been used in an intent of parameterization of two
ecosystem gas exchange models. Those models use the big- leaf (Lloyd et al, 1995) and a sun
and shade (De Pury and Farquhar, 1997) approaches for canopy photosynthesis modeling.
The main difference between these two models lays in the way they represent the response of
canopy photosynthesis to irradiance. The big leaf model assumes that the distribution of
photosynthetic capacity is proportional to the profile of absorbed irradiance. In the sun/shade
model, the sunlit and shaded fractions of the canopy change during the day making the
irradiance absorption and the photosynthetic capacity of both fractions to change as well.
However, the goodness of fit with the sun/shade model did not improve very much compared
to the big-leaf model using the Manaus K14 data.
Parameterization of the models for the Manaus K14 data during 1995-1996 seem to indicate
seasonality of the photosynthetic parameters for canopy rubisco activity (Vmax ) and the light-
saturated electron transport capacity (Jmax ). Vmax and Jmax present a decrease during the dry
season. But it is not clear if this is attributable to changes in leaf area, photosynthetic capacity
or both.
Calibration of the models against Manaus K34 data has been problematic due to a lot of
scatter in the data together with some none yet explainable measurements of very low values
of Net ecosystem exchange at high irradiances.
Caixuana data fit well to both model types without requiring any seasonality in the
photosynthetic parameters observed for the Manaus K14 data.
References
Lloyd, J., Grace, J., Wong, S.-C., Miranda, A.C., Meir, P., Miranda, H.S., Wright, I.R.C., and
MacIntyre, J.A.(1995). A simple calibrated model of Amazon rain forest productivity based on leaf
biochemical properties. Plant, Cell and Environment 18, 1129-1145.
De Pury, D.G.G., and Farquhar, G.D.(1997). Simple scaling of photosynthesis from leaves to canopies
without the errors of big-leaf models. Plant, Cell and Environment, 20, 537-557.
Dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in an old growth neotropical rain forest
Luitgard Schwendenmann
Institute of Soil Science and Forest Nutrition
University of Goettingen,
Buesgenweg 2
37077 Goettingen
Germany
Tel.: ++49-551-3912294
Fax: ++49-551-393310
Dissolved organic matter in soil contributes to the C and N cycles in ecosystems, may
influence nutrient availability and is a source of energy for microorganisms. However, little
is known about the dynamics and controls of dissolved organic matter in tropical soils.
Between April 2000 and April 2001 we have studied DOC and DON dynamics as part of a
cross scale analysis on carbon stocks and fluxes in a lowland neotropical rain forest (La Selva
Biological Station, Costa Rica). The objectives of this study were (i) to measure
concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON)
along vertical profiles of two different soil types, (ii) to determine depthwise changes of DOC
composition and (iii) to identify parameters that control DOC concentrations.
DOC and DON concentration increased as rainfall passed through the canopy. The highest level of DOC
(average: 10 mg C/l) and DON (0.5 mg N/l) was determined under the leaf litter layer. Significantly lower DOC
(2 - 3 mg C/l) and DON (0.05 – 0.2 mg N/l) concentrations were measured throughout the soil profile between
20 and 350 cm depth and in stream water. No differences were found between the two soil types studied. DOC
composition changed as DOC percolated through the soil profile. Soil water collected under the leaf litter layer
contained a high amount of humic substances. However, below 20 cm depth mainly low molecular weight acids
were identified. The sorption capacity of both soil types were high (partition coefficient: around 0.9). DOC
concentration is influenced by soil-nutrient related parameters (surface layer) and sorption/decomposition
processes (subsoil).
LEAF AREA INDEX MEASUREMENTS AT CAXIUANÃ FOREST AND AT
BRAGANÇA MANGROVE IN PARÁ STATE
Luiz Eduardo Aragão1 and Mathew Williams2
1
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE/DSR), Av. dos Astronautas 1758-12227-
010; São José dos Campos-São Paulo-Brazil
2
Institute of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3JU, UK.
aragao@ltid.inpe.br
Leaf area index (LAI) is a major control on land surface exchange rates of energy and
carbon. Field measurement of LAI is critical both for parametrizing models for scaling up
leaf gas exchange to the canopy level and for use in calibrating remote sensing information
on canopy structure. In this study, we characterized LAI in three sites in the primary rain
forest of Caxiuanã National Forest, and at a mangrove forest on the coast near Bragança,
Pará State. The data collection occurred during a field campaign in November 2001. We
collected data with a pair of LAI-2000 canopy analyzers (LI-COR). In Caxiuanã forest, we
sampled two 1 ha plots (a Control and a dry-down or ‘Esecaflor’ site) on a 10 m × 10 m
grid. We also sampled four 100 m transects at 10 m spacing near the eddy flux tower. We
obtained the vertical distribution of LAI for each Caxiuanã forest site by recording LAI at
successive levels on canopy access towers. In the mangrove forest, we collected forty
samples at 5 m spacing near the eddy flux tower. Results from Caxiuanã showed that mean
LAI was similar for Control (5.41) and Esecaflor (5.46). The LAI profile in the Control plot
varied linearly from 4.64 at 2 m to 2.57 at 30 m height. There was a similar pattern at the
Esecaflor plot, which varied from 4.58 at 2 m to 2.01 at 30 m. The tower site had higher
LAI values than the first two plots, with a LAI average of 5.70. The LAI profile at the
tower site varied non-linearly, from 5.57 at 2 m to 1.1 at 30 m height. Compared to the rain
forest, the mangrove site had low LAI values (2.73), reflecting the lower density of trees,
and also the occurrence of tide channels. The two experimental plots at Caxiuanã forest
have similar patterns of horizontal and vertical LAI distribution and these patterns seem to
be different from tower site. The mangrove forest site had distinctly different characteristics
from the rain forest, reflected in low LAI values. With these data, we can now examine
how differences in C and energy exchange in mangrove and rain forest, as recorded by
eddy covariance, are related to differences in canopy structure.
INFLUENCE OF SEASONALITY AND LAND USE ON GROSS PRIMARY
PHOTOSYNTHESIS DYNAMIC AT TAPAJÓS REGION
Luiz Eduardo Aragão1; Yosio Edemir Shimabukuro1 & Mathew Williams2
1
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE-DSR), Av. dos Astronautas, 1758-12227-
010; São José dos Campos-SP-Brazil
2
University of Edinburgh (IERM), Scotland
aragao@ltid.inpe.br
Amazon region is the focus of the research works related with the global changes. In Brazil,
the great contribution for the increase of atmospheric CO2 is the land use changes (70% of
total emission). Due to the uncertainties about the productivity of Amazon biome and the
consequences of climatic changes and of land use changes in the Amazon forest
productivity, this work propose to supply the lack of detail regional analyses for Amazon
region. Present abstract is an overview of our project that will explain the way that we will
carry the study about primary productivity at Tapajós. We pretend to emphasize
methodological aspects to access gross primary photosynthesis (GPP). The general aim of
this research is to model the GPP process in a forest ecosystem in Alto Tapajós-PA, to
evaluate the effects of the land use changes and of the atmospheric CO2 increase. This
approach will consider the spatial and temporal variability of the environmental variables
(soils, vegetation, temperature, precipitation, irradiance, etc). A multi-scale methodology
using field, meteorological and remote sensing data will be apply to scaling up local to
regional GPP at 1km grid with the Aggregate Canopy Model from Williams et al. (1997).
We will use a map integration routine to define land units according land use, vegetation,
soils and relief patterns to collect field data about leaf area index (LAI) and leaf nitrogen
concentration in the dry and wet season. To access land use we will carry an analysis of
MODIS image. With field and microclimate data, and remote sensing estimations of land
use and irradiance it will be possible to set the parameters for Tapajós environmental
conditions. To validate model results we will carry a comparison with eddy flux data and an
error analysis. So, we intend to generate results that make possible the quantitative analysis
of GPP in the regional scale. We began project activities on May. At the moment, we are
digitalizing thematic maps (soil and vegetation) from the region and working to acquire
data and build a database about vegetation information. Fieldwork will be carried in
August. Previous field data collect at Tapajós showed differences in forest structure
between sites in primary forest. Mainly associate with species composition, so characterize
also LAI and N pattern from these vegetation type, will be helpful for GPP spatial analysis
in that ecosystem. The present studied will contribute to the knowledge of biological
processes in the Amazon, and the effects of climate and land use changes. This information
will clearly help the elaboration of management plans resulting in the conservation of
Amazon forest through sustainable development of North region of Brazil.
Modeling Net Ecosystem Exchange from Multilevel Ecophysiological
and Turbulent Transport Models: A Symbiotic Approach
Abstract
In forested ecosystems, the complex vertical structure of the canopy plays a critical
role in CO2 net ecosystem exchange (NEE). To quantify the contribution of different
canopy layers on NEE, multiple approaches are developed and compared. The first
approach is based on a one-dimensional ecophysiological-radiative transfer and
turbulent transport model (hereafter referred to as forward model) that solve
conservation equations for mean scalar mass and heat. It explicitly incorporates
biophysical and ecophysiological mechanisms responsible for stomatal opening and
carbon assimilation. The forward model is compared with three inverse methods,
which rely on mean concentration profiles as input. To assess the performance of the
models individually, they were compared to above-canopy eddy-covariance CO2 flux
measurements conducted at the Duke Forest AmeriFlux site. This study is the first to
rigorously compare such a broad range of multi-level methods for the same stand and
for a wide range of environmental conditions. The results show that the forward
method outperformed the inverse methods for unstable and neutral conditions. Poor
agreement was obtained under stable conditions for all models. However, in ensemble
sense, all methods performed comparably. Since the forward method requires detailed
knowledge of the canopy ecophysiological and radiative transfer properties, which are
difficult to obtain on routine basis, a symbiotic use of these approaches is
advantageous. An optimization procedure for the ecophysiological parameters of the
forward method using results from inverse calculation to be used in second growth
Amazon Forest is proposed.
Using Eddy Covariance and Bowen Ratio Methods to Estimate Inter-Annual Variation in
Evapotranspiration of a Transition Tropical Forest of Mato Grosso, Brazil
Mauro Massao Shiota Hayashi, Nicolau Priante Filho, José de Souza Nogueira, Marta
Cristina Jesus de Albuquerque Nogueira, Fernando Raiter, José Holanda Campelo Junior,
Sérgio Roberto de Paulo
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso – Av. Fernando Correa da Costa s/n 78060-900,
Cuiabá – MT – BRAZIL. (nicolaup@terra.com.br)
The inter-annual variation in evapotranspiration (expressed as latent heat flux, Qe) for a
30m tall tropical transitional (ecotonal) forest was quantified over January until April
period using eddy covariance and micrometeorological measurements from 2001 until
2002. The study was conducted near the city of Sinop in northern Mato Grosso, Brazil,
which is located within the ecotone of tropical wet evergreen rain forest and savanna
(cerrado). Because the eddy covariance system failed we installed in 2002 one
psychrometer at 41m and one at 36m on the tower and calculate the evapotranspiration by
the Bowen ratio method. The majority (60-80%) of net radiation (Q*) was consumed by
Qe and the seasonal variations in Qe were not significant during January-April period.
The evapotranspiration inter-annual variations were not significant in that period when
we compared 2001 and 2002 average data. For 2001 January and February data, the
Priestley-Taylor method estimated significantly larger rates of evapotranspiration than
the eddy covariance values. For the same months in 2002 the Priestley-Taylor method
overestimated the evapotranspiration rates estimated by the Bowen ratio method. Thus,
estimates of evapotranspiration derived from the Bowen ratio method followed the eddy
covariance results closely. The Bowen ratio methods are relatively cheap and easy, and to
ensure continuous data collection and provide an additional check, we feel that it is good
suggestion to use both eddy covariance and Bowen ratio methods in tower studies of
energy balance in the LBA towers.
Estimating above ground biomass in Eastern Amazon: a comparison
among old-growth, logged and logged & burned forest
Logging activities and forest fires alter above ground biomass and increase forest
flammability. In order to evaluate the impacts of logging and fire on forest biomass, we
measured different types of vegetation in 6 different sites: 3 old growth forest sites and 3
other sites with logged and logged & burned forest areas located in Paragominas region,
Eastern Brazilian Amazon. Above ground biomass estimations included litter, small (0-2
cm diameter); medium (2-10 cm diameter) and large trees (>=10 cm diameter). The plots
size was 0,00016 ha; 0,0012 ha; 0,03 ha and1,2 ha, to litter, small, medium and large trees
respectively. Total live biomass ranged from 360-423 Mg C/-1 in old growth forests, from
204-470 Mg C/-1 in logged forests, and from 96-216 Mg C/-1 in logged & burned forest.
When comparing the sites with logged and logged & burned areas the total above ground
biomass in later decreased from 13 to 61%. As forests in Amazon are being disturbed by
human activities this ecosystem is being impoverished, thus resulting in negative ecological
and economic impacts to the region and also influencing the global climate system.
COMPARISION THE SOIL RESPIRATION IN FOREST, PASTURE AND
AGROSILVIPASTORAL SYSTEM IN THE SOUTH AMAZON
Paulo César Nunes1 (Av. 04 de Julho n. 53, Centro – 78340-000 Juruena MT- Brazil;
prnatura@terra.com.br)
José Holanda Campelo Jr. 2, Nicolau Priante Filho 2,
Linda Akiko Yamamura1, Elke Leite Bezerra 3
1
. Instituto Pro Natura –IPN 2 Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso-UFMT
3
Universidade de Varzea Grande -UNIVAG
The aim of this work was to compare the soil respiration of an area of primary
forest cover, with an extensive pasture system and an agrosilvopastoral system, in
the plane dystrophic dark Argissolo Red soil. We used an infrared gas analyzer
(the Environment Gas Monitor, EGM-1/WMA-2: GAS ANALYSERS), attached
to a container able to retain 1170 cm3 CO2. The experimental area is located in the
Experimental Center of Agroforestry of the Instituto Pró Natura, in the
municipality of Juruena, Northwest Mato Grosso - Brazil. The treatments
consisted of three areas under different uses: an area of primary forest, a seven
years old agrosilvipastoral system and a five years old extensive pasture system.
The plots have 10m x 10 m, with 1 m measurement network executed between
January 2001 and February 2002. The results showed that in wet season during in
the morning, the soil respiration and soil temperature, measured at 1 cm depth,
was significant different in three areas, with means 7.9 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 at 27.2ºC
to pasture, 5.4 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 at 26.3 ºC to agrosilvipastoral system and 4.4
µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 at 24.8 ºC to jungle. In wet season in the afternoon the soil
temperature was significant different for the three places, but the soil respiration
showed significant differences only between forest with pasture and forest with
agrosilvipastoral. The average during wet season in the afternoon ranged by 5.8
µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 at 30.8 ºC to the pasture, 5.38 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1at 28.5 ºC to the
agrosilvipastoral system and 4,13 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 at 25.84 ºC to the forest.
THE USE OF A FOOTPRINT MODEL TO ANALISE THE INFLUENCE
OF THE SURFACE'S HETEROGENEITY UPON OBSERVED FLUX
ABSTRACT
Around the globe punctual measurements of momentum, energy, water vapor, and CO2 fluxes made by
micrometeorological towers have become very common. Since the quantities measured are punctual, they are influenced
by the air advection, atmospheric instability and the distribution of their sources and sinks that are related to the surface
characteristics as relief, and vegetal cover, which depends on the wind direction. It was used for this study a footprint
model parameterized with three-year flux measurements (1999, 2000 and 2001) made at the Biological Reserve of Jaru, in
Ji-Parana, Rondonia, on the scope of the Brazil / European Union Tower Consortium of the Large Scale Biosphere
Atmosphere in Amazonia (LBA) experiment. The footprint model shows that, for stable conditions, around 78% of the
measured fluxes are mostly related to an area around the tower with up to 10 km radius, but with a maximum contribution
from about 600 m. For unstable conditions, more than 95 % of measurements are related to the same area, and the
maximum contribution radius is around 300 m. The variation in flow direction shows little influence on CO2 fluxes and
net radiation. However, the intensity of sensible and latent heat fluxes vary with wind direction, possibly associated with
the presence of deforestation areas at the neighborhood of the site and of Machado River, that is less than 1 km west from
the tower.
WATER POTENTIAL OF PLANTS IN DIFFERENT CONDITIONS OF LIGHT
INTENSITY IN ATROPICAL RAIN FOREST – SAVANNA ECOTONE OF MATO
GROSSO
Pedro Correto Priante1 (Rua dos Eucaliptos, n. 7 Quadra 15, J. das Palmeiras – Cuiabá-MT –
Brazil pedropri@terra.com.br), Eduardo Jacusiel Miranda1, Clóvis Lasta Fritzen2, Nicolau
Priante Filho1, José de Souza Nogueira1 and George Louis Vourlitis3
1
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso; 2Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul;
3
California State University San Marcos
Measurements of the water potential of transitional tropical forest understorey plants were
made seasonally to determine the effect of seasonal variations in rainfall on plant-water
status. The study was conducted in an intact transitional forest stand located near Sinop,
Mato Grosso, and we chose plants that were common to the region, Quiina pteridophylla
and Dinizia excelsa, in different conditions of luminosity (plants located in gap and shaded
areas). The measurements were made in 2 young and 3 adult individuals per species during
the wet season, transition wet-dry season, dry season, and transition dry-wet season. The Q.
pteridophylla individuals presented large season variation in water potential. The Q.
pteridophylla in the wet season had an average water potential of –0.5MPa, 1.7 MPa in the
transition from the wet-dry season, -2.7 MPa in the dry season and, –1.7MPa in the transition
between the dry-wet season. Adult trees had an average water potential of –0.9MPa in the
wet season;-1.2 MPa during the wet-dry season transition, and a –3.8MPa water potential at
the end dry season. The location of plants beneath the canopy (gap vs. shaded areas) had a
strong influence on the water potential of D. excelsa and Q. pteridophylla individuals. For
example, D. excelsa plants growing in shaded areas had a water potential of -1.1 MPa in the
transition wet-dry season while D exelsa individuals growing in gaps had a water potential of
–1.5MPa. Following the same tendency, Q. pteridophylla plants growing in shade had an
average water potential of –2.1MPa while plants growing in gaps had a water potential of –
3.4MPa during the dry season. These data suggest that plant water potential is strongly
controlled by seasonal variations in rainfall and the canopy light regime. These spatial and
temporal trends have important implications for the seasonal variations in leaf and canopy
gas exchange.
MODELLING FLUXES FROM AMAZONIAN RAIN FOREST USING A LAND-
SURFACE SCHEME
Y. Malhi [ymalhi@ed.ac.uk]
[Institute of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.]
The land-surface scheme (MOSES) currently used in the Met Office/Hadley Centre General
Circulation Model (HadCM3) simulates the fluxes of energy, momentum, heat, moisture and
carbon dioxide between land and atmosphere for a range of surface types. Until now the ability of
MOSES to simulate the fluxes of Amazonian rain forest has not been tested against observations.
Using default parameters, MOSES is able to simulate satisfactorily the measurements of long-term
evaporation and heat flux from a rain forest site near Manaus, Amazonas. However, the modelled
daytime net carbon exchange for this site is approximately 52% of the observed sink. Observed
fluxes of heat, moisture and carbon dioxide are used to calibrate the model through photosynthesis,
stomatal conductance and soil parameters. The model is able to make an adequate simulation of
either the evaporation or net carbon fluxes, but not both simultaneously. It is suggested that this
may indicate a problem with way the model relates transpiration to photosynthesis through
stomatal conductance. The calibrated model is also tested against an independent set of flux data
from a nearby site.
CO2 FLUXES OVER PANTANAL REGION UNDER DRY AND FLOOD
CONDITIONS
ABSTRACT
The Pantanal area, covering a large part of the center-western region of Brazil, is
characterized by a strong seasonality throughout the year, with quite dry periods in the
dry season and frequently flooded areas at the wet season. In May and June 2001, and in
the period from late November 2001 to April 2002, turbulent fluxes of carbon dioxide
(CO2) were measured at the micrometeorological tower of IPE project, using the eddy
covariance technique. During the transition period from wet to dry season, the daily
average net ecosystem exchange (NEE) rate ranged from a sink of –1.0 ± 0.5 g
C/m2/day in May to a situation close to the balance in June, with NEE of 0.1 ± 0.9 g
C/m2/day. In the wet season, just before the flooding of the area around the tower,
which happened on December 17, 2001, the daily NEE rate observed was –0.6 ± 1.1 g
C/m2/day (carbon fixation). With a water layer of about 0.5 m height, the surface turned
into a source of carbon, presenting a NEE average rate of +1.1 ± 0.5 g C/m2/day. This
condition lasted about 30 days, resulting on a carbon release of about 300 kg C / m2.
After this period of large emission of carbon dioxide, the daily NEE rates were close to
zero (daily uptake offset by nighttime losses) after some cold front passages when
emissions were lower and the water layer started to reduce. However, still there were
days with large emissions, leading to a release of about 50 kg C / m2 on the next 30
days. The daily NEE rates turn to negative values after that and the surface turns back to
a sink of CO2, as the water layer dries out.
Submitted to: IISCLBA – 2ND SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE OF LARGE SCALE BIOSPHERE
ATMOSPHERE EXPERIMENT IN AMAZÔNIA (LBA)
MANAUS, AM, 07-10 JULY, 2002.
1
Rafael FERREIRA da COSTA ; R. B. SILVA2; Paulo J. OLIVEIRA3; Y. MALHI3; P. MEIR3;
A. C. L. COSTA ; J. M. N. COSTA4; M. L. P. RUIVO1 and V. ANDRADE2.
2
1
MPEG/CCTE, Belém, PA, Brazil.
Contact; e-mail: rfcosta@museu-goeldi.br or rfcostampeg@bol.com.br
2
UFPA, Belém, PA, Brazil.
3
IERM/UEdin, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
4
UFV, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted near of old small city of Braganca distant about 200 km
east-northeast of Belém, Pará, Brazil (00°51´S, 46°38´W), at the estuary of the Caete
river into the Large Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment in Amazônia (LBA). The
mangrove ecosystem are constituted by a wet forest kind in the coastal region, the major
part of the tropical coastline, between latitudes of 30o N and 30o S, is edged by
mangroves. The mean height of Braganca’s canopy is about 20m. The tree species
predominant in the landscape of mangrove are Rhizophora mangle (red mangue),
Avicennia germinans (siriuba) and Laguncularia racemosa (white mangue), some reach
around 25m high. The CO2 fluxes measurements were made in an aluminium tower with
30m high, where was installed an eddy covariance system (Edisol software, University of
Edinburgh), using a infrared gas analyser LI-6262 (Li-Cor, Nebraska, USA), the sonic
anemometer was mounted in a metallic arm with 3m length at the top of tower, in the
easterly side minimising flow distortion for the prevailing wind direction. The CO2 fluxes
were measured during a period in the beginning of rainy season (2-15 January 2001). The
total rain registered was 253.3mm with events in 13 of 14 days. The mean daily cycle of
CO2 fluxes were +4.1µmolm-2s-1 at 4 a.m. and –11.4µmol m-2s-1 at 1 p.m. The daily
carbon budget reached –0.17 gCm-2day-1 (day 6, with 19.1mm of rain), and –3.13 gCm-
2
day-1 in January 7, with 1.9mm of rain. For all the period, the mean of carbon release to
the atmosphere was 1.8 gCm-2day-1 (between 7p.m. until 7a.m) and the atmospheric
carbon sequestrated (between 8a.m and 6p.m.) was –3.2 gCm-2day-1. If extended for one
year, the carbon budget will be –4.9 MgCha-1year-1. For that period, the mangrove
ecosystem functioned like a significant atmospheric carbon sink.
ABSTRACT
2. Methodology:
Site location
The LBA-ECO km-77 site is about 12 years old, and the tower flux coordinates are 3.01190° S and
54.53652° W. At this site the topography presents a gentle slope from West to East. The principal type of
vegetation is Brachiara brizanta.
Instruments
A 20 m tower was installed to monitor micrometeorological and trace gases measurements. An eddy
covariance system was installed at 8.75 m, including a 3D sonic anemometer (SATI/3K), and a CO2/H2O
gas analyzer (licor 6262). Wind (CATI/2 - 12.25, 5.73, and 3.12 m), temperature and humidity (Vaysala
Humitter, CS500, at 6.09, 4.14, 2.20 m), and CO2 (licor 6262 at 11.81, 5.29, 2.71, and 0.5 m) profiles are
also measured. At the 17.76 m tower level, upward and downward solar (Kipp and Zonen, CM11/14) and
terrestrial (CG2) radiation is collected. Soil temperatures (Campbell 108 at 0.10, 0.24, 0.50,1.50, and 2.0
m), soil heat flux (Campbell HFT3 at 0.30 m), and soil moisture (Campbell CS615 at 0.30 m) have also been
installed. The site has been collecting data since September 2000.
All instruments and data acquisition are powered by a solar panel that can provide, at least, continuous
500 W of power. The sonic anemometers and the IRGAs send a serial stream outputs, analog signals are
digitalized by a datalogger (Campbell Sci., model 23x). In real time, a linux based computer synchronizes all
serial streams, and process the data as well. Turbulent fluxes are calculated from deviations derived from a
30 minute running mean removal. A 3D wind rotation has been applied to the wind components, as well as
the webb correction, and a tube attenuation correction.
Energy Budget:
Preliminary estimates of seasonal changes in the diurnal surface energy budget and carbon uptake
are encouraging. In the day there is a good agreement between the eddy correlation system and the net
radiation measurements. There is a serious energy imbalance at nighttime. There is too little wind mixing at
night to apply the eddy covariance method alone; budgets are completed using the layer accumulation
method. Fog forms regularly at this site.
CO2 exchange:
Hourly averaged curves for the several periods show that there is only a noticeable CO2 flux from
the eddy correlation system during the wet season at night. During the day, there is a more uptake during
the wet season. Since there is no littlenocturnal turbulence, we cannot apply any u* criterion (Goulden et al.,
-1
1996). Only 12.5% of the night cases have u* > 0.2 ms , where u* is the friction velocity, but we can
achieve reasonable estimates but looking at the “storage” term. On many mornings there is a morning
“flush” of CO2, a phenomenon previously thought to be more common in forest canopies.
3. Acknowledgements:
This work was entirely supported by NASA as a part of the LBA-ECO program, grant NCC5-283.
4. References:
Goulden, M.L., J.W. Munger, S.-M. Fan, B.C. Daube, and S.C. Wofsy, 1996. Measurements of carbon
storage by long term eddy correlation. Methods and a critical evaluation of accuracy. Global Change
Biology, 2, 169-182.
MODELING INTERCEPTED SOLAR RADIATION FOR TWO DIFFERENT
TYPES OF VEGETATION (RAIN FOREST OF REBIO-JARU-RO AND
MANGROVE FOREST -PA)
ABSTRACT
Measurements of solar radiation were made over a terra firme forest, at the Biological
Reserve of Jaru-RO, as part of the LBA and over a mangrove area in the City of Bragança-
PA, as part of the MADAM project. Data of short wave radiation flux were collected with
Kipp & Zonen pyranometers, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) flux, with
LICOR quantum sensor, in the top of the towers installed at each site, and in the ground of
the forests. In the first site, information regarding the leaf area index (LAI) was also
collected, using a digital photographic camera, model CID-110, with fish-eye lens of 8mm.
The results show that, on average, the fraction of short wave radiation and PAR fluxes that
reach the ground are smaller at the rain forest than at the mangrove. In this work the
observations of short wave radiation and PAR at the top of the forests of terra firme and
mangrove are used to evaluate the performance of the radiative transfer model proposed
initially by Sellers (1985) and modified by Gu (1998). The results of the model showed that
he is capable to reproduce the radiation fluxes that reach the ground at both sites reasonably
well, when forced with the average values of the incident short wave radiation and PAR
observed at the top of the towers.
Toward Mapping Spatial Distribution of Forest Biomass in Amazon
Basin
Abstract
The amount and spatial distribution of forest biomass in the Amazon basin is a major
source of uncertainty in estimating the flux of carbon released from land-cover and land-
use changes. Direct measurements of above ground biomass are limited to small areas of
forest inventory plots, and site-specific allometric regression equations that cannot be
readily generalized for the entire basin. Furthermore, there is no spaceborne remote
sensing instrument that can measure tropical forest biomass directly. To determine the
spatial distribution of forest biomass of the Amazon basin, we introduce a methodology
based on a combination of land cover map, remote sensing derived metrics, and more
than 500 forest plots distributed over the basin. These metrics are derived from radar
backscatter and texture measures, and monthly composite NDVI from optical data that
correlate with biomass through other structural attributes such as canopy roughness,
homogeneity, percentage of forest cover, and leaf density. These metrics and plot data
were included in a bootstrapping approach to derive a multivariate parametric expression
to extrapolate the forest plot data over the entire basin at 1 km spatial resolution. The
bootstrapping methodology provided a performance accuracy of estimation that increased
with forest biomass to a maximum of 70 tons/ha for undisturbed forests of approximately
400 tons/ha. The results are compared with forest biomass maps derived from
interpolation of plot data, ecosystem modeling, and RADAM data, and the sources of
error, the problems and caveats in the methodology are discussed. The results are also
used to sketch a road map for improving the estimation of forest biomass distribution
over the basin during the LBA experiment.
Tower- and Biometry-based Measurements of Tropical Forest Carbon Balance
Corresponding author:
Scott D. Miller
Department of Earth System Science
University of California
Irvine, CA 92697-3100
sdmiller@uci.edu
Voice 949 824-2314
Fax 949 824-3256
To assess the role of Amazon forests as a source or a sink for atmospheric CO2, we used ground-
based biometry measurements together with whole-system CO2 fluxes (via eddy covariance) to
explore the ecological and climatic controls on the carbon balance at an old-growth Amazon
forest (Tapajos National Forest, Santarem, Para, Brazil). The initial year (April 2001 – April
2002) of eddy covariance measurements suggest that the forest was a modest source to the
atmosphere during this period (net ecosystem exchange, NEE = +0.9 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 to the
atmosphere, after correcting for “lost flux” during periods of weak mixing when friction velocity
was <0.2 m/sec). The magnitude of this correction was significant (+ 1.6 Mg C ha-1 yr-1) but not
as large as at many sites, and even without it the forest would be close to carbon balance, with an
NEE of -0.7 Mg C ha-1 yr-1. The corrected NEE estimate was consistent with the biometry-based
estimate of fluxes from aboveground biomass (0.3 to 4.0 Mg C ha-1 yr-1) during an overlapping
two-year period (July 1999 – July 2001). There was marked seasonal variation in NEE that was
opposite in phase to what would have been predicted from tree growth rates alone: net
ecosystem loss to the atmosphere was observed during the rainy season (January-May), even
though wood increment was high during this period; and conversely, net ecosystem uptake was
observed in the dry season (August-November) when wood increment was generally low. These
patterns appear to be explained by variations in ecosystem respiration losses, which were
strongly reduced during the dry season, presumably due to drier soil and litter layer. These
results are in contrast to the large uptake and lack of seasonality reported for a site near Manaus,
and to the nearly opposite seasonal pattern observed in a southeastern Amazon transitional
tropical forest (cerradão) in Mato Grosso, which gained carbon in the rainy season and became
carbon-neutral in the dry season.
A METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO STUDY THE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE SINOP-MT TOWER AND
OTHER LBA TOWERS
Baker, T.R.1,2,a, Phillips, O.L.1, Malhi, Y.M.3, Almeida, S.4, Killeen, T.5, Laurance, W.F.6, Neill,
D.7, Salomão, R.4, Silva, N.8, Silveira, M.9, Vásquez Martínez, R.10, Vieira, I4 & 22 others.
a. Corresponding author: Dept of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
t.baker@geog.leeds.ac.uk
Understanding the relationship between forest structure, and climatic and edaphic factors at
large spatial scales is critical for obtaining accurate estimates of tropical forest biomass, and
biomass change. The RAINFOR project brings together researchers that maintain permanent sample
plots across Amazonia, to help monitor long term changes in forest structure and dynamics at large
scales. We have collated data on basal area, stem number and mean tree size from more than 200
hectares of inventoried forest. Here, we analyse the relationships between these variables and
climatic and edaphic data derived from global datasets. Basal area is broadly conserved between 25-
35 m2 ha-1 across the Amazon basin, although it declines in the driest areas. However, stem number
increases, and mean tree size decreases, in the wettest, most aseasonal forests in western Amazonia.
The implications of contrasting structural signatures for the ecology, dynamics and biomass of these
diverse forests are discussed.
Ecophysiological characteristics related to gas-exchange in the Amazonian tropical rain
forest
Domingues, T.F.1; Larry B. Flanagan2; Luiz A. Martinelli3; Jean P.H.B. Ometto1,3 &
James R. Ehleringer1
1
University of Utah - USA
2
University of Lethbridge - Canada
3
Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura - Universidade de São Paulo - Brazil
Vanusa Bezerra Pachêco1, Arí Marques Filho1, Antônio Donato Nobre1, Alessandro
Carioca de Araujo1, Bart Kruijt2, Ricardo G. Dallarosa1, Celso von Randow3, Antônio
Ocimar Manzi3, Hermes Braga Xavier1, Albertos Johannes Dolman4, Maarten Johannes
Waterloo4, Jan Albert Elbers5, John Handescombe C. Gash5, Martin George Hodnett5, Eddy
Johannes Moors2, Pavel Kabat2
1
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia - INPA, Manaus, Brazil
2
Alterra, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
3
Centro de Previsão do Tempo e Estudos Climáticos – CPTEC, São Paulo, Brazil
4
Vrije University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
5Centre for Ecology and Hydrology – CEH, Wallingford, United Kingdom
Av. André Araújo, 2936, INPA, Petropólis, Aloj 09, Projeto LBA - ManausFlux,
CEP:69083-000, Tel: 00 55 92 643 3255
E-mail: vanusa@inpa.gov.br
The vertical mean wind speed profile was studied utilizing data measured from a 50
m micrometeorological tower in forest reserve Cuieiras – ZF2, km 34 (2o36’32,
67”S, 60o12’33,48”W) some 60 km north of Manaus, in Central Amazonia. The
measurements of wind speed were made at four heights (two above the canopy and
two within the canopy) using cup anemometers logged at 30 seconds intervals. The
data represent the period from June to November 2001. To perform the vertical
mean wind speed profile analysis of 30 min averages were used. The mean wind
speed profile data obtained during early morning (00:00 to 06:30 local time (LT)),
day (07:00 to 17:30 LT) and night (18:00 to 23:30 LT) were compared with the
vertical temperature and CO2 concentration profiles. A least squares fitting
technique was used to fit polynomial curves to the vertical mean wind speed profile
using Matlab-5 computer code. For the mean wind speed profile data the best fit
was obtained using third degree polynomial functions. The highest wind speeds
occur between 10:00 and 16:00 LT, which corresponds well with the maximum air
temperatures, usually between 12:00 and 15:00 LT. CO2 concentrations begin to
decrease soon after 08:00 LT and increase soon after 17:30 LT. The period from
10:00 to 16:00 HL, when the maximum values of mean wind speed occur is also the
period of major convective activity, caused by atmospheric instability associated
with the diurnal solar cycle. The rate of decrease in mean wind below the canopy
was shown to be related to the density profile of the foliage.
Ecological Classification of Soils and Pristine Premontane
Vegetation in the Alto Mayo Valley, Northern Peru
Viviana Horna 1,2), Johannes Dietz 1), Tobias Mette 1), Annett Börner 1,2)
,
Jan Dempewolf 1,3), Reiner Zimmermann 1,2)
1
Forest Ecology and Remote Sensing Group, Ecological-Botanical Gardens ÖBG, University
of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
2
Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry MPI-BGC, Jena, Germany
3
University of Maryland, U.S.A.
Abstract
An ecological classification method for pristine vegetation at the eastern slopes of the North Peruvian Andes
has been developed. Emphasis was on forest structure, biomass and soil properties and interrelations with the
topographic and geologic situation.
Forest plots for intensive structural measurements and soil description (currently > 200) were taken along
transects and typical catenae in the Río Avisado and upper Río Tioyacu watersheds. Study plots reach from
800 m to > 1600 m a.s.l. and cover different topographic and geologic situations. The stand structural,
topographic, and soil parameters which were obtained in the field were analyzed by principal component and
hierarchical cluster analysis. The vegetation types were characterized by topographic position, soil organic
layers, mineral soil, tree size, stand density, life forms, canopy density as well as dead and living biomass. Water
use by contrasting vegetation types was analyzed using site climate data and tree sap flow measurements.
By overlaying stereoscopic aerial photographs, satellite imagery, a digital elevation model and geologic
information using a geographic information system, a reliable forest type map for the study area was obtained.
The classification of the present vegetation of both watersheds provides the basis for an ecological sensitivity
analysis of forests and soils and the development and implementation of an environmental monitoring system at
the Margen Izquierda (Bosque de Protección) of the Alto Mayo Region.
An analytical approach for estimating CO2 and heat fluxes over the
Amazonian region
Xiwu Zhan, Yongkang Xue, and G. James Collatz
University of California, Los Angeles
Accurate assessments of the CO2 fluxes between the terrestrial ecosystems and the
atmosphere are pressingly needed for the climate change and carbon cycle studies. The
Collatz et al. parameterization of leaf photosynthesis-stomotal conductance has been
widely applied in land surface parameterization schemes for simulating the land surface
CO2 fluxes. The study in this paper developed an analytical solution approach for the
Collatz et al’s parameterization for stable solution and computational efficiency. This
analytical approach is then applied to the Simplified Biosphere Model (SSiB), enhancing
its capability of simulating land surface CO2 fluxes. The enhanced SSiB model is tested
with field observation data sets from two Amazonian field experiments (ABRACOS
missions and Manaus Eddy Covariance Study). Simulations of the land surface fluxes of
latent heat, sensible heat and soil heat by the enhanced SSiB agree very well with
observations with correlation coefficients being larger than 0.80. However, the
correlation coefficient for the daily means of CO2 fluxes is only 0.42 for the Manaus data
set although the model simulates the diurnal cycle generally well. A day-time “square
wave” in the simulated CO2 flux diurnal curves is found. The discrepancies between
simulation and observation may be the results of incorrect parameter setup or improper
leaf to canopy scaling strategy. To improve the accuracy of land surface CO2 flux
modeling, further investigation on the coupled stomatal conductance-photosynthesis
model is suggested.
C Sequestration Dynamics: Biomass, Litter, and Roots
To understand how tropical forest carbon balance will respond to global changes will
require knowledge of individual heterotrophic and autotrophic respiratory sources, along
with environmental factors that control variability. We measured leaf (Rleaf), live wood
(Rwood), and soil (Rsoil) respiration and additional environmental factors over a one-year
period in a Central Amazon forest. Seasonal variability was evident in Rwood and Rsoil,
and diurnal variability was demonstrated for Rleaf. Rwood was positively correlated with
tree diameter and growth rate, Rleaf was positively correlated with leaf temperature, and
Rsoil was curvilinearly correlated with soil water content. An ecosystem flux for Rleaf and
Rwood was estimated by calculating a leaf area index (LAI) and stem area index (SAI)
using allometric relationships derived from tree harvest data and published models.
Combining these estimates with literature values for missing fluxes gave an average
ecosystem respiratory flux (Reco) of 8.5 µmol m-2 s-1. This estimate was compared with
the above-canopy flux (Fac) derived from eddy covariance data. Multiple regression and
ANOVA demonstrated that about 70% of the variability in Fac was accounted for by
friction velocity (u*) variables and the above-canopy CO2 concentration. Defined
sustained high turbulence (SHT) conditions that may permit Fac to approximate Reco were
rare, accounting for only 3.3% of nighttime hours. Fac during SHT conditions was 6.5
µmol m-2 s-1, with a large 95% CI of 2.9-13.4. Using published leaf and wood production
estimates, we estimated a carbon use efficiency (CUEag) of 0.28. Our CUE estimate
indicates a Ra to gross photosynthesis (Ra/Pg) ratio of 0.72, which is considerably higher
than the relative constant ratio of about 0.50 found for temperature forests. It appears
that Central Amazon forests have a high capacity for capturing atmospheric carbon, but
only a small fraction of that carbon becomes incorporated into new tissues.
Effects of land use change and tree coverage decrease in key aspects of the carbon
budget of the Brazilian Cerrado savanna.
The aim of this study is to evaluate differences in ecosystem carbon budgets among
Cerrado vegetation with abundant trees, Cerrado vegetation dominated by native grasses,
and formerly Cerrado areas converted to pasture. The work is being conducted in two
Cerrado areas (with contrasting tree densities), in the Reserva Ecologica do Roncador
(RECOR-IBGE) and in one area converted to pasture, in the Centro de Pesquisas
Agropecuarias do Cerrado (CPAC-EMBRAPA), both located near Brasilia. We monitored
key processes related to the carbon dynamics: soil respiration (using the dynamic chamber
IRGA technique), litterfall (litterfall collectors) and decomposition (litter decomposition
bags). In the woody area, soil respiration rates were similar to other tropical savannas(0.7-
0.22gC m-2 h-1). The area with lower tree density had similar soil respiration, but with
sharper seasonal variation (0.6-0.25gC m-2 h-1), lower litterfall (1,5x106gC ha-1 yr-1versus
3.0x106gC ha-1 yr-1 in the woody plot) and lower decomposition rates. The planted pasture
showed higher soil respiration fluxes, with more intense seasonal variation compared to the
Cerrado plots. The peak of soil respiration activity in the pasture occurred in the beginning
of the rainy season, while in the Cerrado areas the peak occurred in the end of this season.
The decrease of the arboreal component seems to decrease the carbon cycling in this
ecosystem, while the conversion to pasture seems to accelerate the carbon cycling,
switching to a less conservative and more seasonably variable ecosystem.
The Net Carbon Flux Due to Deforestation and Re-growth in the Brazilian
Amazon: Comparing Process-Based and Bookkeeping Approaches
Abstract: Recent work (Houghton et al., Nature 2000) suggests that the net flux of
carbon to the atmosphere from deforestation and forest re-growth in the Brazilian
Amazon averaged approximately 0.2 Pg C (1 Pg = 1 billion metric tons) per year from
1989-1998. That study assumed a linear biomass accumulation for forests growing on
abandoned agricultural land and a constant ratio of agricultural area abandoned to
primary forest area cleared each year. We test the impact of these assumptions on the
land-use carbon flux by changing the model used in the Houghton et al. (2000) study in
two ways. First, we predict mature forest biomass and re-growth rates across the
Brazilian Amazon using a process-based ecosystem model that is driven by observed
radiation, climate, and soil characteristics. Second, we calculate rates of agricultural
abandonment and re-clearing of secondary forest from temporal changes in land-cover
derived from satellite data. For the 1990s, the process-based model yields slower re-
growth rates than the Houghton et al. (2000) study, but a much larger area of re-growing
forest. The net impact of these changes is to lower the predicted net source of carbon due
to deforestation and re-growth during the period 1989-1998 from 0.2 Pg C per year to
0.15 Pg C per year.
The contribution of pioneer tree species to above-ground biomass estimates in continuous
and fragmented forests in central Amazonia
1
Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, National Institute for Amazonian Research
(INPA), C.P. 478, Manaus, AM 69011-970, Brazil – titina@inpa.gov.br
2
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 2072, Balboa, Republic of Panamá
The floristic composition of rainforests will affect estimates of total above-ground biomass, as
trees differ in stature, architecture and wood density. In this study, we used three different
allometric equations to assess the effect of floristic composition on estimates of above-ground
biomass in interior and edge plots. Of the 55 plots (1ha) examined, 28 were located near edge
(less than 300m from the nearest forest edge) and 27 in interior forest (further than 300m from
the edge), all trees (DBH>10cm) were sampled. We determined the biomass of trees using three
separate allometrics equations: (1) primary forest species; (2) pioneer genera Bellucia, Croton,
Goupia, Laetia, Pourouma, Trema and Vismia.; (3) the genus Cecropia.
Using equation 1, biomass estimates for all plots was 18,290.6ton., however when genera
specific equations were included total biomass was only 18,128.5ton. The estimates differed by
0.9% and were significant (t=5,817; df=54; p<0,001). Allometric equations for primary
rainforest species (equation 1) significantly overestimated the biomass of pioneer species (listed
in equation 2) by 25% (t=11,986; df=941; p<0,001), and for Cecropia sp. (3) by 61% (t=17,275;
df=417; p<0,001). Biomass values did not differ significantly between edge (321.8ton/ha +
37.9) and interior (337.2ton/ha + 32.7) plots. Although pioneer species represent only 3.9%
(1360) of all individuals in this study, we were able to demonstrate that by not considering their
lower above-ground biomass, total biomass estimates will be significantly inflated.
Autotrophic X heterotrophic respiration in Western Amazonia, Acre-Brazil
Edgard S. Tribuzy 1,3, Niro Higuchi, Joaquim dos Santos, Alberto C. M. Pinto, Erika V.
de Miranda, Roseana P. da Silva, Rosana de M. Rocha, Bianca C. Felix 1; Susan E.
Trumbore, Jeffrey Q. Chambers 2; Plinio B. de Camargo 3.
estribuzy@yahoo.com.br, niro@inpa.gov.br, joca@inpa.gov.br, amartins@inpa.gov.br,
erika@inpa.gov.br, rose@inpa.gov.br, rocha@inpa.gov.br, bfoc@bol.com.br,
setrumbo@uci.edu, jeff@inpa.gov.br, pcamargo@cena.usp.br.
1
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia /Brasil, 2University of California,
Irvine, CA, 92697-3100 USA, 3CENA, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP,
13416-000, Brasil
Our goal in this work was identify photosynthesis patterns at canopy of rain tropical
forestry. The activities was developed at two sites at Central Amazon, the first one was at
Experimental Station of Rain Tropical Forestry of INPA (ZF2), at 50 km north of
Manaus, the other one is 67 km south of Santarem. Infrared gas analyzer (IRGA), model
Li-cor 6400, quantified the photosynthesis. The photosynthesis potential maxim (Amax)
was higher in wet season as dry season and we find correlation between height levels of
canopy and Amax with r2=0.94, P<3,766E-23 and a equation y=0.094x-0.183.
Submitted to: II_ISC_LBA – 2ND INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE OF LARGE
SCALE BIOSPHERE ATMOSPHERE EXPERIMENT IN AMAZÔNIA (LBA),
ABSTRACT
We investigated the role of soil clay content in the storage and dynamics of soil carbon
at primary tropical forest sites spanning a range of soil texture by combining stable and
radiocarbon isotope measurements of bulk and fractionated soil organic matter. Clay
content is a major control of the amount of refractory carbon in soils and therefore
strongly influences the storage and dynamics of carbon in tropical forest soils. Soils in
primary tropical forest have been proposed as a potentially large sink for carbon at a site
near Manaus, in the central Amazon. Comparison of carbon contents of Oxisols
sampled near Manaus, Brazil, over the past 20 years shows no measurable change in
organic carbon stocks with time. Simple models estimating the response of soil carbon
pools to a 25% increase in productivity indicate that storage rates in soils averaging 0.4
to 0.7 MgC ha-1 yr-1 in soil organic matter and 0.3 to 0.4 MgC ha-1 yr-1 in litter and roots
are possible in the first decade following the increase. Export of carbon in dissolved
form from terra firme soils can account for <0.1 MgC ha-1 yr-1, but more work is
required to assess the export potential for Spodosols.
SEASONAL CHANGES IN LEAF LITTER NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS, AND POSSIBLE
IMPLICATIONS FOR NUTRIENT CYCLING AND PLANT GROWTH
Several studies in central Amazonia have shown litter production to be seasonal, with higher
litterfall during the dry season, when decomposition is slower. That leads to a temporary
accumulation and growth of the litter layer on forest floor. However, it is not known the behavior of
behavior of mineral nutrients in litter along the year. The present study aim to assess if litter
concentrations change considerably between seasons, and to suggest possible implications of
such changes. Two set of data from central Amazonia were used: (1) a 1-year series, gathered in
1999-2000 at ZF-3 INPA-Smithsonian Institute Reserves; and (2) a 3-year data set from ZF-2 INPA
Reserve, collected from 1979 to 1982. Nutrient concentrations were determined monthly for the
ZF-2 samples and each 2-3 months for the ZF-3 samples. Concentrations of most nutrients were
higher in the dry season than in the wet season. For the 3-years period (1979-82), concentrations
of dry season were: N=19-22 g kg-1; P=0.36 g kg-1; K=1.5-2.0 g kg-1; Ca=3.8-4.9 g kg-1; S=2.1-2.3 g
kg-1; Na=1105-1619 mg kg-1; B=44-64 mg kg-1. In the wet season, these concentrations were: N=
14-16 g kg-1; P=0.28 g kg-1; S=1.1 g kg-1; K=0.9-1.5 g kg-1; Ca=3.2-3.4 g kg-1; Na=922-943 mg kg-1;
B= 28-37 g kg-1. Within the same season, nutrients wich are more leachable, such as K and,
especially, Na had their lowest concentrations in the first months (December-Febrruary) of the wet
season. Thus, higher nutrient concentrations coincided with higher litter production, and the
opposite was also true. The lower concentrations in the wet season is likely a result of stronger
leaching by rain water percolating forest canopy (internal precipitation) and washing mature, pre-
senescent leaves. Alternatively, or additionally, it may be a result of strong nutrient retranslocation
from mature leaves, which would allow a subsequent nutrient allocation to the young leaves,
woody parts, or in the root system of the trees. That would imply in either crown, root or trunk
growth, or all of them, during the wet season.
Relationship Between Litter Production and Reflected Photosynthetic Active Radiation
by the Canopy of Transitional tropical forest
Jose de Souza Nogueira, Fernando Raiter (raitersn@terra.com.br); Nicolau Priante Filho; Wander Hoeger;
Mauro Massao Shiota Hayashi; José Holanda Campelo Jr.; George
Sanches Suli
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - Depto. de Física - Grupo de Física e Meio
Ambiente - Av. Fernando Correa da Costa s/n, 78060-900 -Cuiabá -MT Brasil.
In the present work we studied the litter production in a forest of transition in Sinop-MT -
BRAZIL and its relationship to the ratio of the photosynthetic active radiation reflected
(PARr) and incident (PARi) on the canopy. In this region of ecotone tropical rain forest-
savanna, a 40m tall tower equipped with micrometeorological and eddy covariance
measurement systems have been running since August 1999. The annual average
precipitation of the region is of 2000 mm, with a dry season between June and September
and a rainy season between December the February. The measurement of litterfall was
made using 20-1 m2 collectors installed in a parcel 1 ha located near of the tower. The
litter of each one of these collectors was collected monthly, separated into leaves, twigs,
flowers and fruits, dried in oven to 70ºC for 72h, and weighed. The micrometeorological
data are sampled every 60 s and stored as 30 minute averages in memory modules. The
annual average litterfall was of 1340g.m-2 year-1 and the minimum production of litter
occurred in the February month (44g m-2 month-1). The ratio of PARr/PARi followed the
trend in litter production closely during the wet season but not during the dry season.
Although unknown, the divergence between the ratio of incident and reflected PAR and
litterfall may be due to seasonal differences in canopy structure and reflective properties.
This result can be important for future studies in the area of remote sensing relating
measured micrometeorological of towers with space characteristics of the structure of the
canopy.
Variability of Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon in Different Pasture Restoration Systems in
Rondônia, Brazil.
Karine Cristina Augusti 1, Marisa de Cássia Piccolo 1, Brigitte Josefine Feigl 1, Carlos
Clemente Cerri 1, Christopher Neill 2, Jerry Michael Melillo 2, Paul Andrew Steudler 2, Diana
Garcia Montiel 2
1
Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA-USP), Av. Centenário 303, cep:13416.000,
Piracicaba, SP, Brasil, Tel: (19) 34294750, Fax:19 34294610, E-mail: kaugusti@cena.usp.br; 2
The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
Pastures make up the principal use of cleared land in the Brazilian Amazon. Observations show
that in the long run after they are formed, pastures generally begin a process of degradation
characterized by a decline in grass productivity and an increase in the cover of weeds. Soil
microbial biomass is the living component of soil organic matter and plays an important role in
decomposition and biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in soil. Our objectives were to quantify
the microbial biomass carbon (C) variation, as a function of time in pastures subjected to
different restoration treatments (1- Control; 2- Plowing + fertilizer; 3- Herbicide; 4- Herbicide
followed by planting soybean under no-tillage + fertilizer, and 5- Herbicide followed by
planting rice under no-tillage + fertilizer). Soil sampling (0-5 and 5-10 cm depths) for microbial
biomass C accompanied each management procedure in each treatment: application of
herbicide, fertilizer, and plowing). Microbial biomass C was estimated by fumigation-
extraction. Soil microbial biomass C decreased after a second plowing in the plowing +
fertilizer treatment. But increased in the long run after the planting of Brachiaria brizantha.
Microbial biomass C increased after fertilizing and planting in the soybean and rice treatments.
Soil microbial biomass C decreased three days after the herbicide application in the herbicide
treatment, but then recovered.
Regrowth Biomass Estimation in the Amazon
using JERS/RADARSAT SAR Composites
Leland Pierce, Pan Liang, M. Craig Dobson
Radiation Laboratory
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122
Phone: (734) 763-3157,
FAX: (734) 647-2106
E-mail: lep@eecs.umich.edu
Abstract
Our efforts involve obtaining appropriate pairs of radar images from several sites
and for both seasons. These data are then orthorectified
using a map and elevation data of the area. Once orthorectified, the data overlay one
another sufficiently accurately to allow accurate
calibration and incidence angle correction. Without these corrections the terrain effects
would make our analysis too noisy and inaccurate
to be useful. The seasonality of the data is used to deal with the moisture sensitivity of the
data, and the different frequency data is used to
help classify the data into several classes for use in class-specific biomass estimates.
We have chosen the following sites in Brazil for our study: Manaus, Rio Branco,
Tapajos, Rondonia. In order to classify, as a first step to
biomass estimation, we use the JERS (L-band) and RADARSAT (C-band) data at the 2
different seasons to create a 4-channel
composite. We can also use several texture measures (lacunarity, entropy, etc..) to further
increase the number of channels. This data is
then classified into the following classes: water, bare soil, short vegetation, regrowth, and
trees. We report on the accuracy of both our
classification and biomass estimation efforts.
Effects of Interannual Climate Variability in Capoeira and Crops Under
Traditional and Alternative Shifting Cultivation
Liane S. Guild1, Tatiana D. A. Sá2, Claudio J. R. Carvalho2, Christopher S. Potter1, Albert
J. Wickel3, Silvio Brienza Jr.2, Maria do Socorro A. Kato2, and Osvaldo Kato2
1
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
2
EMBRAPA Amazônia Oriental, Belém, Pará, Brazil
3
ZEF/University of Bonn, Germany
Abstract
1
Department of Soil Science, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias do Pará (FCAP), P. O. Box
2
917, Belém, PA, 66077-530, Brazil, E-mail: lgabrig@amazon.com.br; University of
3
Florida, USA, E-mail: zarin@ufl.edu; EMBRAPA Amazônia Oriental, Brazil, E-mail:
4
carvalho@cpatu.embrapa.br; Projeto MANFLORA, FCAP, Brazil, E-mail:
manflora@amazon.com.br
Amazon forests could be globally significant sinks or sources for atmospheric carbon dioxide,
but carbon balance of these forests remains poorly quantified. We surveyed 20 ha of well-
drained old-growth upland forest near the km 67 access road of the Tapajós National Forest near
Santarém, Pará, Brazil (54°58’W, 2°51’S) in order to assess carbon pool sizes, fluxes, and
climatic controls on carbon balance. Live trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) >10 cm
had a stem frequency of 467 ha-1 and accounted for 142.5 ± 6.5 Mg C ha-1 in 1999 while coarse
woody debris (CWD) accounted for 32.6 ± 2.9 Mg C ha-1. Net flux to live wood biomass,
estimated by resurvey after two years, was 1.44 ± 0.57 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, the net result of high
growth rate (3.23 ± 0.20 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 from a mean bole increment of 0.36 cm yr-1), recruitment
of new trees (0.61 ± 0.02 Mg C ha-1 yr-1), and high mortality (-2.4 ± 0.51 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 due to
individual stem mortality of 1.8% yr-1) . The measured net gain in live wood biomass was
exceeded, however, by estimated net loss (1.7 to 5.0 Mg C ha-1 yr-1) from the large stock of
CWD, resulting in an overall aboveground carbon balance that was negative (estimated flux: -
0.3 to -4.0 Mg C ha-1 yr-1). Tree growth and litterfall were highly seasonal and correlated
strongly with variations in precipitation, suggesting that climatic variations exert a strong
influence on short-term carbon balance. Three observations – (i) the stock of CWD is large, (ii)
all of the net gain in live biomass is due to small-tree growth and recruitment, and (iii) the
distribution of stem density is piecewise log-linear with a notable steeper slope for trees < 40 cm
DBH – suggest that an episode of high mortality (possibly caused by the strong El Niño
Southern Oscillation event of 1997-98) preceded study initiation. This hypothesis suggests that
variations in medium- to long-term carbon balances are also strongly influenced by climate
changes, and that such variations may overwhelm the relatively smaller carbon balance effects
predicted from rising atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Tree ring studies to estimate carbon-uptake in Amazonian lowland forests
Contribution to Carbonsink – LBA / WP5 - Historical and spatial trends in Amazon forests
Proposal No: EVK4-1999- 00191
Project Coordinator: Kabat, P.
1
Researcher of Embrapa Algodão, Goiânia-GO, Brazil.
2
Doctoral student of ESALQ/USP; Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Ambiental (CENA/USP),
Avenida Centenário no 303, caixa postal 96, CEP 13416-000, Piracicaba-SP, Brazil. E-mail:
caandrad@esalq.usp.br
3
Professor of ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba-SP, Brazil.
4
Researcher of CENA/USP, Piracicaba-SP, Brazil.
The quality of litter and root inputs to soils may be one factor that contributes to
increased total soil carbon stocks in pastures following deforestation in some
locations. We evaluated changes to litter and roots carbon quality when a tropical
forest is converted to pasture. We examined a chronosequence locate in Rondônia that
included a natural tropical forest and Brachiaria brizantha pastures introduced in
years 1987, 1983, 1972 and 1911. Litter, roots and soil samples were taken in July
2001. In litter and roots samples we measured C and N concentrations through dry
combustion and lignin, cellulose and lignocellulose index (LCI) using a series of plant
samples digestions. Pastures of all ages had had lower concentrations of N and lignin,
larger C/N ratios and lower LCI than forest. Pastures of different ages were similar.
These values suggest that pastures plants tissues are less available for microbial
decomposition than forest tissues. Total soil C stocks were larger in pastures. Until
30 cm soil depth, the average C stocks was about 50 Mg ha-1 in pasture and
30 Mg ha-1 in forest. The larger pastures soil C stocks occurred by increase of both
soil C concentration and soil bulk density. Litter and roots N contents correlated
negatively with soil C stocks, while litter and root C/N ratio correlated positively with
soil C stock. These results suggest that litter and roots quality are important for the
establishment of soil C stock after forest removal and pasture installation.
Litter decomposition rate estimation by mass balance model in a transitional tropical forest –savanna
in Mato Grosso - Brazil
Nicolau Priante Filho (nicolaup@terra.com.br), Fernando Raiter, Wander Hoeger, Clóvis Lasta
Fritzen, Eduardo Jacusiel Miranda, José de Souza Nogueira, Moacir Lacerda
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Depto. De Física/ICET - Av. Fernando Correa da Costa s/n
78060-900-Cuiabá-MT-BRAZIL
George Louis Vourlitis
In the present study we measured the litter production and decomposition in a transition forest to
determine the role played by the litter decomposition in the overall carbon emission. The experiments
were carried out near the city of Sinop in northern Mato Grosso, Brazil, a region of transition between
the Amazon rainforest and the savanna (“cerrado”). That region presents an average rainfall of 2000
mm, with a dry season from June to September, and a very wet season in the period between
December-February, when approximately a half of the total rainfall is received. Decomposition
studies follow a common procedure, using 20-1m2 litter traps installed in a 1 ha plot. Fallen litter was
collected monthly sorted and dry mass of leaves, twigs, flowers and fruits determined. We used a
mass balance model proposed by Wieder and Wright, 1995 to quantify litter decomposition. In this
work we show preliminary results for the period between January and February 2002. For the fallen
litter, the exponential decay k value for January in Sinop was around 0.02 d-1. This value was similar
to the wet season value obtained in Panama by Wieder and Wright, 1995 and is substantially larger
than the annual average value 0.0089d-1. The Sinop average litterfall was 13 g m-2 wk-1 to January and
9 g m-2 wk-1 to February. In the same area an experiment using the litterbag method have been
conducting to estimate the litter decomposition rate. We continue collecting data until June 2002 and
the results of both methods will be compared and showed.
Drought effects on net primary productivity and its allocation in an east-central Amazon
forest: results from a throughfall exclusion experiment
Institutional Affiliations:
Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazonia1, Brasil,
Woods Hole Research Center2, USA,
Embrapa Amazonia Oriental, Belém, Brasil3.
Large areas of Amazon forest are exposed to severe drought stress, and may experience
greater drought stress in the future through the interacting effects of global warming,
ENSO, and deforestation-inhibition of rainfall. We established a partial throughfall
exclusion experiment (one-hectare treatment and control plots) in east-central Amazonia
(FLONA Tapajós) in 1998 to help provide a more integrated understanding of forest
responses to drought. During the first year of the experiment, partial (40%) throughfall
exclusion induced a decline in both leaf photosynthetic capacity and diameter growth of
small trees. During the second year of throughfall exclusion, when deep soil depletion
occurred, stem growth of trees up to 50 cm dbh was suppressed at the rate of 2 Mg
biomass ha-1 yr-1. It was only after excluding a total of 1600 mm of throughfall, during
the second post-treatment dry season, that pre-dawn leaf water potential declined,
inhibiting leaf production and lowering LAI by 1.5 units. Hence, leaf fall responded to
drought only after 2 years of treatment; the mortality of understory trees (<2 cm dbh)
increased three-fold after two years. In sum, this Amazon forest effectively avoided
drought-induced leaf shedding and mortality of adult trees during two years of partial
throughfall exclusion by tapping soil moisture to 20 m depth. Carbon accumulation in
stems—the aboveground C pool with the slowest turnover rate—was the most sensitive
to drought.
emails:
moutinho@amazon.com.br
dnepstad@whrc.org
moacyr@cpatu.embrapa.br
dray@whrc.org
lsolorzano@whrc.org
cardinot@amazon.com.br
itohver@yahoo.com
COARSE WOOD DEBRIS DEPOSITION, DECOMPOSITION, AND NUTRIENT
RELEASE IN A SELECTIVELY LOGGED FOREST IN CENTRAL AMAZONIA
Percy M. Summers; Flávio J. Luizão & Niro Higuchi. INPA-Ecology and Forestry. E-mail:
fluizao@inpa.gov.br
The study aimed to assess the possible consequences of large inputs of new coarse
woody debris (CWD) to the current stocks in “terra-firme” forests in Central Amazonia as a
result of selective logging. It focuses on nutrient and carbon cycles, in three permanent
plots (4 ha each) of undisturbed forest and four permanent plots that were selectively
logged, all located 80 km north of Manaus, Brazil. Dry necromass stocks, decomposition,
and nutrient stocks and fluxes were determined for all dead wood in the undisturbed plots.
The use of permanent plots that have been measured since 1980 allowed to determine the
species and decomposition time (in years) for the different logs. The mean stock of dead
wood mass in the undisturbed forest was 29.7 ± 12.2 Mg ha-1, increasing up to 80 Mg ha-1
after logging. Decomposition rates were estimated using a simple exponential model
(OLSON, 1963) for density, kd = 0.074 and for mass, km = 0.020. Among the factors
affecting decomposition rates, species, initial density and soil contact were significant
(p<0.05). The combination size-initial density was also significant. A model was designed
to estimate the decomposition rate constant (k) of a tree from its initial density (Di) and its
size, represented by the diameter at breast height (DBH): k = (0.7 – 0.0152 * (log(DBH)) -
0.25 * (Di))2 – 0.1. The decomposition rate for logs in contact with soil surface was 40%
higher than for those without contact. Nutrient concentrations in coarse woody litter (mg
kg-1) were mostly low in relation to living wood and fine litter: P = 28.5 ± 2.4; K = 148 ± 20;
Ca = 1221± 127; Mg = 333 ± 28, and all decreased with time, except Ca, which was stable
through time. In the first 4 years after logging, most of the P (71.8%) and K (78.5%) were
lost. Ca and Mg had similar losses only 10 years after logging. Large scale selective
logging can have a significant effect on the global carbon cycle due to the increase in dead
wood stocks that enter decomposition state and the respiration rates associated with them.
Selective logging of 50 m3 ha-1 of wood, using traditional techniques of harvesting and
skidding, results in the mortality of 100 Mg ha-1 of biomass of which 80% is left in the forest
as CWD. This larger stocks of dead wood result in an increment of the respiration levels of
the forest that can reach up to 19.9 Mg ha-1 of carbon during the first 5 years and an
additional 20 Mg ha-1 of carbon in the next 15 years.
VARIABILITY OF SOIL RESPIRATION OVER WOODLAND SAVANNAH (CERRADO)
AND SUGAR CANE IN SOUTHEAST BRAZIL
Rafael Rosolem, Humberto da Rocha, Helber Freitas Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências
Atmosféricas Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo, Brasil
We report a time series of soil CO2 efflux observations, monitored at ecosystems of Cerrado
(woodland savannah) and Sugar Cane crop, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, during April 2001 to
March 2002. The data was collected using a static soil chamber (PPSystem) with EGM-2 infra-red
gas analyser, over 17 (seventeen) rings each site, on a weekly basis. Measurements of soil
temperature (Campbell 107) at 1 cm and soil moisture (10 and 20 cm) (Campbell frequency domain
reflectomere CS615-G) were measured automatically using a CR10X datallogger (Campbell
Systems). The data has shown the average carbon emissions were substantially larger at the Cerrado
site (4,75 ± 2,18 µmol m2 s-) than at the sugar cane (2,23 ± 1,59 µmol m2 s-). The correlation
between soil respiration and temperature appeared to be well fitted on an exponential curve at the
Cerrado, as opposed to the sugar cane, where the statistical variation appeared larger. The
seasonality is strong and the soil moisture is substantially well correlated (on a near-linear mode) at
both sites. While it appears the correlations at the undisturbed Cerrado are easier to fit
mathematically, the modelling at crop sites (sugar cane) faces several resistances, as of radical
changes in phenology and canopy cover, and others of management (e.g. plowing).
Soil properties and carbon sequestration along a toposequence
in central Amazonia forest
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that soil topography and texture might be influencing the amount of
C being sequestred by the forest as measured by eddy flux. Carbon dioxide measured by
that technique also does not identify the gas source, wether from soil or from plants.
Aiming to contribute in filling this gap, the present study made a physical-chemical and
biological characterization of the soil along a toposequence in the surrounds of the
climatological tower in order to relate them with the CO2 measurements from the tower.
The study was carried out in the ZF-2 Reserve, located 60 km north of Manaus. Along the
toposequence, three replicate plots were selected in each topographic position: plateau,
slope and valley. In each plot, three composite samples made up of five soil cores were
collected from the topsoil (0-12 cm). Soil measurements included texture, pH, soil organic
matter, moisture, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen transformation rates. Clay content
was the most distinct factor varying along the toposequence with 65% in the plateau, 43%
in the slope and 5% in the valley, a pattern followed by the soil organic matter with 6%, 3%
and 1,5% and soil moisture with 28%, 21% and 15% respectively in these positions.
Despite these differences, soil biological properties such as soil respiration, microbial
carbon and nitrogen did not change significantly along the toposequence. For soil pH and
microbial transformations of nitrogen the differences were only related to the valley
position, with significantly lower nitrate and rates of nitrification even though the soil pH
was higher when compared with the other two topographic positions. Relationship between
these soil properties and carbon sequestration by the forest measured by eddy flux will be
dicussed.
Fine litter fall and standing tree component contribution to the nutrient cycling in an
amazonian rain forest, Caxiuanã, Pará, Brazil. Almeida, Samuel Soares & Silva,
Rosecélia Moreira. MCT/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Av. Magalhães Barata 376,
Nazaré, Belém-PA (samuel@museu-goeldi.br, celitamoreira@hotmail.com.br).
The most important and efficient mechanism of nutrients cycling in tropical forests is related
to the litter fall. This panel presents the results of litter fall and organic matter decomposition
in a dense amazonian rain forest, at the “Ferreira Penna” Scientific Station, Caxiuanã, Pará.
The experiments had been carried out in 2 plots (A and B) of 1 hectar each. During 12
months litter fall was collected, composed by foliage, reproductive fraction and fine branchs.
The total production of litter fall was 9.63 Mg.ha-1.ano-1, divided into 5.65 Mg.ha-1.ano-1 of
leaves; 1.68 Mg.ha-1.ano-1 of fine branchs and 1.39 Mg.ha-1.ano-1 of reproductive fraction.
These values are among more highly obtained to the amazonian forests, reflecting the
elevated biomass of the Caxiuanã forest. Annually this forest can be recycling about 4,820
kg.ha-1 of C; 132.6 kg.ha-1 of N; 3.7 kg.ha-1 of P and 23.93 kg.ha-1 of K. The organic matter
decomposition experiment consisted of 360 plastic bags (180 by hectare). The decomposition
rate in the first 180 days has been about 50 % of the decomposed material. To relate with the
primary production the floristic inventory in the parcels studied was carried out, recording all
trees and lianas with DAP ≥ 10 cm, its respective species, trunk and total height. The A and
B parcels included about 180 and 185 species respectively, with considerable diversity of big
trees that present an single or few individuals by hectare. The contribution of tree species for
the litter fall and the recycling is changeable during the year, being that plants that lose leaves
during the dry period can contribute massivelly to overall biomass decayed.
(Research carried through with support of the MCT/Museu Goeldi, Project Esecaflor/UEdin
and Instituto of the Milênio/LBA).
Patiño, S.1,2,a, Mercado, L.2, Paiva, R.3, Quesada, A.4, Schmerler, J.2, Baker T.R.2,4,
Phillips, O.L.5, Malhi, Y.6 & Lloyd, J.2
A comparison of the relationships between leaf area index, Huber value and
above-ground biomass within Amazonian forests.
The Amazon Forest Inventory Network (RAINFOR) has been established to monitor
the biomass and dynamics of Amazonian forests. An important aim is to understand
the physiological mechanisms that underlie observed differences in forest structure
along resource gradients. Here, we report results from 1 ha plots in Ecuador, Peru,
Brazil and Bolivia. For each plot, leaf area index (LAI) was measured using
hemispherical photographs, and above-ground biomass estimated using allometric
equations. Huber values (wood cross sectional area per unit leaf area) were calculated
for branches sampled from 20 - 45 trees per plot. We examine how LAI varies
between forests that are growing under different climatic and edaphic conditions. We
compare Huber values between different forests and examine whether there are
correlations between physiological functional groups and phylogeny. We discuss the
significance of our results in relation to the ecological and physiological
characteristics of species within diverse forest stands and predict how global climate
change might influence forest structure.
LATERAL VARIATIONS IN THE CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE TERRA
FIRM SOILS, ESECAFLOR EXPERIMENT (CAXIUANÃ, PARÁ STATE)
Simone Baía Pereira (MPEG/LBA)
Maria de Lourdes Ruivo (MPEG/LBA)
The relationships between water exclusion, properties of soil and forest cycle are
investigated by “The Impact of drought on water and carbon dioxide fluxes from brazilian
rain forest – ESECAFLOR project, located in Ferreira Penna Scientific Station (Caxiuanã,
Pará). Treatment (B) and control (A) plots were established in the forest. Each plot had four
trenches (A1, A2, A3, A4 and B1, B2, B3, B4). In A and B plots there are not lateral
appreciable changes. In this study were evaluate the seasonal variability from the selected
chemical properties in the surface soils (0-25 cm) the samples were collected the early rainy
season (January /2000) and dry season (Jane/2001). The organic carbon content (plot A)
was significantly higher in the rain season, increased diagonally in the both plots. In the dry
season, the organic carbon content is smaller compared with rain season. The observations
in dry period indicate small increase in the pH values. The increase tendency of
exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+ and pH is contrary between the A and B plots. In dry season,
A1 trench showed the low valor of organic carbon (7.05 g/Kg), exchangeables Ca2+ (0.112
cmolc/dm3) and Mg2+ (0.112 cmolc/dm3) and high value pH (4.7); and B3 trench exhibited
organic carbon content near to minimal value (5.04 g/Kg) and pH is maximum (4.4).
Clearly indicate an association with minimal percentage of humid, 18.6 and 14.7%, to A
and B plots, respectively. These observations, probably, indicate the A1 and B3 trenches
has major altitude, in relation to other trenches, cause higher weathering and aeration.
Consequently, fast decomposition of organic matter. The increase pH may be due to the
retreat weak acids of the environment, and decrease of the exchangeables cations.
Where are the oldest of the forest? Radiocarbon use to determine the age and
growth rate of trees from the Brazilian Amazonian Forest
1 1
Simone A. Vieira , Plínio B. de Camargo , Susan E. Trumbore2, Diogo Selhorst3,
Niro Higuchi4, Luiz A. Martinelli1, John Southon5
savieira@cena.usp.br,pcamargo@cena.usp.br,setrumbo@uci.edu,
selhorst@bol.com.br, niro@inpa.gov.br, zebu@cena.usp.br, southon@llnl.gov
(1)
Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura/USP, Av. Centenário 303,
(2) (3)
Piracicaba, SP 13416-000 – Brazil University of Califórnia, Irvine, CA, USA
(4)
Parque Zoobotânico-UFAC-Brazil Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia –
(5)
Manaus - Brasil Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
It has been reported that trees can survive over 1000 years in the Amazonian tropical
forest. This fact apparently contradicts the idea that tropical rain forests are highly
dynamic systems. This contradiction can be clarified by determining the age structure
of the forest through the residence time of the Carbon in the vegetation. The first step
to estimate the C residence time in the forest is to determine the amount of 14C of
trees. We followed the diameter tree growth at three sites in the Amazonian tropical
forest in order to provide a better understanding of the carbon dynamics in this region
and its variations according to the climate gradient. We also collected trunk samples
from 100 individuals and the radiocarbon measurements of tree cores purified
cellulose were used to determine the ages and radial growth rates of various species of
trees with different diameter classes. The studied sites were located in the Tapajós
forest (FLONA) near Santarém (PA), the EEST-ZF2 site near Manaus (AM) and the
Catuaba Experimental Farm near Rio Branco (AC). The amount and distribution of
the precipitation, the tree diameter distribution and the aboveground biomass are
different among the studied areas. The dry biomass is 360 t.ha-1, 281 t.ha-1 and
244 t.ha-1 in Manaus, Santarém and Rio Branco, respectively. The DHB of the
sampled trees ranged from 11 to 143 cm. The maximum age obtained from
radiocarbon was 760 years and the minimum was 20 years. The annual diameter
growth rate ranged between 0.01 and 0.9 cm.year-1. It seems that the bigger trees tend
to have higher growth rates than smaller trees in all studied sites.
Isotopic Signature of Nitrous Oxide in dry season forest soils -
implications for seasonal production of N2O
Tibisay Perez
Susan Trumbore, Plinio Barbosa de Camargo, Enir Salazar da Costa, Stanly
Tyler, Michael Keller, Patrick Crill and Eric Davidson
University of California
Measurements of stable isotopes in N2O provide useful constraints for the global
N2O. Tropical rain forest soils are the largest natural source of N2O to the atmosphere.
Variations in the flux and isotopic signature of N2O from tropical soils reflect
microbiological processes that produce and consume N2O, and physical controls of the
rate at which N2O escapes from the soil pore space to the overlying atmosphere. Our
previous work in the Amazon basin and in a Costa Rican forest suggested that soil texture
affects the isotopic composition of the N2O emitted from the soil surface. We present
here measurements of N2O isotopic composition across a soil texture gradient during the
dry season of 2001 in the N2O Tapajós National Forest (TNF), Para State, Brazil. We
selected three soil types within the TNF (km 83 site) for study: sandy, transitional (sand +
clay) and clay soils. Soil pits (0 to 2 m) were dug at each site and sampled for soil
characteristics, and tubes for sampling soil gases were installed in each pit. We also
collected samples at a dry down experiment (TNF, km 67) at 4 pits (0-11 m depth) to
compare variability in the N2O isotopic composition affected by drought and at greater
depths. During the dry season at all sites the N2O mixing ratio in soil air increased with
depth from ~340 ppb near the surface to ~600 ppb in the sandy soil (2 m depth) and to
~2000 ppb in the transition and clay soils (2 m depth) of the km 83 site. At the km 67
site the mixing ratio increased to 1000 ppb at 11 m. The isotopic signature of δ15N and
δ18O of N2O and became more depleted in heavy isotopes with depth at all sites. The
δ15N2O values ranged from 3 to 4 ‰ in the surface to ~2 at 2 m depth in the sandy soil
and to ~-4 ‰ in the transition and clay soils at 2m depth. We suggest that little is N2O is
produced in these soils during the dry season and that most of the N2O emitted during this
time was produced during the wet season and is being slowly released from the large soil
column to the atmosphere. Modeling of the diffusion of gases from the soil column
supports this hypothesis, as do the N2O isotopic differences observed between soils with
different texture. Soils with higher overall effective diffusivity (sandy soil) release the
N2O faster than the more compacted soils (e.g. clay and transitional) and therefore have
lower N2O concentrations at depth and N2O with an isotopic value closer to that of the
atmospheric N2O compared to the soils that have less effective diffusivity.
Tree Growth History, Stand Structure, and Biomass of Premontane
Forest Types at the Cerro Tambo, Alto Mayo, Northern Peru
Viviana Horna 1,2), Reiner Zimmermann 1,2), Henry Soplin 1), Annett
Börner 1,2), Tobias Mette 1)
1)
Forest Ecology and Remote Sensing Group, Ecological-Botanical Gardens ÖBG,
University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
2)
Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany.
Abstract
Tree growth and biomass accumulation were studied for two structurally contrasting premontane forest
types occuring from 1200 -1600 m a.s.l. at the Cerro Tambo, Region Alto Mayo in Peru. The premontane
vegetation at the Cerro Tambo consists of a mosaic of poor heath forests and well developed premontane
rain forests.
Within each forest type, the variation in species composition and aboveground biomass is small compared
to the dramatic differences apparent between the heath and rain forests. Edaphic variations and severe
drought damage during prolonged dry seasons as agent for such differences was excluded by studies on
soils and water consumption by vegetation. Mosaic type heath forest establishment in a zone with potential
dense rain forest cover can be the result of recurring destructive events like natural fires or landslides,
occuring on a decadal to secular scale. Such events may trigger a series of successional stages which lead to
irreversible deterioration of site quality under current conditions.
Stand structure, tree growth rates, and tree age was measured to describe the growth dynamics of the
contrasting forests and to detect stand growth depressions within the life span of old growth individuals.
Tree ring analysis of 106 trees showed that all forests of the Cerro Tambo area have low annual tree growth
rates. Heath forests and tall rain forests show no pronounced difference in growth rates. However, heath
forests are young and no individuals older than 45 years were found. Tall rain forests trees of more than
150 years in age were found. We conclude that heath forests are most likely successional stages after fairly
recent disturbance.
A slight and linear positive increase in rainforest tree growth in all forest plots was found for the past
century and may be attributed to the globally increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration. A further observed
increase in tree growth in all forest plots during the last two decades may be attributed to atmospheric
deposition of nutrients due to massive deforestation followed by rural development in this region.
Ecosystem degradation due to fire & logging
Adelaine Michela Figueira IAG-USP Poster Litterfall and leaf area index before and
after selective logging in Tapajós National
Forest
André Monteiro IMAZON Poster Impacts of logging and fire on the
composition and structure of transitional
forests in Mato Grosso
Ane Alencar IPAM - Instituto de Poster Mapping Biomass Loss from Forest Fires
Pesquisa Ambiental da in a Dense Forest of Western Pará
Amazonia
Ane Alencar IPAM - Instituto de Poster Forest Disturbance by Logging and Fire in
Pesquisa Ambiental da Eastern Amazonia
Amazonia
Aurélie Botta University of Wisconsin Poster Spatial and Temporal Drivers of Fire
Dynamics in the Amazon Basin
Cleilim Albert de Sousa UFPA Poster Effect of selective logging on biomass and
tree growth in Tapajos National Forest
Douglas Morton WHRC Poster A new method to detect forest fire scars in
the transition forest zone of Mato Grosso
using Landsat ETM+
Gregory Asner Carnegie Institution Poster Forest Canopy Damage from Selective
Logging in Amazonia: Lessons Learned
from Detailed Field Studies, Landsat ETM
and EO-1 Hyperion
Joao Andrade de Carvalho Jr. Instituto Nac. de Poster A forest clearing experiment conducted in
Carvalho Pesquisas Espaciais the Amazonian arc of deforestation
Manoel Cardoso University of New Poster Fieldwork and Statistical Analyses for
Hampshire Enhanced Interpretation of Satellite Fire
Data
Marco Rondon CGIAR Poster Carbon Storage in Soils from Degraded
Pastures and Agroforestry Systems in
Central Amazônia: The role of charcoal
Michael Palace Complex Systems Poster Coarse Woody Debris in Logged and
Research Center Undisturbed Forests: Determination of
Stocks Using a New Methodology for
Wood Density and Void Estimation
Paul Lefebvre The Woods Hole Poster An improved soil water budget model for
Research Center predicting drought stress-related forest
flammability in the Amazon Basin
Regina Alvalá INPE - Instituto Poster Soil Thermal Properties Under Forest,
Nacional de Pesquisas Pasture and Mangrove in Eastern
Espaciais Amazonia
Sammya D'Angelo INPA / PDBFF Poster PATTERNS OF TREE MORTALITY IN
FOREST FRAGMENTS IN CENTRAL
AMAZONIA
Abstract
Mark A. Cochrane, David L. Skole, Eraldo A.T. Matricardi, Christopher Barber and
Walter Chomentowski.
Basic Science and Remote Sensing Initiative, Department of Geography, East Lansing,
MI, USA
Working forests are premised upon sustainable management, however, ecosystems are
mandated by disturbance. Therefore, conservation and management of forests requires
knowledge of past, present and, to the extent possible, future disturbances. Tropical
forests are increasingly impacted by degrading activities as well as outright deforestation.
Landscapes have been transformed from continuous tracts of unbroken forest into
mosaics of pastures, agricultural plots and forest fragments that have often been subjected
to varying degrees of increased disturbance from sun, wind, fire and logging operations.
Multitemporal case studies from within the Brazilian Amazon are used to illustrate the
linkages and synergy between forest fragmentation, selective logging and forest fire. A
geographic information system is then used to quantitatively and spatially relate
disturbance across the landscape so that spatially articulated disturbance regimes can be
mapped. These maps provide both knowledge of the current state of existing forests as
well as the likely future of given parcels of forest. Preliminary results have shown that
forest fragmentation and forest fire are directly linked, with fires becoming edge effects
that penetrate kilometers into standing forests. Selective logging also exacerbates fire
probability but with effects at larger distances from forest edges. In typical anthropogenic
landscapes, fragmentation effects, fire and logging can involve nearly all of the remaining
forests and pose special challenges for sustainable management of these resources.
ABSTRACT – Second International LBA Science Conference
Litterfall and leaf area index before and after selective logging in Tapajós
National Forest
Author adress: Rua Uruara 185. Santana.CEP: 68015220. Santarem – Para – Brazil
Email: mifigueira@hotmail.com
We are using measurements of litterfall to study the Leaf Area Index (LAI) of the
selectively logged site in the Tapajos National Forest, Santarém, Pará. The surface
fluxes of water, energy and CO2 between the atmosphere and ecosystems are largely
controlled by the physical structure of the canopy and the amount of green biomass
(the LAI). The effect of perturbations such as logging on these processes is not well
understood. We installed 30 1-m2 litter traps in an 18-ha block upwind of the eddy
covariance tower and collected litter bi-weekly beginning in September 2000. The
site was selectively logged in September 2001, and observations prior to this point
indicate the litterfall dynamics of undisturbed forest. Litterfall varied seasonally from
September 2000 to September 2001, with comparatively high rates beginning in May
and continuing through the dry season. The May leaf drop preceded the beginning of
the dry season, implying that it was not a direct result of drought. The May increase
coincided with a decline in daytime CO2 uptake measured by eddy covariance,
indicating that both LAI and canopy photosynthesis decreased beginning in May. The
integrated litterfall observations prior to logging suggest an overall LAI of 5 m2m2,
which agrees with independent assessments of LAI made by fisheye photography
during the 2000 wet season.
Impacts of logging and fire on the composition and structure
of transitional forests in Mato Grosso
André Monteiro1, Jeffrey Gerwing1, 2, Carlos Souza Jr.1, Paulo Barreto1, Frank
Pantoja1
1. Instituto do Homem e Meio Ambiente da Amazônia – Imazon
Caixa Postal 5101, Belém, PA, Brasil. 66613-397, E-mail address: andreluiz@imazon.org.br
2. Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA, E-mail address: jjg156@psu.edu
Abstract
We quantified the impacts of varying intensities of logging and fire on tree stem density,
liana density, canopy cover, soil disturbance, and above ground live biomass in transitional
forests in the region surrounding Cláudia, Mato Grosso, Brazil. We based this study on
field inventories conducted on 12 properties. Based on logging and fire histories, we
grouped the study sites into five disturbance classes: i) intact forest, ii) logged forest (10m3
ha-1 removed); iii) logged and burned forest (forest that burned once); iv) logged and
heavily burned forest (forest that burned more than once); and v) heavily logged and burned
forest (forest that was logged and burned multiple times with a total of > 25m3 ha-1
removed). Aboveground live biomass in logged and burned forests was consistently less
than that of intact forest (326t ha-1). Compared to intact forest, there was a 15 – 20%
reduction in logged and logged and burned forests, a 29% reduction in heavily logged and
burned forests, and a 49% reduction in logged and heavily burned forests. Given our small
sample sizes, only the later of these differences was statistically significant. Similar to total
aboveground live biomass, the total density of large trees (DBH ≥ 10cm) for each class of
disturbed forest was less than that of intact forest. The lowest mean density of large trees
was found in the logged and heavily burned forests where the difference from intact forests
was statistically significant. This significant reduction in large tree density occurred in spite
of a substantially higher density of large stems of pioneer tree species (37 stems ha-1)
compared to intact forest (12 stems ha-1). Compared to intact forest, the density of small
trees (5 – 10 cm DBH) was 19% higher in heavily logged and burned forests and 73%
higher in logged and burned forest but 14% lower than intact forest in logged forest and
74% lower in logged and heavily burned forest. These values suggest that small tree density
can be highly variable. The total density of climbing lianas increased substantially
following forest disturbance from 2685 stems ha-1 intact forest to high values of 4583 stems
ha-1 in logged and heavily burned forest and 6115 stems ha-1 in heavily logged and burned
forests. In addition, the reduction of mean canopy cover to 69% and the increase of ground
area covered by slash to 39% in logged and heavily burned forests suggest that these forests
may be highly vulnerable to future repeat burns. If this cycle of logging and repeat burning
continues unchecked the forests of the region are likely to become increasingly degraded in
terms of reduced biomass, species diversity, and forest structure.
Mapping Biomass Loss from Forest Fires in a Dense Forest of Western Pará
Ane Alencar, Oswaldo de Carvalho Jr., Daniel Nepstad, Richard Houghton, Sanae Hyashi
During dry years, carbon emissions from Amazon forest understory fires may exceed those
associated with deforestation, but remote detection mechanisms for fire-induced biomass loss are
yet to be developed. Little is known about the spectral properties of forest fire scars and their
relationship to changes in ground-level biomass. In this study, remote sensing transformation
techniques were used to determine spectrally fire disturbance levels and response to biomass
2
loss. The study site was a ~250 km forest understory fire scar resulting from the1997/1998 El
Nino event, located 100 km south of Santarém, Western Pará. Field interviews were conducted to
determine the burning and logging history of the fire scar, and showed three levels of burning and
logging intensity. Subsequently, biomass, fuel load, and LAI were measured in four 500x 500 m
plots - three burning intensity levels and a primary forest control plot. Aboveground biomass was
-1
170, 184, 370, and 423 Mg ha in forests with heavy, moderate, light, and no fire history,
respectively. A multi-date analysis using Landsat TM and ETM images from 1997, 1999 and 2001
identified changes in the spectral signal before, during and after the burning event. Preliminary
results indicate that, when compared to field measures of biomass and LAI, Landsat bands 4 and
5 provided the most accurate detection of burn intensity. This method reveals the potential for
monitoring fire effects on dense forest biomass in Amazonia using remote sensing techniques.
1
Instituto de Pesquisa Ambietal da Amazônia
2
Woods Hole Research Center
*
Corresponding author: Avenida Nazare 669. Belem, PA - Brazil 66035-170
Email:
ane@amazon.com.br
Forest Disturbance by Logging and Fire in Eastern Amazonia
The Amazon dense forest becomes susceptible to understory fire events if disturbed by logging,
when fragmented, and if stressed by severe drought. Predictive models of forest fire therefore
depend upon quantifying the interaction among these variables. In this study, the relationship
between logging and burn events was measured to identify the disturbance intensity of each
forest fragment in the landscape. A 17-year sequence of forest understory fire and logging maps
was created for the Paragominas landscape - a 35-yr-old ranching and logging center in Eastern
Amazonia - based on field interviews (n=148) and Landsat image classification. The disturbance
intensity was defined by logging and burning frequency and then related to the size of the
fragment. The results show that approximately half of the area affected by forest fires had been
logged once or twice prior to burning. Most of this burned area was located in small forest
fragments partially surrounded by cattle pasture – a common source of ignition. Forest understory
fires were significantly correlated with the percentage of the forest fragment that had previously
been logged or burned, demonstrating a positive relationship between logging and forest fires in
the Amazon.
Spatial and Temporal Drivers of Fire Dynamics in the Amazon Basin
Aurélie Botta(1), Jeff Cardille(1), Elaine Prins(2), Joleen Feltz(3), and Kirsten Thonicke(4)
adbotta@facstaff.wisc.edu
Fire occurrence is likely to increase with the deforestation of the Amazon basin.
Understanding and being able to predict fire dynamics is even more important
considering its impact on vegetation dynamics, carbon and nutrient cycles, and
atmospheric composition. This paper proposes to examine the processes explaining the
current spatial and temporal distribution of fires in the Amazon Basin by combining mid-
1990’s observations of fire derived from the GOES satellite with ecosystem modeling
results incorporating both agricultural land-use and changes in flammability due to
climate and fuel load variations.
In several states, we found a significant correlation between the spatial distributions of
observed fires and land use. Nevertheless, when considering the entire basin this
relationship is not as pronounced due to land use data set biases and inadequate satellite
spatial and temporal resolution needed to detect all fires. When comparing the spatial
distributions of fires in 1995 to the different land use types maps, planted pasture shows
the best agreement with fire occurrence; cropland is often not a significant predictor, and
natural pasture has an intermediate correlation. The main features of the 1997 minus
1995 differences of fire distribution can be explained by climatic anomalies. The strong
1997 El Niño event had a significant impact on the numbers and patterns of fire,
especially in Bolivia and around Manaus where the associated precipitation changes were
large. The 1997 minus 1995 differences in fire dynamics in regions with small changes
in climate are probably the result of anthropogenic factors. Inter-annual differences in
climate factors, coupled with maps of land use, provide a strong basis for understanding
and potentially predicting fire dynamics in this rapidly changing region.
Effect of selective logging on biomass and tree growth in Tapajos National Forest
1
Iniciação Científica CNPq/LBA
2
Desenvolvimento Regional RHAE/LBA
3
University of California, Irvine
4
Universidade de S. Paulo
5
Universidade Federal do Para
Author address: Rua 24 de Outubro, 3707. Caixa Postal 31.CEP: 68040010. Santarem – Para
– Brazil
Email: albert_bio@hotmail.com
Selective logging creates a mosaic of gaps in a forest and alters species composition, forest
microclimate, and water and carbon cycling. We are using biometry and dendrometry to
determine the biomass and tree growth before, during, and after selective logging in a tropical
forest. We inventoried a 600 by 300-m block in an undisturbed stand in the Floresta Nacional
do Tapajós, south of Santarém, PA during April 2000. The block contained 1036 trees with
DBH > 35 cm and 784 trees with DBH between 10 and 35 cm. All of the trees were
identified to species and tagged, and a subset of 400 trees were equipped with stainless steel
dendrometers. The stand was subsequently logged in September 2001, resulting in a mosaic
of gaps and relatively intact forest. After logging, we installed an additional 400
dendrometers near gaps created by the logging. The dendrometers were measured at 6 week
intervals, and we plan to continue these measurements for several more years. The
dendrometer observations prior to the logging are being used to determine the seasonal pattern
of stem increment in the absence of disturbance. The dendrometer observations following the
logging are being used to gauge the regrowth of the forest, and to determine the relative
impact of logging on tree growth in patches of intact forest vs gaps vs the edges of gaps.
Douglas Mortona,b, Ane Alencarc, Daniel Nepstada,c*, Britaldo Silveira Soares Filhod
Abstract: One of the major obstacles to closing the Amazon carbon balance is the lack
of information on the areal extent of forest surface fires. Burn scars from low to
moderate intensity surface fires are a temporary feature of the tropical forest landscape;
regrowing vegetation rapidly obscures the burn scar signature in remotely sensed data.
The transition forest region of northern Mato Grosso is particularly susceptible to forest
fires due to an extended seasonal dry period and presence of ignition sources from land
use activities. In this study, we develop a new method to accurately identify forest burn
scars in Landsat ETM+ imagery. This new methodology is derived from field data
collected in August 2001 and two ETM+ images from the same time period (226/67 and
227/67). The resulting Normalized Burn Scar Index (NBSI) shows a high degree of
promise for distinguishing recent (<1-year-old) burn scars from older burn scars
(p<0.001) and unburned areas (p<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of the NBSI for
recent burns are high (0.84 and 0.93, respectively). Older burn scars are more difficult to
differentiate from other landscape features such as semi-deciduous forest areas.
Continuing analyses should allow for the improvement of the NBSI sensitivity for older
burn scars. Preliminary results using the NBSI suggest that roughly 640 km2 of forest
burned in these two Landsat scenes in 2001, or 1.5% of the total forest area. This method
of burn scar detection is currently being applied to 1999 ETM+ data throughout the
transition forest zone to estimate the area of burned forest and the biomass loss over the
entire region.
a
Woods Hole Research Center
b
Yale University
c
Instituto de Pesquisa Ambietal da Amazônia
d
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
*
Corresponding author. P.O. Box 296, Woods Hole, MA 02543, U.S.A.
dnepstad@whrc.org
Emails:
douglas.morton@yale.edu
ane@amazon.com.br
dnepstad@whrc.org
britaldo@csr.ufmg.br
Multitemporal Assessment of Selective Logging
in the Brazilian Amazon
Gregory P. Asner1 , Michael Keller2 , Jose N. Silva 3 , Johan C. Zweede 4 , Rodrigo Pereira, Jr.4
1
Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution, Stanford University, 220 Panama Street,
Stanford, CA 94305; Tel: (650) 325-1521; Fax: (650) 325-6857; Email:
gasner@globalecology.stanford.edu
2
CSRC – Morse Hall, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824; Tel: (603) 862-4193;
E-mail: lba.ecology@unh.edu
3
EMBRAPA AMAZONIA ORIENTAL, Trav. Dr Eneas Pinheiro SN, 66.095-100 Belem, Brazil;
Tel: 55-91-276-6333; E-mail: natalino@cpatu.embrapa.br
4
Servicos Tecnicos Florestais e Planejamento (STF&P), Belem, PA, Brazil; Tel: 55-91-453-0848;
Email: zweede@fft.org.br and pereira@fft.org.br
Major uncertainties exist regarding the rate and intensity of logging in Amazon forests; these
uncertainties limit economic, ecological, and biogeochemical analyses of the region. Recent
sawmill surveys in the Brazilian Amazon show that the area logged is nearly equal to total area
deforested annually, but conversion of survey data to forest area, forest structural damage, and
biomass estimates requires multiple assumptions about logging practices. Remote sensing could
provide a means to monitor logging activity and to estimate the biophysical and carbon cycle
consequences of this land use. Previous studies have demonstrated the difficulties in detecting
selective logging in Amazon forests. No studies have developed either the quantitative physical
basis or remote sensing approaches needed to estimate the effects of various logging regimes on
forest structure and carbon losses.
Our work focuses on the detection of canopy structural changes associated with selective logging
using Landsat 7 ETM+ and EO-1 Hyperion hyperspectral remote sensing observations. We
developed a large-scale detailed field study of canopy damage and ground infrastructure
associated with selective logging at different intensitie s and recovery stages (0-5 years post-
harvest). We then analyzed calibrated Landsat ETM+ data with spatially explicit field data on
canopy gap fraction. We found that the commonly employed band-reflectance and textural
analysis methods are only sensitive to the upper 50% of canopy damage encountered in
selectively logged forests in the eastern Amazon. We then applied an automated spectral mixture
analysis approach over a time-series of Landsat ETM+ observations of our intensive field study
sites. We found this method to be highly sensitive to selective logging down to approximately
the lowest 20-25% of canopy damage values that occur. The spectral mixture method also
provided pixel-by-pixel quantification of uncertainty, which is key for application of the data to
carbon budget, biogeochemical modeling, and forest management efforts. We are now taking the
method to the larger state-wide regional scale for annual estimates of canopy damage associated
with land-use transitions, fire occurrence, and carbon and nutrient cycling.
We have used similar techniques to estimate the accuracy and utility of spaceborne hyperspectral
measurements provided by the EO-1 Hyperion sensor for assessment of selective logging damage
in the eastern and central Amazon. The Hyperion-based results have proven highly sensitive to
canopy damage, down to the lowest 3-10% of all disturbance levels encountered. These results
indicate the value of continued spaceborne hyperspectral measurements for monitoring selective
logging and regrowth rates following timber harvests in Amazonia.
A forest clearing experiment conducted in the Amazonian arc of deforestation
1 2 3 4 5 1
J.A. Carvalho Jr. , C.A.G. Veras , R. Gielow , E.C. Alvarado , D.V. Sandberg , E.R. Carvalho ,
3
J.C. Santos
1
UNESP, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Av. Ariberto Pereira da Cunha 333
12516-410, Guaratinguetá, SP, Brazil
2
UnB, Universidade de Brasília, Asa Norte
70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil
3
INPE, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Rodovia Presidente Dutra km 40
12630-000, Cachoeira Paulista, SP, Brazil
4
University of Washington, CFR-UW Mail Box 352100
Seattle, WA 98195, USA
5
United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 3200 SW Jefferson Way
Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
Abstract
This paper describes the characteristics of fire spread around a forest clearing site located in the
Amazonian arc of deforestation. The experiment was carried out in 2001 at the Caiabi Farm, near
the town of Alta Floresta, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, as part of a set of tests that have been
performed in the same area since 1997. So far, six test plots were burned. The main goal in the
experiments of the first five plots was to determine biomass fire consumption and carbon release
rates under different conditions of size of burned area and period of curing. The results regarding
these tests were already published (Carvalho et al., 2001).
Special care had to be taken to prevent fire from escaping the clearing site into the adjacent
forest in all five experiments. This procedure had not been necessary in previous experiments
conducted by the group in Manaus, state of Amazonas (Carvalho et al., 1995, 1998), and in
Tomé Açu, state of Pará (Araújo et al., 1999). Therefore, during 2001 a site was prepared and
burned to investigate under-story fire generated by the forest clearing process, and results of this
work are presented here.
The experiments reported by Carvalho et al. (2001) were conducted in five plots, denominated
A, B, C, D, and E. Biomass fire consumption and carbon release rates were determined in the
central 1-hectare area of each plot. In 2001, plot F was felled in May and burned on August 20.
Acknowledgements
References
Araújo, T.M.; Carvalho, J.A.; Higuchi, N.; Brasil, A.C.P.; Mesquita, A.L.A., A tropical
rainforest clearing experiment by biomass burning in the state of Pará, Atmospheric
Environment., 33(13), 1991-1998, 1999.
Carvalho, J.A.; Santos, J.M.; Santos, J.C.; Leitão, M.M.; Higuchi, N., A tropical rainforest
clearing experiment by biomass burning in the Manaus region, Atmospheric Environment, 29,
2301-2309, 1995.
Carvalho J.A.; Higuchi, N.; Araújo, T.M.; Santos, J.C., Combustion completeness in a rainforest
clearing experiment in Manaus, Brazil, Journal of Geophysical Research, 103(D11), 13,195-
13,200, 1998.
Carvalho, J.A.; Costa, F.S.; Veras, C.A.G.; Sandberg, D.V.; Alvarado, E.C.; Gielow, R.; Serra,
A.M.; Santos, J.C., Biomass fire consumption and carbon release rates of rainforest-clearing
experiments conducted in Northern Mato Grosso, Brazil, Journal of Geophysical Research,
2001.
Manoel Cardoso, George Hurtt, Berrien Moore, Carlos Nobre(*) and Alberto Setzer(*)
Fieldwork and Statistical Analyses for Enhanced Interpretation of Satellite Fire Data
Data from satellites are very important for providing information on vegetation fires
worldwide. Despite of the broad spatial and temporal coverage, there are several factors
that complicate the interpretation of these data. Examples of these factors include fires
occurring at times different than the satellite overpasses, the presence of clouds, fires
occurring under plant canopies, small fires, and very reflective surfaces. In order to
enhance the interpretation of satellite fire data, we are in the process of collecting ground-
based data on fires, and relating these data to corresponding information from satellite
fire products. Ground-based data are collected using a simple and passive method that
allows for a large sample size. One method for data analysis is the construction of error
matrixes, which can provide statistics on inclusion (commission) and exclusion
(omission) errors in satellite fire data. In this work we present results from fieldwork in
areas close to Marabá, Brazil, where about 90 fires were observed during November 3 to
5, 2001. These results include fires position, time, size, type of vegetation burned, cloud-
cover, and statistics on inclusion and exclusion errors in related remote-sensing fire data.
Preliminary analyses suggest that errors of omission are larger than errors of commission,
and are dominated by satellite overpass times, cloud-coverage and fire size. Potential
strategies to correct for these errors are discussed.
Carbon Storage in Soils from Degraded Pastures and Agroforestry Systems in
Central Amazônia: The role of charcoal
Vast areas of the Amazon are at various stages of degradation after being converted from forest
to pastures. Abandoned lands have very low storage of nutrients and reduced stocks of soil
organic carbon (SOC). Some alternatives to recuperate degraded land, such as Agroforestry
(AFS) and Silvopastoral (SPS) systems can restore soil nutrients and allow net C gains, both in
biomass and soils. Charcoal from incomplete biomass combustion is ubiquitous in Amazonian
soils and its contribution to total SOC has to be determined to allow proper comparison of soil C
stocks between land uses. A methodology was developed to quantify charcoal in different soil
size fractions. Information is presented on C storage in soils under 10 year old silvopastoral and
agroforestry systems and secondary vegetation, as well as on primary forest at the EMBRAPA-
CPAA research station near Manaus. Variability in charcoal content in the medium (0.5-2 mm)
and gross size (>2 mm) classes was high indicating non-homogeneous distribution of charcoal in
soils. The contribution of the fine fraction (<0.5 mm) is more homogeneously distributed through
the soil profile. Charcoal accounts for between 5 and 15% of total soil C, with higher proportions
-1
found in the top soil layers. Forest soils store the highest amount of C (121 Mg.ha ), followed by
-1
the AFS system with 116 Mg.ha . On the other extreme, soils under secondary vegetation and
-1
SPS presented the lowest stock (106 Mg.ha ). Results in this study indicate that agroforestry
systems permit a moderate recovery of soil C stock relative to the control under secondary
-1 -1
vegetation. Rates of C increase are in the order of 1.8 Mg.ha .y .
Coarse Woody Debris in Logged and Undisturbed Forests: Determination of Stocks
Using a New Methodology for Wood Density and Void Estimation
Michael Palace 1, Michael Keller 1,2, Gregory P. Asner 3, Rodrigo Pereira Jr. 4, and Jose
5
Natalino Silva
1
Complex Systems Research Center, Morse Hall, University of New Hampshire,
Durham, NH , 03824, USA, 603-862-4193
2
USDA Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, Rio Piedras, PR,
USA
3
Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Stanford
University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Tel: 650-325-1521
4
Fundacao Floresta Tropical, Trv. 14 Abril, Bairro Sao Braz, Belem CEP. 66063-140
Para, Brazil
5
EMBRAPA-Amazonia Oriental, Trv. Dr Eneas Pinheiro SN, Belem CEP. 66095-100,
Para, Brazil
Coarse woody debris (CWD) can make up a large proportion of carbon stocks in tropical
forests. Knowledge of the stocks and fluxes of CWD is needed for modeling carbon
budgets in these forests. We measured the CWD stock in two Amazonian forests in Para,
Brazil: the Tapajos National Forest, (3.08ΕS, 54.94ΕW) and the Fazenda Cauaxi,
(3.75ΕS, 48.37ΕW). Measurements were conducted under two logging practices
(reduced-impact and conventional logging) and a relatively undisturbed forest. We
sampled CWD volume by line-intersect sampling. Wood density was determined using a
unique plug extraction technique for 5 wood decay classes for diameters greater than 10
cm. All samples less than 10 cm diameter were lumped into two smaller classes, 2-5cm
and 5-10 cm. We analyzed digitized photographs of radial log sections in order to
estimate void spaces for all density samples. Wood density for five decay classes from
fresh to rotten were 0.62, 0.72, 0.63, 0.58, and 0.29 g cm-3. Densities for smaller classes
were 0.36 g cm-3 and 0.45 g cm-3 for 2-5 cm and 5-10 cm diameter classes respectively.
The proportion of void space for decay classes 1 to 5 were 0.02, 0.01, 0.09, 0.19 and
0.27. Total CWD volume and preliminary mass estimation at Cauaxi was 110 m3 ha-1
and 55 Mg ha-1 for undisturbed forest, 191 m3 ha-1 and 109 Mg ha-1 for conventional
logging, and 144 m3 ha-1 and 75 Mg ha-1 for reduced-impact logging. Total volume and
mass estimation for Tapajos was 117 m3 ha-1 and 52 Mg ha-1 for undisturbed forest, and
116 m3 ha-1 and 54 Mg ha-1 for reduced-impact logging.
An improved soil water budget model for predicting drought stress-related forest flammability in the
Amazon Basin.
Paul Lefebvre, Daniel Nepstad, Luis Solorzano, Javier Tomasella, Urbano Silva, and Peter Schlesinger
The RisQue (Risco de Queimadas) spatial model of flammability based on soil moisture stocks, under
development since 1998, continues to evolve. The soil map of maximum Plant Available Water (PAW),
based on soil texture information from over 1,500 field samples, has been expanded from the Brazilian
Legal Amazon region to cover the entire Amazon hydrographic basin. Enhanced meteorological data
provided by CPTEC now cover this same region, and Penman-Monteith estimated Potential
Evapotranspiration has superseded previous estimates calculated after Thornthwaite, using GOES-derived
radiation fields. All spatial interpolation is now done via Kriging. The vegetation mask, used to constrain
deep soil water estimations for forests only, has been updated to reflect recent deforestation, and the spatial
resolution has improved.
Sensitivity of the model to Penman-Monteith Evapotranspiration estimates were analyzed by running the
model with ET at –15%, -5%, +5% and +15% of actual estimates. A 5% reduction in ET resulted in a 60%
decrease in the area of depleted soil moisture stocks, and a 38% decrease in the area of stocks diminished to
less than 250mm of water in a 10m column of soil. 5% increase in ET resulted in a two-fold increase in
area of depleted soil moisture stocks, and a 38% increase in the are suffering depletion to less than 250mm.
We find fair agreement between model output and field measurements of plant-available soil water to 10 m
depth, with actual soil moisture measured using TDR at our field stations in the FLONA Tapajós and in
Paragominas; average model estimates of soil water stocks averaged19% lower than field measurements for
the FLONA Tapajós, and 8% lower for Paragominas.
SOIL THERMAL PROPERTIES UNDER FOREST, PASTURE AND
MANGROVE IN EASTERN AMAZONIA
The deforestation and the subsequent land use change may result in
significant alterations in the energy and water balances in the soil-
vegetation-atmosphere continuum. The soil thermal properties, that is, the
diffusivity, the conductivity and the volumetric heat capacity, specially as a
function of the water content, are currently not readily available.
Notwithstanding, the demand for these data is increasing due to
requirements in, e. g., coupled models of heat and moisture transport in the
soil near its surface, which are part of numerical weather and climate
models. Thus, measured soil moisture content at the 30cm depth and
temperature profiles at the 5, 20 and 50 cm depths were used to obtain
thermal soil properties at four different sites in the state of Pará, Eastern
Amazonia, during the wet season of 2002: (i) forest (Caxiunã Reserve,
Melgaço - 01°42'30''S; 51°31'45'' W); (ii) pasture (Soure, Marajó Island -
00°43'25''S; 48°30'29'' W); (iii) natural mangrove (Tracuateua, Bragança -
00°50'31''S; 46°38'56''W); and (iv) degraded mangrove (Tracuateua,
Bragança - 00°55'31''S; 46°42'13''W ). The thermal diffusivity is obtained
through the numerical method described by Alvalá et al. (1996).The impact
of changing moisture conditions on the thermal soil properties is also
investigated.
Reference:
Alvalá, R.C.S.; Gielow, R.; Wright, I.R.; Hodnett, M.G. Thermal diffusivity
of Amazonian soils. In Gash, J.H.C; Nobre, C.A.; Roberts, J.M.; Victoria
R.L. (eds.) Amazonian Deforestation and Climate. Chichester, Wiley, 1996.
pp. 139-150.
PATTERNS OF TREE MORTALITY IN FOREST FRAGMENTS IN CENTRAL
AMAZONIA
1
Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, National Institute for Amazonian
Research (INPA), C.P. 478, Manaus, AM 69060-001, Brazil.
sammya@inpa.gov.br
2
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 2072, Balboa, Republic of Panamá
Rainforests that persist in a fragmented landscape frequently suffer increased tree mortality.
We examined tree mortality patterns in a long-term tree demography study, in order to
distinguish mechanisms leading to tree death. All trees (>10cm DBH) in 16 permanent (1
ha) plots, 8 near the forest edge and 8 in continuous forest, were studied over 22 years.
In total 13,229 individual trees were grouped initially into diameter class and classified by
four mortality types: fallen dead, broken trunk, standing dead and other kinds of mortality.
Total tree mortality on forest edges (16.1%) was significantly higher than in forest interiors
(5.2%) (χ² = 510.05; df=1 p<0.0001). Mortality patterns of trees were also significantly
different on forest edges compared to interiors. Tree mortality seem to be independent of
tree size. We found that on edges 25.5% of dead trees had broken trunks compared to 8.9%
in interior plots. Fallen trees were 19.3% on edges and 4.4% in interiors, whereas standing
dead were 12.2% on edges and 5.5% (other kinds of mortality were 18.5% on edges and
5.7% on interiors). Forest edges had proportionally more standing dead trees than interior
sites (χ² = 24.88; df=3 p<0.0001). In addition to increased tree mortality, we have found
that edge effects also appear to change the pattern of tree death. Changing climatic
conditions near edges, such as increased wind shear may be partly responsible for the
higher frequency of fallen trees found there.
Spatial determinants of logging activity in Amazon landscapes are important for predicting
changes in the forest sector, for estimating forest fire probability, and for improving enforcement
of logging regulations. To identify the spatial determinants of logging, a multi-temporal analysis of
logging scars was conducted using Landsat ETM scenes (path/row 223/62) for an area of 32,340
2
km in eastern Pará between Paragominas and Tailândia, two important logging centers in
eastern Amazon. Three consecutive years (1999-2001) of selectively logged areas were mapped
using a screen visual interpretation method for intercalibrated Landsat band five images. The
annual logging scars were defined by a strong soil response from the active wood decks. The
logging scar maps were then overlaid to quantify the areas under consecutive logging,
abandonment, and logged areas converted to pasture or agriculture. The spatial pattern of the
logging patches was identified based on the distance to paved and secondary roads, the
prescence of sawmills and previously logged areas. In this old logging frontier, an average of
52% of the area logged was abandoned to forest regrowth from 1999 to 2001, while 46% was re-
logged, and only 1 % was deforested in the following years. Most of the logged areas were
located from one to five kilometers from secondary roads, and extended an average of three
kilometers per year away from the nearby logging centers. The results of the study show a strong
tendency for logging to take place within a one to three kilometers of the old logging scars.
RAIN WATER INTERCEPTION BY SELECTIVELY LOGGED RAIN FOREST IN CENTRAL AMAZONIA
Rainfall, internal precipitation, and rain interception were studied over 2 years in selectively logged plots
(logged in 1993) and control forest located 80 km North of Manaus, in Central Amazonia. During the first
year, measurements were continuous and frequent; in the following period, several intensive campaigns
were made at selected climatic periods of the year: dry, wet and transitional periods. The internal
precipitation reached 86.9-92.9 % in the selectively logged plots, against 74.2-87.1 % in the untouched
forest. Thus, an increase in the internal precipitation, together with a lower rain water interception, occurred
soon after timber extraction. Also, lower variability of data was observed in the plots subject to selective
logging, when compared to the control forest. The older managed plots (selectively logged in 1987)
presented higher rain interception and lower internal precipitation than plots logged in 1993, showing values
(72.0-89.5% of internal precipitation) similar to the untouched forest. It is concluded that moderate selective
logging changes rain water interception and internal precipitation during the first years after timber extration,
but that is recovered when forest structure is recomposed, within a few years, by the secondary regrowth in
the gaps.
SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AFTER SELECTIVE LOGGING IN CENTRAL AMAZONIA
Sávio J. F. Ferreira, Flávio J. Luizão, Walane Mello-Ivo, Sheila M. Ross, Yvan Biot
INPA - Geociências e Ecologia. E-mail: savio@inpa.gov.br
Abstract - Soil physical variables were investigated in forest plots submitted to selective logging in Central
Amazonia. After logging, soil samples were collected to asses soil water retention curves, available soil water
to the plants, bulk or apparent density, and total porosity. Temperature measurements were carried out for 13
months, considering six treatments: control, center of the gaps, edge of the gaps, edge of the remaining forest,
remaining forest and tractor tracks. Hydraulic condutivity measurements on saturated soil were conducted
both on the control forest as well as on the logged plots, with no treatment distinction. The soil showed low
water storage capacity: only 11 to 18% of soil water can be available to the plants, up to 1 a low meter depht.
The temperature of the soil was influenced by logging, i. e., through the opening of the gaps, light reaches the
soil strongly in the center and edge of gaps, increasing temperatures in relation to control and the remaining
forest.
PREDICTING EDGE-DRIVEN CARBON EMISSIONS FROM FRAGMENTATION
OF AMAZONIAN FORESTS
For 29 plots that were located within 300 m of edges, live biomass of large trees
declined by an average of 22.7 (+31.8) Mg ha-1 during the first 10-19 years after
fragmentation. These same plots averaged 1.7 and 10.1 Mg ha-1 more understory
biomass and necromass, respectively, than did plots further from edges. These
values suggest a net biomass decline of 10.9 Mg ha-1 within 300 m of edges.
Assuming that 50% of biomass is carbon and that at least 75% of decompositional
loss results from wood respiration (principally from fungal and microbial
decomposers) that directly produces C emissions, this implies a net flux of at least
4.1 Mg C ha-1 to the atmosphere within 300 m of forest edges. The remaining
biomass (about 1.4 Mg C ha-1) would be exported to soils and streams in the form
of wood particles and leachates, and a significant fraction of this is likely to be
quickly respired to the atmosphere. The overall C emissions are thus predicted to
be on the order of 4-5 Mg ha-1 within 300 m of forest edges.
Because tree mortality is elevated within roughly 300 m of edges, our findings
suggest that an average of 12-15 Mg C are released for every 100 m of forest edge
that is created. Given that many tens of thousands of kilometers of forest edge
have been created in Amazonia, the carbon emissions from edge effects could be
considerable.
Future Climate of Amazonia
Clemente A.S. Tanajura Laboratorio Nacional Oral An experiment with the Eta/SSiB model to
de Computacao investigate the impact of the Amazon
Cientifica deforestation on the South American climate
(LNCC/MCT)
Jose Marengo CPTEC/INPE Oral Regional aspects of the IPCC Third
Assessment Report. Assessment of climate
change scenarios due to increase in
greenhouse gases in the Amazon Basin
Richard Betts Hadley Centre Oral Amazonian forest die-back in the Hadley
Centre coupled climate-vegetation model
Robert Dickinson Georgia Institute of Oral Role of the Amazon in Global Carbon Cycling
Technology
Yongkang Xue University of Oral Simulations of South American
California, Los hydrometeorology and effects of land surface
Angeles processes
Chris Huntingford Government Poster The use of a GCM analogue model to assess
Research the impact of uncertainty in Amazônian land
Laboratory surface parameterisation on future atmospheric
CO2 concentrations.
Moacyr Dias-Filho Instituto de Pesquisa Poster The effects of partial throughfall exclusion on
Ambiental da the seasonal photosynthetic light response of
Amazônia - IPAM trees in a forest area in eastern Brazilian
Amazonia.
Ricardo Figueiredo IPAM - Instituto de Poster Throughfall exclusion in a moist tropical forest:
Pesquisa Ambiental Impacts on solution nutrient fluxes
da Amazonia
Rong Fu Georgia Institute of Poster The influence of land surface winds show how
Technology fluxes on the onset of Amazon rainy season
and the influence of South American rainfall on
the winter climate over North Atlantic, Europe
and eastern North America
Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE), University of Wisconsin-
Madison, USA
adbotta@facstaff.wisc.edu
The Amazon basin contains some of the most productive ecosystems on the planet; yet
we have little understanding of their long-term behavior, and their response to climatic
variations. We have identified a dominant long-term mode of variability (of ~24-28 year
period) within a newly available climate record of the Amazon basin. Using a process-
based terrestrial ecosystem model, we have examined how climatic variations affect the
carbon balance of the basin. Our simulations show that temperature and precipitation
variability, ranging from short-term mode (3-4 years, related to El Niño / Southern
Oscillation) to long-term (24-28 year) mode, generate similar modes of variability in
terrestrial carbon fluxes. The variability in climate, net primary production (NPP) and
decomposition (RH) are dominated by the long-term mode; however, the variability of
the net ecosystem exchange (NEE=NPP-RH) is dominated by the short-term mode. This
is because time-lags between NPP and RH appear to enhance the short-term variations in
NEE, while slightly dampening the long-term variations. The magnitudes of the long-
term and short-term modes of carbon flux variability are comparable. Given the
worldwide attention on terrestrial carbon cycling and the potential for “carbon sinks”, we
suggest that an improved understanding of long-term climatic and ecosystem processes is
crucial to put in perspective observations of current carbon balance of the Amazon basin
and to predict its future evolution. Other regions should be examined for potential long-
term carbon cycle variations
An experiment with the Eta/SSiB model to simulate the impact of the
Amazon deforestation on the South American climate
Clemente A. S. Tanajura1
Carlos A. Nobre2
1
Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica (LNCC/MCT)
Av Getúlio Vargas 333, Petrópolis, RJ, 25651-70, Brazil, E-mail: cast@lncc.br
2
Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos (CPTEC/INPE/MCT), Brazil
3
Department of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA
Abstract
The release of the IPCC Third Assessment Report has brought to attention the possible
impacts of the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in climate change in the
Amazon basin, beside the possible effect of regional deforestation on climate. New
models and new developments have allowed some new insight on climate change
scenarios in the Amazon region, as compared to the Second Assessment report of IPCC
released in 1996. The four emissions scenarios were combined with low, medium and
high levels of “climate sensitivity” for all climate model projections from the IPCC-
DDC. The combination of ‘low emissions + low climate sensitivity’ (B1) through to
‘high emissions + high climate sensitivity’ (A2) produce a range of future global
warming and sea-level rise curves that span perhaps 90 per cent of likely future climates.
Projected regional changes include for A2 increases in temperature between 3 to 4C
while B1 suggest changes in 1-3 C, with the warming being more pronounced during
winter than in summer. Changes in precipitation are inconsistent for A2, showing
increases of 5-10% during summer, while all year long the changes vary from 0+10%
whole for B1 changes in projected rainfall varies from 0+5%.
It is expected than rainfall reductions forecasted by the IPCC would be in addition to
those expected possible due to deforestation, as proposed by numerical experiments of
deforestation. For the Amazon basin, changes in temperature, precipitation and sea-level
rise for Century XXI, would affect the hydrological cycle (especially evaporation) in the
region, affecting biodiversity and natural ecosystems, and agricultural activities, as well
as extreme weather events in the region, such as the passage of cold fronts and the
presence of dry spells and rainy days. These projections exhibit a degree of uncertainty
due the differences between models, since some of them exhibit problems in representing
the summer-autumn rainfall maximum in northern-central Amazonia, and the fact that
these projections are at regional scale, with some regional details missing since there is
not an availability of downscaled climate change scenarios valid for the different sections
of the basin.
Amazonian forest die-back in the Hadley Centre coupled climate-vegetation
model
The mechanisms of drying and die-back are complex and involve a number of
feedbacks between CO2 concentration, the atmospheric circulation, sea surface
temperatures, surface hydrology and vegetation. This paper presents current
understanding of the simulated climate and vegetation changes, and discusses
investigations into the robustness of the model result.
Richard A. Betts
Met Office
Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research
London Road
Bracknell
Berkshire
RG12 2SY
UK
Tel: +44 1344 856877
Fax: +44 1344 854898
Email: richard.betts@metoffice.com
ABSTRACT - Second International LBA Science Conference
This paper presents our studies using the NCEP GCM and the Eta regional. In
both atmospheric models, SSiB has been used to simulate the surface conditions. In the
Eta/SSiB study, a climate version has been used for three-months continuous simulations
through a dry season. This version includes updating surface boundary conditions, e.g.,
sea surface temperature, the distance between sun and earth, and other conditions. A
vegetation map developed at the CPTEC has also been introduced. The observational
data of precipitation and surface temperature from CPTEC have been used to verify the
model output. The results show realistic simulations in the temporal and spatial
variations of precipitation. The influence of land surface processes to the precipitation is
through the atmospheric circulation and moisture flow.
A coupled NCEP GCM/SSiB has also been used to investigate the interactions
between land surface processes and hydrometeorology, in particular the interactions
between land and monsoon system. Several sets of experiments are designed to
investigate the role of the land surface process. Impacts of different surface models,
initial soil moisture, and leaf area index are tested. In one experiment initial soil moisture
is provided by the global soil moisture project. In another experiment, the leaf area index
is from the satellite observation. In the third one, no explicit vegetation scheme but only
soil model is used. These experiments show that the importance of the land surface
parameterization and vegetation and soil condition in the simulations of hydro-
meteorological variability. In addition to the impact on the continent, the effect also
extends to the East Pacific Ocean through the circulation. The impact on the Atlantic
Ocean is relatively small.
The use of a GCM analogue model to assess the impact of uncertainty in Amazônian land
surface parameterisation on future atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
J. Marengo [marengo@cptec.gov.br]
[Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos, INPE, Cachoeira Paulista, São Paulo,
Brazil.]
Based on Hadley Centre GCM simulations, propagating patterns exist in the way that surface
climatology is predicted to vary within a changing climate. Such patterns are observed for
surface temperature, humidity, solar forcing and rainfall, which all influence land-surface
response. The derived spatial patterns are indexed by the global mean land temperature, which,
within the resultant “GCM analogue model”, depends upon modelled atmospheric
concentrations of greenhouse gases.
The analogue model has been extended to incorporate an interactive global carbon cycle. The
model generates a surface climate, consistent with atmospheric CO2 concentration, which is
used to drive a land-surface scheme (MOSES) coupled to a dynamic terrestrial carbon cycle
model (TRIFFID). Changes in terrestrial carbon are allowed to feedback onto atmospheric CO2
concentration, and a “single point” sub-model represents global atmosphere-ocean CO2 fluxes.
Such inclusion of land and ocean carbon dioxide feedbacks means that a model is available that
may be driven by a range of carbon emissions scenarios, is based upon the latest GCM
simulations and places high physical representation within the land surface component.
Using this computationally quick methodology, the sensitivity of the global carbon cycle to
uncertainty in the land-surface parameterisation for Amazônia is investigated. Such uncertainty
is directly related to the trajectory in atmospheric CO2 concentration for a “business as usual”
emissions scenario. As such, some measure of “error bars” on predictions of future climate
change can be related directly to uncertainty in Amazônian land-surface response.
Poster title: Global teleconnections of climate to regional model estimates of
Amazon ecosystem carbon fluxes.
Authors:
Christopher Potter, NASA Ames Research Center
Steven Klooster, California State University Monterey Bay
Vipin Kumar, University of Minnesota
Ranga Myneni, Boston University
Abstract:
Phenology of Cerrado Woody Plants and the Effects of Experimental Rainfall Reduction
Rapid changes in land use are bringing important modifications to ecosystem processes in the
Cerrado savanna of central Brazil. Land cover change models anticipate a decrease in
precipitation and a concomitant increase in the frequency of dry spells during the wet season
in the Cerrado. This research aims to test the effects of experimental rainfall reduction on the
phenology of woody plants in Cerrado vegetation. Our approach was to classify plants into
functional types according to their foliage phenology (evergreen and brevideciduous). 256
plants belonging to 19 woody species were tagged in two adjacent plots (“control” and
“treatment”), each with 20m X 20m, located in the Reserva Ecologica do Roncador (RECOR-
IBGE) located in Brasilia. Here we report on the one-year observation (pre-treatment).
Rainfall exclusion will start in the coming wet season (September/October). No strong
difference in phenology between the two plots has been observed. At the community level
more than 50% of plants maintained full canopy for 9 months. Plants shed leaves during the
dry season (August and September 2000 and July and August 2001). For both the evergreen
Roupala montana and the brevideciduous Dalbergia miscolobium more than 50% of plants
with complete canopy have been found in the two plots during 10 months. Plants of the first
species were never completely leafless, while almost 50% of plants of the second species
were leafless at the end of August 2001.
Contrasting conditions of atmospheric water balance and moisture transport in
summertime in the Amazon basin during EL Niño 1997-98 and La Niña 1998-99.
In this study we study and assess the components of the atmospheric water balance and
the moisture transport in the Amazon basin, using the NCEP-NCAR reanalyses and
focusing on the 1997-98 and 1998-99 extremes of the Southern Oscillation. The summer
of 1998 was characterized as rainfall deficient, with large negative rainfall departures in
southern Amazonia, which persisted during the autumn peak of the rainy season in
northern Amazonia. On the other hand, the summer of 1999 was considered between
normal and moderately rainy in northern and central Amazonia. Moisture fluxes indicate
the weak moisture input from the tropical Atlantic into the Amazon region during the
1998 El Niño summer, generating large rainfall departures in most of the region. In fact,
the vertical cross sections tend to show a weak moisture input into the Amazon, while the
exportation of moisture outside the Amazon by the Low Level Jet east of the Andes
(LLJ) during 1998 was very intense, showing that besides the Amazon basin receiving
less moisture from the tropical North Atlantic, this little amount was exported outside the
region. Situation in 1999 was not much different from the normal, showing that rainfall
and moisture transport into and outside the Amazon basin is more sensitive to El Nino
and its related circulation anomalies that to La Nina. Previous studies using upper air
observations and modeling have shown that the summer of 1998 exhibited more frequent
and intense LLJ than the summer of 1999, consistent with the circulation and rainfall
composites 1998-1999 presented in here.
The effects of partial throughfall exclusion on the seasonal photosynthetic light
response of trees in a forest area in eastern Brazilian Amazonia.
Rainfall was experimentally excluded from 1 ha of E. Amazonian forest, at Caxiuana National Forest, Para
using transparent plastic panels placed 1.5-2.5 m above the ground. Measurements were made of sap flow in
trees and soil carbon efflux before and after installation of the rainfall exclusion infrastructure. Comparisons
were made between adjacent control and treatment plots (1 ha) and with data obtained from a third plot 2km
away, where weather and ecosystem flux measurements were also made. The exclusion of rainfall resulted in
a reduction in soil water volume content by more than 30% in comparison to the control measurements. The
effects of reduced soil moisture content on water use by trees (sap flow) and soil respiration rates are
presented.
Submitted to: II_ISC_LBA – 2ND INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE OF LARGE
SCALE BIOSPHERE ATMOSPHERE EXPERIMENT IN AMAZÔNIA (LBA),
1
Rafael FERREIRA da COSTA ; Patrick MEIR2; P.J. OLIVEIRA2; R. B. SILVA3; A. C. L. COSTA3;
Y. MALHI ; J. M. N. COSTA ; M. L. P. RUIVO1 and V. ANDRADE3.
2 4
1
MPEG/CCTE, Belém, PA, Brazil.
Contact; e-mail: rfcosta@museu-goeldi.br or rfcostampeg@bol.com.br
2
IERM/UEdin, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
3
UFPA, Belém, PA, Brazil.
4
UFV, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
ABSTRACT
The Caxiuanã National Forest, with an area of 330,000 hectares (1º43’ S; 51º32’
W) belonging to the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG), far from approximately
400 km West of city of Belém, Para, Brazil. The experimental site was separated in three
different areas; Plot A, Plot B (with 1 ha each) and Plot T, where is installed the
micrometeorological LBA’s tower. In the Plots A and B were made four trenches in each
one (with 1x2x5 meters width/length/depth each) where were installed the soil water
probes, in two sides, at different levels, from surface to 5 meters deep. The Plot B is
being used for the ESECAFLOR Experiment, and was covered by plastics panels, to
simulate a drought period in the forest for analysis of them influences. In the Plot T were
made two trenches like the others. The preliminary analysis indicated large variation in
the soil water volumetric contents among the plots A, B and T. The soils at Caxiuanã are
well drained to moderately drained, sandy to clay, acidic and poor of nutrients, with a pH
ranging from highly acidic (3.5) to moderately acidic (5.5). For the soil water content
measurements was used the TDR (Time-Domain Reflectometer) system, using Tektronic
1502B/C equipment with WATTDR 3.11 software (Waterloo Centre for Groundwater
Research). Monthly measurements are being made since September’2000. The Plot A
showed values between 7.8% (Oct’2001) and 15.3% (May’2001). Plot B registered 6.5%
(Oct’2001) and 15.7% (Jun’2001). The plot T showed 19.5 and 20% to Nov’2000 and
Nov’2001 respectively for minimums values and 27.3% (Mar’2001), 29.2% (Mar’2002).
After to closed, in December of 2001, the plastic cover in the Plot B, this Plot reached
–35.1% soil water content, when compared with Plot A. This characterisation is
important for assessment of the soil in view of the expected changes in soil characteristics
during and after the ESECAFLOR Experiment. It is very important to assess the impact
of drought on water balance, carbon dioxide fluxes and carbon stock in the soil to
investigate future sustainability of the Amazon forest ecosystem.
Rainfall was experimentally excluded from 1 ha of E. Amazonian forest, at Caxiuana National Forest, Para using
transparent plastic panels placed 1.5-2.5 m above the ground. Measurements were made of leaf gas exchange before and
after installation of the rainfall exclusion infrastructure. Measurements of stomatal conductance and the maximum rate of
carboxylation and electron transport were measured on leaves at different levels throughout the vertical profile of the
canopy. Comparisons were made between adjacent control and treatment plots (1 ha) and with data obtained from a third
plot 2km away, where weather and ecosystem flux measurements were also made. The exclusion of rainfall resulted in a
reduction in soil water volume content by more than 30% in comparison to the control measurements. Before the
experimental exclusion of rainfall no statistical differences could be discerned between leaves in the canopy profile at the
different sites. The effect of the experimental reduction in soil moisture on canopy physiology is discussed.
Throughfall exclusion in a moist tropical forest: Impacts on solution nutrient fluxes.
Alex V. Krusche
Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura – USP
In recent years, the world’s major moist tropical forest have experienced increasingly
severe and prolonged droughts associated with the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
If this current trend is sustained due to changing climatic conditions the effects on
tropical forest could be dramatic. To investigate the effect of prolonged drought on
tropical forest nutrient fluxes in solution we established a throughfall exclusion
experiment in the Tapajos National Forest. The experiment consists of paired one-
hectare plots that are trenched to >1.5m depth and a network of plastic panels excluding
~50% of throughfall in the treatment plot. After nine months of pre-treatment
measurements the throughfall exclusion panels were installed in February 2000. Panels
are removed in the dry season (June-Nov.) and re-installed in the rainy season (Dec.-
May) every year. Here we report solution chemical results from bulk precipitation,
throughfall, litter leachate, and 25 and 200 cm soil solutions for the period May 1999 to
July 2001. During the pretreatment period few significant differences were apparent in
solution chemical concentrations. During the following two wet seasons of throughfall
exclusion no changes in throughfall chemistry were observed, but increases in litter
leachate and soil solution concentrations in the exclusion plot were apparent, particularly
for NO3, K, and Ca. Because this effect was not observed for all elements, we do not
think it is due only to the concentration of nutrients in a smaller volume of soil water, but
rather is also due to effects of drought on nutrient cycling processes. We are currently
developing a soil hydrologic model to calculate the rate of movement of these nutrients
through the soil profile.
The influence of land surface winds show how fluxes on the onset of Amazon rainy
season and the influence of South American rainfall on the winter climate over
North Atlantic, Europe and eastern North America
Rong Fu
Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology
221 Bobby Dodd Way, Atlanta, GA 30332-0340
Tel: 404-385-0670; Fax: 404-385-1512; Email: fu@eas.gatech.edu
Abstract:
Our analysis of satellite observations and reanalyses products has suggested that
the transition from dry to wet season over Amazon is initiated by an increase of land
surface fluxes, whereas the dynamic responses to the increase of the surface flux, such as
an increasing moisture transport, accelerate the transition. A delayed onset could either
by caused by abnormally preseasonal dryness, or by a slower increase of the surface
fluxes, in addition to a weaker large-scale moisture transport.
We have also observed that during boreal winter, decreases of South American
rainfall are correlated with enhanced anticyclonic surface winds over the mid-latitude
North Atlantic and cyclonic flow over the Northeastern North Atlantic a few days later.
The latter also increases cyclonic weather activity over Western and Northern Europe and
eastern United States, and decreases precipitation over the Mediterranean region.
Comparison with simulations by a time-dependent barotropic model suggests that the
prevailing weak westerly winds in the upper tropospheric tropical Atlantic during boreal
winter allow latitudinal propagation of a Rossby wave disturbance that leads to the
observed remote influence of South American rainfall on winds over the North Atlantic.
1
2
2) Drought in an E. Amazonian rain forest: effects of the exclusion of rainfall from soil on litterfall and tree
growth.
Rainfall was experimentally excluded from 1 ha of E. Amazonian forest, at Caxiuana National Forest, Para using
transparent plastic panels placed 1.5-2.5 m above the ground. Measurements were made of litterfall and tree growth
before and after installation of the rainfall exclusion infrastructure. Comparisons were made between adjacent control and
treatment plots (1 ha) and with data obtained from a third plot 2km away, where weather and ecosystem flux
measurements were also made. The effects of reduced soil moisture on the seasonality in litterfall and the annual tree
growth rate are discussed in the context of seasonality in the forest carbon cycle.
Water use efficiency increases in response to drought for Vismia guianensis in the
overstory of an Eastern Amazonian regrowth forest
1
Projeto MANFLORA, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias do Pará, P. O. Box 917, Belém,
2
PA, 66077-530, Brazil, E-mail: manflora@amazon.com.br; University of Florida, USA,
3
E-mail: zarin@ufl.edu, mulkey@botany.ufl.edu, lucasfortini@usa.net; EMBRAPA
Amazônia Oriental, Brazil, E-mail: carvalho@cpatu.embrapa.br
Richard Bilsborrow University of North Oral Population, Economy and Land Use in
Carolina the Ecuadorian Amazon
Scott Hoefle Universidade Federal do Oral Pro-Active Political Participation and
Rio de Janeiro Sustainable Development in the Central
Amazon
Bertha Koiffmann UFRJ (Universidade Poster A Conceptual Model for Interated
Becker Federal do Rio de Janeiro) Research on Humann Dimension in
Amazonia
Cintia Honorio INPE/DSR Poster The relationship between deforestation
Vasconcelos rates, precipitation and Malaria
incidence rates
F. Kennedy A. de Federal University of Acre Poster Carbon as an economic strategy to
Souza (UFAC) reduce deforestation in southwestern
Amazonia: opportunities and limits for
rural populations in Acre State, Brazil
Maria del Carmen WHRC Poster The economic costs of fire in the
Vera Diaz Brazilian Amazon: a valuation study
Rebecca Powell University of California, Poster Mapping and monitoring urban land-
Santa Barbara cover change in Rondônia using
spectral mixture analysis
René Poccard- CIRAD-Ecopol - USP-FEA- Poster MILK PRODUCTION, REGIONAL
Chapuis PROCAM DEVELOPMENT AND
SUSTAINABILITY IN THE EASTERN
BRAZILIAN AMAZON
Rodrigo O. P. Serrano Federal University of Acre Poster Reliability of low-cost GPS data for
ecological and land use studies in
Amazonia
Sueli Oliveira Martins Istituto de Estudos Poster Reflorestamento Econômico
Avançados DA Consorciado Adensado-RECA: Um
universidade de S. Paulo Estudo sobre Desenvolvimento
Integrado na Amazônia.
Amazonia as a shared space: the case of “Brasivianos” along the frontier between
Acre, Brazil and Pando, Bolivia.
Neste estudo analisarei o atual processo que está ocorrendo na área de Altamira (PA),
localizada no centro do estado do Pará, e é atravessada pelo rio Xingu no sentido norte-
sul e pela rodovia Transamazônica (BR 230) no sentido leste-oeste. Essa é uma das
antigas áreas de fronteira dos anos de 1970 e 1980, este estudo de caso analisará porque
com a chegada de energia elétrica vinda da usina hidrelétrica de Tucuruí, começou uma
“efervescência” territorial na área de empreendimentos, como madereiras, laticínios e
serrarias. No contexto, há os que especulam que a chegada de energia elétrica é para
proporcionar a construção da hidrelétrica do rio Xingu, denominada de complexo
hidrelétrico de Belo Monte e, por isso temem que se repita em Altamira o que aconteceu
em Tucuruí. Dentro desse processo existem as cicatrizes dos projetos anteriores, como a
colonização oficial às margens da BR-230; alguns questionamentos são necessários:
como estão essas pessoas agora? O quê mudou? Como está a situação dos índios?,
principalmente daqueles que poderão perder suas terras, caso seja construída a
hidrelétrica. Esses são os pontos de observação/reflexão para estudar o espaço
geográfico e as territorialidades nele existentes após a fronteira em uma área da
Amazônia brasileira
*Doutorando em Geografia/USP.
Endereço: Cidade Universitária, CRUSP, Bloco C, Apto. 311, Butantã, São Paulo (SP),
05508-900.# reicosta@usp.br
Population, Economy and Land Use in the Ecuadorian
Amazon
Richard E. Bilsborrow and William K.Y. Pan
Carolina Population Center
University of North Carolina
123 W. Franklin Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
USA
richard_bilsborrow@unc.edu
This paper will bring together some results from a longitudinal study of
population, socio-economic factors, and land use (including deforestation) in the
northern Ecuadorian Amazon. This region, comprising the provinces of
Sucumbios and Orellana, has experienced an intense process of colonization
during the past three decades following the discovery of large petroleum fields
in 1967 near what is now the largest city in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Lago
Agrio. To extract the oil, oil companies built a network of roads connecting
hundreds of wells to oil pipelines which ultimately fed into the TransAndean
Pipeline to the Pacific port of Esmeraldas. The roads made the region
accessible for the first time to land-starved farmers who migrated to the region
mainly from the Sierra or highlands region. Since the Amazon of Ecuador is
one of the world’s 11 “hotspots” of biodiversity (according to the ecologist,
Myers), the clearing of its forests to create farms has high ecological costs. At
the same time, most colonist families are poor. It is therefore important to
develop policies that are more sustainable in the region to both improve the
livelihoods of the poor migrant families as well as to reduce the high rate of
degradation of the stunning natural environment.
Political sustainability in the sense of local people controlling the nature and the form of
development policy and implementation lies at the heart of generating sustainable livelihoods in
the Amazon. The conflict between new forms of political participation at the local and
international levels, on one side, and old forms of client-patron political relationships at the state
and national levels, on the other, is analyzed in areas on and beyond the advancing frontier of
open-field agriculture in the Central Amazon.
Over the last thirty years a silent revolution in county level politics was induced by the
Catholic Church and today communities successfully pressure municipal politicians to provide
basic services. Over the last fifteen, another, not so silent, revolution took place in Amazonian
politics with the active involvement of international and national non-governmental
organizations. While considerable empowerment of previously marginalized Amerindians,
rubber tapers and frontier peasants has occurred, beyond the county level throughout much of the
region, patronage networks, be they modern or “post-modern”, remain top-down in their
decision-making process, significant horizontal political mobilization between different social
actors has not emerged and grassroots political organization has been stymied by authoritarian
politics at the state level and neo-liberal “predatory democracy” at the national level.
Positive experience in the cases of Silves and Iranduba counties as well as in Amerindian
political mobilization are used to show that participatory development is most successful when
traditional social structures and knowledge are mobilized and when new economic activities are
developed. Economic success enhances political participation, which, in turn, overcomes bias in
state development policy, further enhancing economic success in an upward spiral. However, on
a regional basis, only the Amerindians have managed to effectively scale upward to higher levels
of political participation. Consequently, the rise of enclaves of pro-active farming communities
or of restricted local development do not lead to regional political sustainability so that much still
needs to be done to break through the stonewall of state and national level politics.
VASCONCELOS, C.H.
Doutoranda na Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
Centro de Recursos Hídricos e Ecologia Aplicada
Av. Trabalador Sãocarlense, 400 Centro, 13566-590 São Carlos-SP, Brasil
cintia@ltid.inpe.br
Dr.CONFALONIERI, U.
Pesquisador pela Fundação Oswaldo Cruz/ Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública (Fiocruz/Ensp)
Av. Brasil, 4036 Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brasil
pmags@ensp.fiocruz.br
ABSTRACT
Malaria is a complex disease that reaches million people around the world, mainly in the
African continent, South America and Asia. Transmission of malaria depends on the
interaction between the vector (mosquito Anopheles), the parasite (plasmodium), the hosts
and the environment. The risk of malaria infection is determined by the following factors:
parasite cycle within the anopheles and its survival time combined with human exposure to
the vector. The life cycle of the malaria parasite and of the mosquito are directly related to
many factors such as precipitation, humidity and temperature. Moreover, there are other
factors contributing to the increase of disease in the entire world: parasite antimalarial drug
resistance; mosquito insecticide resistance; environmental changes (deforestation,
construction of dams); climatic changes; migration; population increase and lack of a
organized of health system. For controlling malaria, it will be necessary the development of
efficient vaccine and monitoring system. While scientists do not obtain this vaccine,
however, it is necessary to prevent the infection, improving the system for to fighting the
vector. The aim of this research is to study the relationship between the incidence of
malaria in the Tucuruí dam region, Brazilian Amazon, deforestation and precipitation from
95 to 97. Deforestation data provided by PRODES-INPE, malaria incidence records from
the National Foundation of Health, Para Estate and precipitation measurements provided
by the National Agency of Electric Power (Aneel) are being used. The expected results is
to obtain a positive correlation between deforestation rates and the incidence of malaria,
because in the areas of high deforestation there is a increase in migration rates and also the
increase in recent contact man-mosquito which is responsible for the spread in the
infestation rates.
Keywords: malaria, deforestation, environmental change, precipitation.
Carbon as an economic strategy to reduce deforestation in southwestern Amazonia:
opportunities and limits for rural populations in Acre State, Brazil
The Avança Brasil Program plans to invest approximately one billion dollars per
year for the next five years in southwestern Amazonia, which includes Acre. To
guarantee access of rural products to markets, the Acre State government plans to invest
32 million dollars/yr in roads. Rural economic agents direct their investments and will
define the evolution of regional deforestation, possibly accelerated by these
infrastructural investments. Cattle raising, occupying 75% of the deforested areas of the
State, is the most dynamic sector. In 1998 it was responsible for 18% of exports from the
State; by 2001 this proportion increased to 75%. The total contribution of agriculture and
cattle ranching to the state economy increases by about 8.2 million dollars/yr. One of the
possible mechanisms to influence these rural economic agents can be via economic
incentives using carbon. We simulated the effect of avoided deforestation on committed
carbon emissions. The average rate of deforestation in Acre is 53,000 ha/yr and can be
disaggregated into small producers and large cattle ranchers. The amount of carbon
stocked in biomass and liberated by the transformation of forest to pasture is about 130 to
200 tons C/ha. At US$10/ton, the ‘value’ of the carbon is on the order of US$1,300 to
2,000/ha. Avoiding deforestation would be worth approximately 70 to 100 million
dollars/yr, raising per capita rural incomes by 195 to 300 dollars/yr. In extractive reserves
this value could reach 500 dollars/yr/family. Administrative costs, however, are not
included and could reach 45% of the value, if current trends hold. The State of Acre is
considered a model of sustainable development for the region and will need to develop
mechanisms, such as carbon incentives, to limit deforestation.
The broader impacts of LBA science: Examples from Acre, Brazil.
The paradigm of doing science is changing. Funding agencies in Brazil and the
U.S. have expanded their criteria to include impacts on such topics as public policy,
education, and under-represented groups. Such a paradigm shift can be seen in the
NASA research announcements for LBA-ECO, in the evaluation of LBA by the Ministry
of Science and Technology (MCT), in directives from National Science Foundation, and
in the Pilot Program for the Preservation of Tropical Forests of Brazil, called PPG-7.
Continued societal support for funding science has become increasingly dependent on the
quality of these broader impacts that can be incorporated and utilized by national,
regional and local societies. At the national level, researchers from LBA /Acre
participated in a Ministry of Environment workshops for establishing consistent methods
for estimating deforestation rates and for defining priorities of the second phase of the
PPG7. At a regional level, LBA/Acre collaborators authored or co-authored six chapters
of the Ecological and Economic Zoning of Acre State and presented suggestions at the
State Education Forum about how to incorporate LBA research results into school
curricula. A study of official logging data spurred the state government to conduct a
major study of logging activity. LBA/Acre provided training, maps, and satellite imagery
for Epitaciolandia and Assis Brasil municipalities to help in planning land use in the
border region with Bolivia and Peru and in developing educational material for the local
school systems. Collaboration with professionals in the neighboring Departments (states)
of Pando, Bolivia and Madre de Dios, Peru has grown rapidly in order to maximize the
benefits and minimize the impacts of the growing axis of integration along the road to the
Pacific. A course supported by LBA helped build the capacity of over thirty Bolivian,
Peruvian, and Brazilian scientists in land use studies. One long-term goal of LBA
activities is to promote sustainable land use trajectories in the region; scientific
publications need to be coupled with broader impacts to achieve this goal.
THE ECONOMIC COSTS OF FIRE IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON: A VALUATION
STUDY
Daniel C. Nepstad
IPAM and Woods Hole Research Center – WHRC, Woods Hole, MA, USA
Fire is used to manage pastures and prepare agricultural soils by more than 400 thousand
small farmers in the Brazilian Amazon. The economic system considers, exclusively, the
benefits obtained from use of fire as a management tool. However, when fires burn beyond
their intended boundaries, they also cause losses to rural property owners and generate
externalities to society (CO2 emissions and respiratory diseases). The risk of uncontrolled
fire inhibits property owners from investing in their properties, perpetuating extensive cattle
ranching and slash and burn agriculture domination at the expense of agroforestry systems
and sustainable forest management. The objective of this work is to estimate the economic
impacts of fire in the Amazonia for society as a whole and for rural property owners. Such
impacts include burned grassland (lost grazing), forest and plantations, lost fences, C02
emissions and respiratory diseases. Physical and monetary costs resulting from fire in
Amazonia were estimated using the theoretical structure of environmental economics. The
average annual minimum costs associated with fire are US$ 800 million, and range from
1.5 to 4.0 percent of the region’s GDP. The costs are distributed as follows: 9.4 percent in
damages to the farmers, 89.7 percent in CO2 emissions, and 0.9 percent in respiratory
diseases as a result of smoke inhalation. These estimates provide a preliminary assessment
of the social costs of regional development models that favor accidental fire.
emails:
mcarmen@amazon.com.br
dnepstad@whrc.org
seroa@ipea.gov.br
Maria Del Carmen, Diaz, Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazonia –I
PAM, Avenida Nazare 669, Belem, Para, 66035-170, Brazil, Phone (Fax): 55 91 241 6700,
mcarmen@amazon.com.br.
MICROPEDOLOGY OF THE ARCHEOLOGICAL BLACK
EARTH AND YELLOW LATOSSOL IN CAXIUANÃ SITE
RUIVO, M.L.P.1; CUNHA, E.S.2, KERN, D.C. 1
Programs such as LBA and the Pilot Program for the Preservation of Brazil’s
Tropical Forests (PPG7) now require researchers to make their data available through
data banks and via Internet. This represents an advance in the democratization of
knowledge, a goal of the science and technology component of Agenda 21 for Brazil.
There exist, however, barriers to this process. Only 8% of the Brazilian population has
access to Internet and only a small fraction of this group has the scientific background to
use these data that require a mastery of English. In Amazonia, few know how read
English and thus are excluded from information sources such as Beija-Flor, the metadata
bank of LBA, and scientific publications. There exists a need of other means of
dissemination that do not require a computer. For example, municipal governments and
educational systems in Acre have increasingly requested results of LBA research in the
form of satellite images, maps, and short courses to help in decisions about land use. The
education of young researchers (a strong point of LBA) and the insertion of LBA results
in the elementary, secondary, and university educational systems are alternatives to help
overcome barriers. The democratization of knowledge generated by LBA, and its use to
stimulate alternative practices of conservation and sustainable land use, will only be
effective when the majority of society has access to information and knows how to use it.
1
Federal University of Acre, Zoobotanical Park, Sector of Land Use and Global Change
Studies – SETEM/PZ/UFAC and Bioma Foundation, Rio Branco, AC Brazil
2
Woods Hole Research Center, Woods Hole, MA USA and Federal Fluminense
University, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil
2nd International LBA Scientific Conference
Title: Mapping and monitoring urban land-cover change in Rondônia using spectral
mixture analysis
Authors:
Rebecca L. Powell*, Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara,
becky@geog.ucsb.edu
Dar A. Roberts, Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara,
dar@geog.ucsb.edu
Laura L. Hess, Institute for Computational Earth System Science, University of
California, Santa Barbara, lola@icess.ucsb.edu
Corresponding address:
*
Department of Geography
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
USA
Abstract: While the majority of the Amazon’s human population resides in cities and
towns, most studies of land-cover change in the Amazon have ignored the role of urban
centers in driving land-cover conversion and in generating significant environmental
change. This research develops a methodology to systematically characterize urban land
cover in Rondônia using optical remotely sensed imagery. The spectral properties of
urban land cover are derived from Landsat TM imagery using spectral mixture analysis
(SMA). Aerial videography is used to relate spectral properties of urban surfaces with
physical materials on the ground. The bio-physical properties of urban land cover are
then characterized and mapped using a simple Vegetation-Impervious Surface-Soil (VIS)
model. Accuracy of results is assessed using aerial videography collected in 1999. This
paper presents an application of this methodology to the city of Ji-Paraná, Rondônia.
Comparing such maps through time and across regions provides insights into the role of
urbanization in regional land-cover change and as a driver of environmental change. This
approach represents the fist step in developing datasets that include the bio-physical
properties and the geographic distributions of urban land cover in the Amazon. Such
datasets can be compared at the regional scale (i.e. across the Amazon Basin) and
integrated into broader studies of the causes and consequences of land-cover change.
MILK PRODUCTION, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE EASTERN
BRAZILIAN AMAZON
AUTHORS :
POCCARD-CHAPUIS René,
Géographe, CIRAD1-EMVT2, Campus international de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5,
France ; tel : 33 (0)4 67 61 58 00 e.mail : algodoal@cirad.fr
PIKETTY Marie-Gabrielle,
Economist - CIRAD– ECOPOL3, Visting scientist, Universidade de São Paulo, FEA-PROCAM4, Av:
Prof. Luciano Gualberto, 908, 05 508-900 São Paulo - SP tel : 55 11 3091 5858. Fax 55 11 30 91 60
73. E.mail : piketty@usp.br
VEIGA Jonas Bastos,
Searcher animal science, leader of project n° 13.1999.650 Embrapa5 Amazônia Oriental ,
Trav.Dr.Enéas Pinheiro S/N-Marco, Cx.P.48, Belém, Pará, Brasil, CEP 66.095-100; Fone: 0xx91 299-
4571 Fax: 0xx91 276-9845.e.mail : jonas@cpatu.embrapa.br
HOSTIOU Nathalie
CIRAD6-EMVT7, Campus international de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France e.mail :
hostiou@cirad.fr
TOURRAND Jean-François,
Searcher animal science, CIRAD, SQS 309, Bloco J, Appt 606, 71362-100 Brasilia DF, Brazil,
Tourrand@aol.com
PIKETTY Marie-Gabrielle,
Economist - CIRAD– ECOPOL8, Visiting scientist in São Paulo University, FEA-PROCAM9, Av:
Prof. Luciano Gualberto, 908, 05 508-900 São Paulo - SP tel : 55 11 3091 5858. Fax 55 11 30 91 60
73. E.mail : piketty@usp.br
Abstract :
1
Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement.
2
Elevage et médecine vétérinaire
3
Economie, Politiques et Marchés
4
Departamento de Economia da FEA e Programa de Ciência Ambiental (PROCAM)
5
Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária
6
Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement.
7
Elevage et médecine vétérinaire
8
Economie, Politiques et Marchés
9
Departamento de Economia da FEA e Programa de Ciência Ambiental (PROCAM)
Reliability of low-cost GPS data for ecological and land use studies in
Amazonia
O presente trabalho consiste no estudo sócio ambiental do Projeto RECA, implantado e desenvolvido a
partir de 1987/88, em Nova Califórnia, no Estado de Rondônia, fronteira com o Acre (Km. 160 da BR-364).
A análise sistematizada e integrada dos aspectos sociais, econômicos e ambientais do projeto, tem por
objetivo investigar e demonstrar a sua viabilidade potencialmente multiplicativa, para contextos similares, em
áreas florestadas de terras firmes, onde a devastação ao longo de eixos viários pré-implantados, ainda não
atingiu grau degenerativo avançado para as biodiversidades espacialmente remanescentes.
Tratando-se de uma das experiências de Sistema Agro Florestal– SAF, (com produção consorciada de
espécies regionais de valor econômico) mais bem sucedida que se conhece, apesar de pouco divulgada e
estudada no âmbito acadêmico, o RECA apresenta indicadores de ordem ambiental, socal-organizativa e
econômico-distributiva, extremamente compatíveis com as metas de sustentabilidade integrada, associando
comprovada diminuição de impactos no uso do solo e na ocupação do espaço, com a melhoria da qualidade de
vida para a população envolvida, contribuindo ao longo de mais de uma década, para a fixação populacional,
com índices notoriamente crescentes de famílias agregadas.
Metodologicamente procedemos ao levantamento, cruzamento e análise de dados: documentos oficiais
relativos ao projeto; pesquisa de campo através de entrevistas aleatórias com representantes locais
comunitários, de instituições governamentais, não governamentais, empresariais e científicas, que estejam (ou
tenham estado) envolvidos com o projeto, buscando traçar o quadro histórico das atividades e
desenvolvimento do mesmo; aplicação de questionários específicos junto à comunidade, elaborados a partir
das características sócio-culturais, econômicas e ambientais, consideradas local e regionalmente, para fins de
levantamento de indicadores específicos; utilização de determinados dados ambientais, sociais e econômicos
(em micro e macro escala), que estejam disponibilizados por outros projetos, instituições, instâncias
governamentais, etc. Relacionados, direta ou indiretamente, com o espaço em questão, visando a
compreensão ampliada dos fatores interferentes com a realidade local.
Como consideração final, o estudo pretende contribuir com a ampliação da oferta de subsídios para um
rol mais consistente de políticas públicas, projetadas para sub-setores locais, regionais ou macroregionais da
Amazônia Brasileira.
The systematic and integrated analysis of the social, economic and environmental
aspects of the Project is med at investigating and showing its potential viability to be
stablished in similar contexts, in forest areas of terra firme, along local roads where the
devastation has not yet reached a advanced degenerative degree for the locally remaining
biodiversityes.
RECA is one of the most succeful agricultural forestal system known – SAF
(syndicated production of regional species with economic value). Even though it has not
been much explored and studied by academic research, RECA be presents environmental,
social – organizational and income – sharing indicators extremely compatible with the
objectives of integrated sustainability together with proved decrease of impact in the use of
soil and the ocoupation of space, causing improvement of the quality of living for the
population concerned. RECA has contributed for over a decade to the settlement of the
population, with greatly increasing rate of aggregated families.
We collected, collated and analyzes data, like official reports related to the project
field, random interviews with local community representatives, governamental bureaus
officers, no governmental organisation, representatives of commercial companies and of
research centers wich are (or have been) involved with the project. It is aimed to draw a
historical portrait of the activities of distributes the RECA project.
Specific questionnares in the community, to take into account the social – cultural,
economic and environmental caracteristics, locally and regionally considered, with the
purpose of having specific indicators
The economic data (in large and small scale) available in other projects, institutions,
governmental departments, etc., which are directly or indirectly related to the area
concerned, were also included to chance the understanding of the factors that affect the
local situation.
Josyane Ronchail Institut de Recherche pour Poster Inundations in the Llanos de Mojos (Bolivia,
le Développement - IRD south western Amazon) and associated
atmospheric circulation features in South
America.
Liliane Bezerra Passos da Universidade de Brasilia Poster TDR triple-wire probes calibration for Cerrado
Silva soils
Luz Adriana Cuartas-Pineda INPA Poster Development of new Instrumentation for
Accurate Measurement of Throughfall and
Stemflow, and the Coupling of this in the study
of Water Interception for an Undisturbed
Rainforest in Central Amazonia.
Martin Hodnett Institute of Hydrology Poster Processes of streamflow generation in a
headwater catchment in central Amazonia.
Michael Coe SAGE Poster Long-term Simulations of Discharge and
Floods in the Amazon Basin
Raimundo Cosme Oliveira Embrapa Poster CALIBRATION OF THE CAMPBELL CS-615
Junior WATER CONTENT REFLECTOMETER IN
HIGH CLAY CONTENT YELLOW LATOSOL
IN THE FLONA TAPAJOS
Shozo Shiraiwa Universidade Federal de Poster Study of water table’s top variation, under the
Mato Grosso interior of Amazonian tropical transitional
forest, Sinop, MT, Brazil, - preliminary results.
Viviana Horna Max Planck Institute for Poster Flooding Regime Characterization with Multi-
Biogeochemistry temporal JERS-1 Radar Imagery in the
Peruvian Amazon Basin
High resolution, runoff and discharge fields of the
Amazon basin
Balázs M. Fekete, Charles J. Vörösmarty
Water Systems Analysis Group
Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space
University of New Hampshire
39 College Road, Morse Hall, Durham, NH 03824, USA
balazs.fekete@unh.edu / charles.vorosmarty@unh.edu
Accurate representation of the spatially distributed runoff and discharge are essential
information for a wide variety of ecosystems studies. Terrestrial runoff can be estimated from
climate variables (such as air temperature, precipitation, vapor pressure, solar radiation, etc.)
but such estimates are often inaccurate due to the inherited errors originated from the input
data.
River discharge (which is an integrated signal of the runoff) is one of the most accurately
measured components of the hydrological cycle, but it is limited to selected locations where
river discharge is measured. A combination of the water balance model estimated runoff and
measured discharge has the potential to provide the most accurate assessment of the
terrestrial runoff and discharge in non-monitored sections of the river systems.
The Water Systems Analysis Group of the University of New Hampshire developed a simple
technique to combine water balance model simulated runoff with measured discharge. The
discharge monitoring stations are co-registered to gridded network, which allows the
establishment of station topology (i.e. the next station downstream from each station) and the
delineation of inter-station areas (the catchment area between upstream gauges and the
downstream station). Correction to water balance model simulated runoff is applied in each
of the inter-station regions to correct for inconsistency between simulated runoff and
measured discharge. This technique was successfully applied at a global scale first using 30-
minute network and discharge data from the Global Runoff Data Centre, Koblenz, Germany.
New regional versions of the composite runoff fields were developed recently for the
Amazon basin at 6' and 15' resolutions using climate forcings from various sources (such as
the Climate Research Unit of University of East Anglia, the GEWEX Global Precipitation
Climatology Project) and river discharge data from Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica
(ANEEL). The new regional composite runoff fields were developed as a time series for the
1979-99 period at monthly time steps. The composite runoff fields were aggregated to
represent river discharge using a special routing scheme, which allows discharge
interpolation between discharge gauges with the aid of the runoff fields. Such discharge fields
provide accurate assessment of river discharge everywhere along the Amazon basins, which
is constrained by the measured discharge at gauging stations.
The 6' and 15' minute networks and the composite runoff and discharge fields are to be
released to the scientific community after rigorous testing. Further development will focus on
automating the input data processing, so similar composite data products can be developed
semi real-time, when the input data (such as the climate forcings and the observed discharge)
are available.
1
Abstract:
Inundation of the central Amazon floodplain is complex and includes thousands of lakes ranging
from dendritic shapes to narrow crescents between scroll bars. Drainage across the landscape is
impeded by floating grasses, flooded trees, organic debris and remnant levees. Thus
characterizing flow and storage changes requires 10s to 100s of spatially distributed observations
of the water surface. Interferometric processing of a Space Shuttle based swath of synthetic
aperture radar (SAR) data collected over central Amazon floodplain locations reveals one-day
decreases in water levels ranging from 1 to 11 cm. Using a spatial integration scheme based on
flow path distance, these water level drops were used to estimate a floodplain-to-river exchange
rate during mid-recessional flow. Given the geomorphic complexity of the floodplain, we
suggest that diffusion based models of flow and storage change are simpler to parameterize than
open-channel hydraulic equations. The water level changes represent change in water surface
height with change in time (dh/dt) in the continuity equation, which given a linear relationship
between discharge and water surface slope, can be used to predict storage changes and related
floodplain discharge. The diffusion model involves little parameterization, with the only
significant requirement being either dh/dt or floodplain conductivity (this parameter encapsulates
the geomorphic complexity across the entire floodplain). Our diffusion model will provide a link
between local hydrologic observations and continental-scale ecological models requiring
inundated area and floodplain storage change.
Abstract for LBA Conference in Manaus, July 2002
Submitted by E.R. Williams
Brant Liebmann, NOAA CIRES Climate Diagnostics Center, Boulder, CO, USA
jroads@ucsd.edu
http://ecpc.ucsd.edu/projects/brazil.html
1
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Experimental Climate Prediction Center
UCSD, 0224
La Jolla, CA 92023
2
Florida State Univ.
COAPS
Talahassee, FL
3
Goddard Institute for Space Studies
New York, New York
4
International Research Institute
Lamont
Columbia, NY
During the past several years, the International Research Institute (IRI) and a few of the NOAA
Applied Research Centers (ARCS), have been developing a community regional modeling
intercomparison project to assess the capabilities and readiness of various regional climate
models to downscale IRI global forecasts for various applications. Brazil was chosen for the
initial intercomparison since the IRI can make quite skillful seasonal global forecasts in this
region. Transferability of regional climate models is also an issue that the Global Energy and
Water-Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) has constantly stressed, since there is a recognized need to
test regional models where they have not explicitly tuned their parameterizations. Besides the
IRI, participating ARCS included the: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Experimental
Climate Prediction Center (ECPC), Florida State Univ. Cooperative Ocean Atmosphere Project
(COAPS), and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). The NCEP/NCAR analysis was
used as boundary conditions for two-year continuous simulations (Mar. 1, 1997-May 31, 1999).
The resulting climate simulations were somewhat encouraging. Although large-scale errors
dominated the solution, regional models did provide some improvement in precipitation
simulations, especially in comparison to available station observations. Nonetheless, additional
work is clearly needed to fully realize the added benefits of using regional models in conjunction
with global models and analyses.
Feasibility of Using Topex/Poseidon Altimetric Data in the Estimation of Amazon River
Stage and Discharge
The feasibility of estimating stage and discharge of several Amazon Basin tributaries was
evaluated using satellite radar altimetry from the Topex/Poseidon Mission (T/P). T/P is a
joint NASA/CNES radar, operating since September 1992, that provides along-track
mean surface height with respect to a reference ellipsoid. T/P specifications include a
surface resolution of about 350m, approximately every 580m along ground track, and
average 1.5 degrees between tracks, with a ten-day orbital period. River stage data are
potentially available at the point of intersection of the T/P ground track with river reaches
wider than about 0.5 km. The feasibility of estimating discharge was examined by first
establishing an empirical relation between observed stage at the stream gage and
estimated stage at the point of ground track/stream intersection. Empirical rating curves
were then developed between the T/P estimated height and the stage-discharge relation at
the gage site. The accuracy of the results depended on basin size, topography, river width
and distance between the stream gage and the ground track.
Hydrological dynamics of the varzea of Lago Grande de Curuai : water and sediment
balance, influence of river stage and local rainfall, long term dynamics
Pascal Kosuth, IRD, CP 70911 Lago Sul, CEP 711619-970 Brasilia DF Brazil kosuth.ird@apis.com.br
Floodplains play a key role in Amazon River hydrology, sediment dynamics, carbon cycle,
aquatic biodiversity and ecology. Nevertheless some basic questions related to floodplains
still have not been answered : What fraction of Amazon River waters actually flows through
floodplains ? What is the mean residence time of water in floodplains ? What percentage of
sediments entering a floodplain really stays trapped in it ? What is the signature of
floodplains on river waters chemistry ? To contribute to the understanding and quantification
of water and sediment fluxes through floodplains a specific flooded system has been
monitored since March 1999.
The Varzea of Lago Grande de Curuai, south of Obidos, has a 3660 km² watershed area, of
which 800 km² to 1600 km² are flooded depending on the hydrological cycle phase. The
varzea consists in interconnected lakes, linked to the Amazon River through eight major
channels, 3 of them permanent. Annual amplitude of river level fluctuation at Obidos is 7
meters, mean annual rainfall is 2400 mm and mean annual evapo-transpiration is 1400 mm.
This varzea was selected for its size and morphological diversity allowing to monitor various
types of lakes with and without river inflow.
Monitoring includes six daily measured gage stations, one simple meteorological station
(rainfall and evaporation), eleven stations with ten to ten days surface water sampling for
geochemistry and sediment measurement. Additionally fourteen measurement campaigns
have been realized since March 1999, at various hydrological stages, with discharge
measurement on thirteen channels and systematic water sampling at 35 points.
Measurement results enlighten the hydrological, sediment and geochemical dynamics of the
varzea. Water level inside the varzea changes regularly with river level with only slight
gradients (tens of centimeters). Annual water inflow from the river and outflow to the river,
estimated over November 1998 – October 1999 period, are respectively 10.6 10^9 m3 and
13.8 10^9 m3. Over the same period estimated suspended sediment inflow and outflow are
respectively 1 350 000 t and 500 000 t, meaning an estimated net trapping of 850 000 t/year.
A model of the varzea hydrological and sediment dynamics has been developed. Annual
inflow from the river mainly depends on annual rainfall and celerity of river level raise.
Percentage of flooded area in the watershed plays a crucial role in the balance between
rainfall inflow and river water inflow and so controls the suspended sediment trapping.
Modeling the effects of hydrogeology and land cover conversion on runoff processes and
rates in Rondônia, Brazil.
Hydrologic records in the state of Rondônia are still too sparse and short, and the extent
of deforestation too small and transient for recognition of deforestation signals in runoff
from mesoscale river basins (100s -1000s of km2). Large changes in soil recharge are
known to result from deforestation at a point, but the response of river flow to such
changes is complicated by subsurface transfer of this water, transient subsurface storage,
and increases in the amount of overland flow. These influences depend in turn on the
topographic ruggedness and hydrogeologic properties of a basin. Using data from
topographic and geologic maps, seasonal extreme water-table depths, and hydrogeologic
properties (both measured in situ and back-calculated from streamflow), we have
modeled runoff responses to deforestation that should be expected from typical hillslopes
in gauged river basins of Rondônia. The hillslopes vary in length and gradient, and in
degree of rockiness. The computations show that although complete deforestation should
increase total runoff by about 25%, the partitioning of the runoff into subsurface and
surface paths and the proportion of the flow reaching the river as quickflow should be
affected by the interaction of these increased volumes of runoff with the hydrogeology
and geometry of the basin. Steeper sloping basins, such as the Rio Massangana are
predicted to generate larger amounts of quickflow than low-gradient topography such as
that of the Rio Jacundá. However, when low-gradient hillslopes are deforested in the
model, the increased runoff is partitioned mainly into quickflow through an increase in
saturation overland flow.
THE FOREST/PASTURE CONVERSION EFFECTS ON
SMALL CATCHMENT HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES IN
THE EASTERN AMAZONIA
Schuler, A.E.1, J.M. Moraes1, R. de O. Figueiredo2, D. Markewitz3,
1
T. Dunne4, E. Davidson5, R.L.Victoria1.
CENA/USP, Piracicaba, SP-Brazil; 2IPAM, Belém,PA –Brazil; 3The University of Georgia, Athens, GA-USA; 4The University of
California, Santa Barbara, CA-USA; 5Woods Hole Research Center,Woods Hole, MT-USA
Corresponding Author: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura/ USP, Piracicaba, SP –Brazil 13416-903
E-mails: schuler@cena.usp.br, jmmoraes@cena.usp.br,rofig@amazon.com.br, dmarke@smokey.forestry.uga.edu,
tdunne@bren.ucsb.edu, edavidson@whrc.org, reyna@cena.usp.br
The aim of evaluating the forest/pasture conversion effects on nutrients transfers in the
humid tropical forest Amazonia has lead to a research project linking hydrological fluxes and
ecosystem mass balance studies. In order to model the water flow mechanisms and their
relationship with nutrient cycling processes in tropical forests, two monitoring sets were
installed on a couple of swales with forest and pasture each one, located on a 10,000 ha
catchment draining towards Igarape 54 in the Eastern Amazonia.
The hydrological monitoring includes the following measurements: streamflow;
overland flow; subsurface flow; water table depth; rainfall and throughfall under canopy
forest; a physical survey in both swales, measuring the hydraulic conductivity of saturated soil
(Ksat), bulk density, water retention curve and soil granulometry, besides a topographic
survey. The soil hydraulic conductivity showed high values in a shallow depth under forest
(230.3 mmh-1), while in the pasture, the median value reached 3.7 mmh-1. Rainfall data show
30% of rainfall intensity exceeds the pasture Ksat value near the surface, generating Hortonian
overland flow. In both land cover an impeding layer related to a dense plinthite horizon was
found at around 0.80-0.90 m. This leads to a perched water table development at a shallow
depth. In pastures, the near surface compacted soil is possibly related to the “root-zone
collapse”, due to burnings, cattle trampling and rain drop impact causing splash erosion and
surface sealing. Such changes in soil surface hydraulic properties might move the delivery
mechanism from deep and lateral subsurface flow to infiltration-excess overland flow,
increasing hillslope runoff considerably. How much this alters the nutrient leaching patterns
has been inquired in the proceeding hydrological modeling studies.
Seasonal variations of soil moisture in an open savanna (campo sujo)
in central Brazil.
Quesada, C.A.; Santos, A.J.B.; Breyer, L.M.; Miranda, A.C.; Miranda, H.S. & Viana, S.
Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília-DF. quesada@unb.br
Savanna formations with scattered shrubs, few trees and a continuous herbaceous layer,
characterise the Campo Sujo, an open form of the Brazilian savannas. High seasonality is
an important characteristic what may suggest strong water stress during the dry season
what is about five to six months long. The present study was carried out from August 1999
to September of 2001 at the Reserva Ecólogica do IBGE, 35 km south of Brasília, Brazil
(15o56′41′′ S e 47o51′02′′ W). The soil is a well-drained yellowish red oxisol with clay
texture (60% of clay) and less than 2º of slope. The measurements of soil water content
were taken with a neutron probe in three access tubes, measuring 3.60 m in length. Soil
moisture was marked seasonal, the variation between the wettest and driest day was
403.3 ± 7.7 mm 65% of which occurred below 1m. The profile storage at the last days of
the 1999, 2000 and 2001 dry seasons was very similar despite a difference in dry season
duration and large differences in rainfall in the preceding wet seasons, indicating that the
vegetation is conservative in its water use. A water balance was done to determinate
evapotranspiration rates (E) and others components of the annual water balance. E from wet
season was determinate as 2.4 mm/d and 1.6 mm/d in the dry season. During the end of all
the measured dry seasons the top 0.6 m water content did not change for about two months
until the onset of the subsequent wet season, suggesting that the vegetation has already used
all the available water content from this soil layer.
Effects of Deforestation in Amazonia
on the Local Hydrological Cycle:
The Scale-Dependence Issue
Cassiano D’Almeida
CSRC/University of New Hampshire
Morse Hall, Durham, NH 03824 USA
cassiano@eos.sr.unh.edu
Despite all the concern from the scientific community on major impacts of
Amazonian deforestation, its effects on the regional hydrological cycle are still uncertain.
While many modeling studies have observed that large-scale conversion of the
Amazonian rainforest into pastures, or croplands tend to induce an overall reduction in
precipitation, there are also meso-scale experiments that predicted the establishment of
enhanced rainfall over deforested areas. These contrasting results suggest that the net
effect of deforestation on precipitation might depend on the size of the clearing area.
However, precipitation in Amazonia follows more closely the fluctuations in the
general circulation of the atmosphere, which seems to be still offsetting the effects of
deforestation. Since runoff is not directly dependent on such remote forcings, it may,
unlike precipitation, carry the signal of deforestation and permit a better assessment on
the scale-dependence of its effects.
The present work applies different methods of Trend Analysis to historical
discharge records in the Amazon Basin, to detect significant trends potentially associated
with deforestation. Spectral Analysis is also applied to identify significant oscillations
present in the data, which are then removed after the application of suitable frequency
filters. Based on current and predicted deforestation scenarios, a numerical model
representing the Water Budget Closure (WBC) system in Amazonia is also applied,
providing high-resolution gridded runoff and discharge outputs.
Preliminary results indicate the existence of organized spatial patterns in the
trends of non-filtered discharge records, indicating a potential association with deforested
areas. After removing significant oscillations from these records – determined from
power spectrum calculations –, these patterns might get intensified. The application of
WBC as proposed, will assess the coherence of deforestation and trend patterns.
Estimating Actual Evapotranspiration and Water Balance through Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing
Inundations in the region of Trinidad (Llanos de Mojos, Bolivia) are associated with intense
rainy episodes in the lowlands of Bolivia, as those of February 1992 (400 mm in 5 days),
and with sustained positive rainfall anomalies as during the February 1992-January 1993
period.
Outgoing long-wave radiation (OLR), and low and high level geopotential height and wind
fields from NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis are used to compute composites for the days with
intense rainfall in Trinidad (55 days with rainfall above 20 mm during the February 1992-
January 1993 period, with exception of the winter episodes).
At 200hPa, a wave-ridge pattern is observed with negative geopotential height anomalies
over the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) and positive ones eastward, at mid and
subtropical latitudes. In the tropics, a negative geopotential height is observed over
northeastern Brazil while the Bolivian High is slightly enhanced.
Near the ground (850hPa), the south Atlantic subtropical High is stronger than usually
while negative height anomalies prevail over a great portion of the South American
continent and especially over the southwestern part of the Amazon basin and in central
Brazil. Over these regions, westward and northward abnormal winds, consistent with the
geopotential height anomalies, show that an enhancement of the perturbations from the
Atlantic and from the extra-tropics may give rise to strong convection and heavy rainfall
over the southwestern region of the Amazon basin. This is confirmed by the analysis of the
OLR anomalies.
TDR triple-wire probes calibration for Cerrado soils
Liliane Bezerra1, Euzebio Medrado da Silva2 e Carlos Augusto Klink1
1
Universidade de Brasília, 2 Embrapa Cerrados
Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Biologia, Dept. de Ecologia, CP 04631,
70919-970, Brasília-DF, Brasil.
lils@unb.br
Water availability is one of the major factors determining the structure and functioning of
the Brazilian Cerrado. The volumetric soil-water content (θ ) in deep soil profiles has been
measured using Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). TDR measures the relative dielectric
constant (ka) of the soil which is mainly dependent on the water content in the soil. The
“universal relationship” between ka and θ earlier developed has been shown to deviate for
some types of soils. The relationship ka (θ ) has been investigated to obtain a specific
adjustment for TDR measurement for Cerrado soils. In the calibration procedure twelve soil
columns were brought to the desired water content from 0.03 to 0.30 cm3 cm-3, and 24 h
later, the ka was measured using a set of 35 TDR triple-wire probes. The best-fit polynomial
relationship between θ and ka was θ = - 7.857x10-2 + 4.631x10-2 ka – 2.024x10-3 ka2 +
3.765x10-5 ka3 (R2 = 0,93). This relation mostly overestimated the universal relationship as
θ increases, reducing the departure as θ approaches 0.31 cm3 cm-3. This finding was in
agreement with other clay-textured soils studies. The application of TDR data to other two
calibration models, an empirical and a linear three-phase mixing model, was consistent with
the experimental results obtained in this study. The conclusion is that the TDR calibrations
models tested are adequate. However, their application should take into consideration the
type of soil to be analyzed and the intended accuracy requirements.
Development of new Instrumentation for Accurate Measurement of Throughfall
and Stemflow, and the Coupling of this in the study of Water Interception for an
Undisturbed Rainforest in Central Amazonia.
E-mail: lacuarta@inpa.gov.br
Abstract
This work is part of a project that aims at quantifying the C fluxes associated to the
water cycle, in a 5 km2 catchment in the INPA Manaus-Cuieiras reservation. The short-
term water balance (daily, weekly, monthly time scales) requires some variables, like
interception, that for the long-term estimations (like the ones to feed climate models)
could be negligible in the volumetric sense, once canopy storage of water is near to nil.
However, interception is closely related to the energy balance through its effects on
evaporation. Thus, interception is a crucial component of the energy budget that has
been very poorly quantified due to difficulties associated to inherent complexities of the
rainforest environment. Therefore, we have designed and developed a new permanent
and tiping-bucket gauged collector system for througfall and stemflow that is much
superior to the traditional array of collectors used in past studies. The unique feature of
this system is the associated measurement of water vapor exchange at the interface
forest-atmosphere using a tower and eddyflux covariance. Previous studies had to rely
on estimations or empirical measurements of evapotranspiration. Throughfall is gauged
through two sets of specially designed and built 5cm X 36 m V shaped troughs,
connected each to a large volume tiping-bucket. Stemflow is collected from
aproximately 60 trees, that cover roughly the area of the throughfall study, using
encircling aluminum/asfalt tape shaped to divert the flow to a pipe system that join all
the flows into two tiping-bucket gauges. The measurement system is completed by a
vertical profile of surface wetness logging sensors and a free rainfall improved gauging
system.
Processes of streamflow generation in a headwater catchment in central Amazonia.
1
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
2
INPA, Av. André Araújo 2936, Petrópolis, 69083-000, Manaus, AM, Brasil
3
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV
Amsterdam The Netherlands
4
Alterra Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Building 101, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
5
CPTEC-INPE, Rodovia Presidente Dutra km 40, Cachoeira Paulista - SP, Brasil.
ABSTRACT
A 5 km2 headwater catchment in terra firme forest close to the Manaus k34 eddyflux
tower has been instrumented to measure the components of the water, carbon and
nutrient balances. This paper concentrates on the hydrological aspects: the processes
by which streamflow is generated, and the routes taken by the water arriving in the
stream. The variables being measured are: rainfall (4 locations), evaporation flux,
throughfall, soil moisture storage (to 4.8m) and groundwater level along a
toposequence, and streamflow. Data collection began in December 2001.
The response of streamflow to rainfall is very rapid, indicating that stormflow peaks
are generated from the valley floor areas, where the water table is close to the surface.
Peaks in DOC concentrations confirm the valley floor as the source of the stormflow
– DOC concentrations in the groundwater beneath the hillslope are very low.
The water balance is being calculated on a daily basis to attempt to quantify storage in
the deep unsaturated zone and groundwater. Data collection is still at an early stage,
but important results are emerging. These are important in understanding the carbon
balance.
Long-term Simulations of Discharge and Floods in the Amazon Basin
Michael T. Coe1, Marcos Heil Costa2, Aurélie Botta1, and Charon Birkett3
1
Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, Institute for Environmental
Studies, University of Wisconsin, 1710 University Ave., Madison, WI, 53706,
mtcoe@wisc.edu
2
Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36571-000, Brazil
3
ESSIC, University of Maryland at College Park, Mail Code 923, NASA/GSFC,
Greenbelt, MD, 20771
A terrestrial ecosystem model (IBIS) and a hydrological routing algorithm (HYDRA) are
used in conjunction with long time-series climate data to simulate the river discharge and
flooded area of the Amazon/Tocantins River Basin over the last 60 years. Evaluating the
results of this modeling exercise over the entire basin against land and satellite based
observations yields three major results: (1) Observations at 121 stations throughout the
basin show that discharge is well simulated for most tributaries originating in Brazil.
However, the discharge is consistently underestimated, by greater than 20%, for
tributaries draining regions outside of Brazil and the main stem of the Amazon. The
discharge underestimation is most likely a result of underestimated precipitation in the
data set used as model input. (2) A new flooding algorithm within HYDRA captures the
magnitude and timing of the river height, and flooded area in relatively good agreement
with satellite based observations, particularly downstream of the confluence of the Negro
and Solimões Rivers. (3) Climatic variability strongly impacts the hydrology of the basin.
Specifically, we find that short (3-4 year) and long (28 year) modes of precipitation
variability drive spatial and temporal variability in river discharge and flooded area
throughout the Amazon/Tocantins River basins.
CALIBRATION OF THE CAMPBELL CS-615 WATER CONTENT
REFLECTOMETER IN HIGH CLAY CONTENT YELLOW LATOSOL IN THE
FLONA TAPAJOS
Soil moisture content and its temporal and spatial variation deserves attention in all soil
studies. It is a critical indicator of soil structure, infiltration capacity, plant available
water, etc. Soil moisture content is a critical variable related to soil management.
Recently automated measurements of soil moisture content using time domain
reflectometry (TDR) and frequency domain reflectometry have become more common.
These techniques measure water content based on the variation of the apparent soil
dieletric number that varies chiefly as a function of water content. We adopted the
Campbell CS-615 water content reflectometer probes for use in the FLONA Tapajos. We
calibrated these probes using undisturbed soil blocks removed from 6 depths coincident
with the levels we have established for automated monitoring (5 cm, 15 cm, 30 cm, 50
cm, 100 cm, 200 cm). Calibration compared CS-615 response in saturated and dried soil
blocks with gravimetry. Multiple moisture contents were collected for each block and the
resulting water contents were fit as polynomial and logarithmic functions of the
instrument responses.
STUDY OF WATER TABLE’S TOP VARIATION, UNDER THE INTERIOR OF
AMAZONIAN TROPICAL TRANSITIONAL FOREST, SINOP, MT, BRAZIL, -
PRELIMINARY RESULTS.
Shozo Shiraiwa*, Tania Helena Marcelino, Moacir Lacerda*, Welitom Rodrigues Borges,
*Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso – Departamento de Física
Av. Fernando Correia da Costa, sn,
Cuiabá – MT - CEP 78060-900
shozo@cpd.ufmt.br
Recent studies about the soil moisture in a Amazonian transitional forest, the water content in soil
indicated that is invariable until approximated four meters depth, without variations on observed
pluviometric level. To intend to verify the hydric balance on that transitional forest, geophysical
methods were applied to determine the top of water table. These methods were Vertical Electric
Sounding – VES – with Schulumberger array and Ground Penetrating Radar – GPR . Three
measure was made: first on May, second on October/2001 and third on March/2002, 50 m apart
from LBA - Sinop Tower. With maximum AB/2=240m the electrical resistivity apparent range
from 37.7Ohm.m to 7812 Ohm.m and indicated that water table’s top under 12.1 m. The GPR
line with 200MHz antennas and 50 m long was conduct on same time and the sections of GPR
show irregulars reflectors associated to lateritic beds at 3.5 m and another reflector at 6.0 m. After
this results, a monitoring hole was made with 5.3 m depth. From December to January/2002
water table’s top change from 5.14 to 3.18m depth, after intense pluviosity. After this until now,
this level variety between 3.1 and 3.6 m until now, April/2002.
Flooding Regime Characterization with Multi-temporal JERS-1 Radar Imagery
in the Peruvian Amazon Basin
Viviana Horna 1,2), Annett Boerner 1,2) and Reiner Zimmermann 1,2)
1)
Forest Ecology and Remote Sensing Group, Ecological-Botanical Gardens ÖBG,
University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
2)
Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany.
Abstract
Extend and intensity of flooding in the Amazon lowlands controls the development of
vegetation types. Therefore it is important to add geographic information on flooding
intensity and aerial extent to existing vegetation maps of the Peruvian Amazon region.
Currently available vegetation maps of the Peruvian Amazon are based on classification
of optical range images. Closer examination reveals that vegetation maps derived from
these sources differ considerably, especially for flooded lowland regions.
In our mapping of Northern Peruvian lowland forests we demonstrate that detection and
mapping of forest flooding extent is possible for the Peruvian Amazon with JERS-1 L-
Band radar imagery. It can be expected that the interpretation of existing optical imagery
as a basis for vegetation classification will be significantly enhanced and classification
ambiguities will be reduced if this flooding information is added. In the absence of
ground truth information, JERS-1 generated flooding maps are for the near future one of
the few independent data sources which is available for the entire Amazon basin for
checking plausibility of optical classification results especially in forested amphibiomes
and hydrobiomes.
Meso-scale processes & transport in Amazonia
Maria Assunção Silva Dias USP Oral Observation and numerical simulation
of the river breeze circulation in the
vicinity of the Tapajós and Amazon
rivers
Renato Silva Duke University Oral A Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of the
Boundary Layer Evolution Over a
Deforested Region of Rondonia
(Brazil)
Rosana Nieto Ferreira USRA/NASA/GSFC Oral Variability of South American
Convective Cloud Systems and
Tropospheric Circulation during
January-March 1998 and 1999
Jose Ricardo Souza Universidade Federal Poster Soil Temperature and Moisture
do Para Variability, Beneath Forest, Pasture
and Mangrove Areas, in Eastern
Amazonia.
Jose Ricardo Souza Universidade Federal Poster Thermal and Hydric Behavior of Soil
do Para Beneath Pasture, in Marajó Island
L. Gustavo Goncalves de University of Arizona Poster Towards a South American Land Data
Goncalves Assimilation System (SALDAS):
Investigating Potential Precipitation
Forcing Data
Maria Aurora Santos da Universidade Federal Poster Relationship between CAPE and
Mota do Para / Instituto Bolivian High during Wet-AMC-LBA
Nacional de
Pesquisas Espaciais
Mauricio Bolzan LMO/CPTEC/INPE Poster Modeling the fine-scale turbulence
within and above an Amazon forest
using Tsallis' generalized
thermostatistics. I. Wind velocity
Ali Tokay, David B. Wolff, David Marks, Christopher R. Williams, Kenneth S. Gage
JCET/UMBC
This paper presents three different precipitation classification algorithms that were
constructed through disdrometer, scanning, and vertically pointed (profiler) radar
measurements. The radars and disdrometer were operated in part of the TRMM-LBA
field campaign, on January-February, 1999. The precipitation type was determined either
convective or stratiform. Regarding rain occurrence, 70%, 75%, and 77% agreement was
obtained between disdrometer and profiler, disdrometer and radar, and profiler and radar
algorithms, respectively. Regarding rain volume, the agreements were 84%, 73%, and
85% for the same pairs of the comparison. The relations derived between radar
measurements and surface rainfall (R-Z), differed from each other due to the different
convective and stratiform partitioning. At reflectivities above 50 dBZ, the absolute
difference in rain rate ranged between 0.5 to 1 mm/h. The results presented here
demonstrate the importance of the precipitation classification in radar rainfall estimation.
Boundary-layer moisture regimes during wet and dry season above
Rondonia forest
Celso von Randow1,*, Leonardo D. Abreu Sá2, Antonio O. Manzi1
1
Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas
Espaciais, Rod Pres. Dutra, km 40, Cachoeira Paulista, SP, 12630-000
2
Laboratório Associado de Meteorologia e Oceanografia, CPTEC/INPE
* Corresponding author
e-mail: randow@cptec.inpe.br
Abstract: Two distinct boundary-layer moisture regimes are observed over Rondônia
Amazonian forest during diurnal periods of a few days in wet and dry seasons. To
identify these two regimes, the scale dependence of skewness of moisture and
temperature was investigated. Turbulent signals of temperature and specific humidity
measured with an eddy covariance system installed at 62 m height, over a 30-35 m tall
forest, were scale projected using Daubechies-8 orthogonal wavelet, and the skewness
factor at each scale was calculated for these signals. The data were measured in March-
April (late wet-season) and in August-September, year of 1999, as a part of the
Brazil/European Union LBA Tower Consortium. Measurements are made at
micrometeorological tower located in the Biological Reserve of Jaru (10o 04´ S, 61o 56´
W), Ji-Paraná, Rondonia state. The fast response temperature and specific humidity
measurements, sampled at 10.42 Hz rate, were made using a three-dimensional sonic
anemometer (Solent A1012R, Gill Instruments) and a closed-path infrared gas analyzer
(LI 6262, LI-COR). During dry season, the boundary-layer is characterized by relatively
weak surface evaporation (comparatively to the wet season) and the entrainment of dry
air from the top of boundary-layer occasionally reaches the surface, leading to negative
moisture skewness in spite of positive temperature skewness associated with warm
moist updrafts. This is observed specially during late morning, when the boundary layer
rapidly grows into the residual layer from the previous day. In contrast, during wet
season, associated with greater surface evaporation and a ‘disturbed’ state caused by
frequent strong convection activities, the boundary-layer is characterized by positive
moisture skewness and negative temperature skewness.
IS THE TAPAJOS NATIONAL FOREST ANOMALOUSLY CLOUDY?
(1) (2) 1) (1) (3)
David .R. Fitzjarrald , Osvaldo.L.L. Moraes , Ricardo K. Sakai , Ralf Staebler Maria A. F. Silva Dias ,
(2) (1) (2)
Otávio C. Acevedo , Matt Czikowsky , and Rodrigo da Silva
(1) University at Albany, SUNY, NY, USA
(2) Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS
(3) Universidade de São Paulo, SP
1. Introduction:
The success of LBA-ECO depends on valid extrapolation of measurments made at intensive
observation sites, through the numerical modeling, use of remote sensing products or both. In the Amazon,
river breezes are known to exert a strong influence on regional climate (Oliveira and Fitzjarrald, 1993). We
present evidence that the cumulative effect of the river breeze circulation is to make the Tapajos National
Forest (TNF) LBA-ECO flux sites (near Santarém, Pará, Brazil; 2° 25’S, 54° 42’W), cloudier than more
representative forests distant from rivers. Measurements of H, LE, and FC (the CO2 flux) at the TNF may
also be biased both by precipitation anomalies and by changes in radiative fluxes caused by enhanced
cloudiness. We examine data from satellite and ground-based instruments to quantify the bias in incident
PAR and suggest what this means in terms of a bias in maximum daytime carbon uptake.
Observation sites of the LBA-ECO project are located in and around the Tapajos National Forest
(TNF). The TNF is a thin strip of forest near the confluence of the Tapajos and Amazon river. It is wedged
between a partially managed mosaic of forests, pastures, agricultural fields and secondary succession to the
east and the 10-25 km wide Tapajos River to the west. To the north is the braided expanse of the main
Amazon River. This region experiences persistent easterlies during much of the year, a “continental trade
wind” regime. These trades are punctuated at intervals by light winds associated with weakening of the
large-scale E-W pressure gradient by synoptic-scale events. Breezes lead to strong gradients in
precipitation and cloudiness. In the daytime, rivers are clear areas surrounded by cloudier land areas.
2. Methodology:
Surface observations are made at a network of five surface observation stations, a cloud
ceilometer, in situ data complemented by hourly recording of GOES infrared and visible satellite imagery in
the region. In 1998, two automatic weather stations were installed; three additional stations were added in
2000. These are supplemented by the regular hourly observations at the Santarém airport and at the three
LBA-ECO eddy flux towers. At one of these flux towers, a Vaisala cloud ceilometer capable of recording
cloud base to 12,000 m was installed in early 2001. Evidence of the breeze is sometimes apparent at
stations as far as 50 km from the rivers. Radiation anomalies depend on distance from the nearest river.
The perturbation pressure gradient of the river breeze can be found through composite analysis. Hourly
composites of forced cumulus cloud-cover fraction from GOES images illustrate the preferred regions for
initial convective activity, locations consistent with the idea of convergent river breezes. The TNF sites of
the LBA flux towers appear to be located in an anomalously cloudy region, especially during large portions
of the transition and dry seasons.
3. Acknowledgements:
This work was entirely supported by NASA as a part of the LBA-ECO program, grant NCC5-283.
GOES images for the Santarém region are being recorded at the University of São Paulo as part of our
ongoing collaboration. We are grateful to Mr. Eleazar Brait and the staff of the LBA Field Office in Santarém
for assistance in field deployment and in acquiring data.
4. References:
Oliveira, A. P. and D. R. Fitzjarrald, 1993, The Amazon river breeze and the local boundary layer: I.
Observations Bound.-Layer Met. 63, 141-162.
SCALING PROPERTIES OF EXTREME VALUES, INTERMITTENCY, AND
LYAPUNOV EXPONENTS OF WIND AND TEMPERATURE DYNAMICS
OF CENTRAL AMAZONIA
jramirez@hidraulica.unalmed.edu.co
Abstract
We use high resolution (60 Hz) wind velocity and temperature data gathered during
May 1999 at Rodonia (central Amazonia) as part of LBA field campaigns, to study
diverse features of turbulence in and over the canopy. Our analyses are aim to
determining scaling properties of the extreme events of wind velocity over a broad
range of timescales. The scaling relation between the tails of the probability density
function (PDF) are calculated for different time scales, and upon these relations,
predictions are made for the PDF at any particular timescale. Secondly, we apply
wavelet transforms to detect intermittency features in the energy dissipation rates.
Intermittency is a fundamental issue that is brought about to explain the insufficiency of
Kolmogorov’s theory to describe the sample structure function and the non-Gaussian
nature in the dynamics of turbulent signals. Also, we use ideas pertaining non-linear
dynamical systems to artificially reconstruct the attractor in phase space. Towards that
end, we use the methods of “false neighbours” and the Shannon mutual information,
and then we estimate the largest Lyapunov exponent of the reconstructed attractor. Our
results indicate the exponential divergence trajectories in phase space, thus suggesting
the existence of a strange attractor in the dynamics of the turbulent atmospheric
boundary layer over Central Amazonia.
Observation and numerical simulation of the river breeze circulation
in the vicinity of the Tapajós and Amazon rivers
During the beginning of the dry season of 2001 in the Amazon Region, basically from middle July
to middle August, an atmospheric intensive field campaign called CIRSAN/LBA (Circulation in
Santarém) was carried out close to Santarém as part of the LBA. Boundary layer and upper air
measurements were carried out in both margins of the Tapajós rivers and on the southern margin of
the Amazon with the objective of studying the local circulation. This paper presents preliminary
data on the local circulation evolution close to the Tapajós and Amazon rivers intersection,
embedded in weak trade winds during an event of “friagem” in the Amazon region. Numerical
simulations of the river circulation with 2 km resolution are presented and used to help the
understanding of the observations. The preliminary analysis of the observations taken during
CIRSAN/LBA indicate that the margins of the Tapajós and Amazon rivers, close to the city of
Santarém in Eastern Amazon, are influenced by river induced thermal circulations; the local
circulation is more evident during periods of light large scale winds. A "friagem" event reaching
western Amazon during CIRSAN produced the ideal conditions for the development of river
induced circulations in Santarém. The effect of the river breeze is basically to lower the mixed layer
height and enhance cumulus cloud at the river margin. The effect of these on the venting of mixed
layer trace gases may be an important feature in the interpretation surface measurement in the area.
The numerical simulations show the coupling of the circulation on both sides of the river and the
advection of the circulation cell to the west, thus inducing cloudless skies in the western margin of
the Tapajós.
A Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of the Boundary Layer Evolution
Over a Deforested Region of Rondonia(Brazil).
ABSTRACT
Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is used to study the atmospheric impacts of land use change
over Rondonia (Brazil) during the wet season. Spatial distribution of land cover types for the region
were evaluated from Landsat images and implemented into the model. Atmospheric variables
recorded during the LBA Wet Campaign in January 1999 are used as initial conditions for the
model and to evaluate its performance. Case studies for selected days having weak winds and
strong solar radiation were chosen in order to capture possible landscape impacts on the
atmosphere. The preliminary results show that the model is able to realistically represent the
evolution of the boundary layer. Also, the model shows that the “fish-bone” structure of the
vegetation is able to organize local convection and impact the rainfall distribution. This LES
approach is a preliminary effort to develop a reliable tool to represent and understand the impacts
of land use in the Amazon on scales not yet explored. In the near future, a larger domain will be
covered by the model to better represent the mesoscale features. Additionally it will help to
increase our understanding the distribution of rainfall and the transport of trace gases over the
Amazon.
Variability of South American Convective Cloud Systems and Tropospheric
Circulation during January-March 1998 and 1999
The difference between JFM98 and JFM99 SALLJ strength in Bolivia is in part
explained by the winds produced by the South Atlantic Convergence zone (SACZ).
Periods when the SACZ is present are marked by southerly or weak northerly winds in
Bolivia. The SACZ was more prominent during JFM99 than during JFM98 leading to a
weaker SALLJ during JFM99. The Southern Oscillation also contributed to the observed
variability of the SALLJ in Bolivia.
In the tropical portions of South America nearly six times more cloud systems
were observed during JFM99 than during JFM98. This was accompanied by more
plentiful precipitation in the Amazon basin and in the Bolivian Altiplano during JFM99
than during JFM98. In this region, the Southern Oscillation was probably the most
important contributor to the observed cloud system and precipitation differences.
1
GEST/UMBC/NSIPP/NASA/GSFC Code 913.0, Greenbelt, MD 20770, E. U. A.
e-mail: ferreira@janus.gsfc.nasa.gov
1
Deforestation Impact in Eastern Amazônia : Climatic Simulations Using RAMS Model for the
Local Dry Season
ABSTRACT
The RAMS model was used to simulate the effect of possible climatic impact produced by
deforestation in Eastern Amazonia. Biophysical parameters derived from field experiments at three
representative sites, of the local soil-vegetation-atmosphere responses, were adapted in the numerical
modeling.
Two numerical experiments were run, for a two month period, August-September/2000, which
corresponded to the drier season of that year. In the first experiment, designated as “control”, the existent
types and distribution of vegetation, were used as standard in the model. In a second experiment
designated as “deflorested”, the forest biophysical parameters were replaced by those corresponding to
“pasture”.
This procedure resulted in the “deforested” experiment showing a diminishing precipitation,
within a narrow coastal strip, at the same time that the preciptation raised towards the continental regions.
This experiment also showed a generalized air temperature increment, varying between 0.5 and 1.5 oC,
which is compatible with previous results derived from large scale models. Neverthetless, the higher
spatial resolution model used in study expressed clearly the thermal regulation effect of the larger rivers
of this region, on the spatial distribution of the nuclei of temperature.
The “deforested” experiment showed a 50% raise in the sensible heat flux at the surface, with
relation to the “control” experiment, within a continental strip near the coast. An inverse variation, of the
same magnitude, happened to the latent heat flux, over the same region.
In the other hand, within the continental area, corresponding to the southwestern and eastern
potion of the State of Para, it was redicted a decrement of the sensible heat flux by the “deforested”
experiment.
The results show the influence of deforestation over the climate in Eastern Amazonia and that is
essential to use high resolution models to detect the regulating effects of the large rivers existing in this
region.
It was also shown the relative importance of the biophisycal, thermal and mechanical parameters,
near the Atlantic coast and in more continental areas.
Henri Laurent
laurent@iae.cta.br
This work´s objetive is to analyze the upper level wind divergence obtained by three
different methods to evaluate the diurnal cycle and which of them has the more effetive
response to the cloud fraction and the precipition. It was used cloud fraction data
(calculated from images of the GOES-8), rain fraction (calculated from the refletividade
supplied by the radar TOGA), and upper level wind divergence (starting from the water
vapor channel, radiossondas and NCEP), obtained during the WETAMC/LBA campaign,
on January and February of 1999. The diurnal cycle of the divergence was marked by a
maximum 11:00 LST, and it showed good correlation with the precipitation. Related to
cloud cover it was possible to verify that the divergence didn´t show any relationship with
clouds with low and hot tops (threshold of 284 K), but on the other hand, it behaved as a
predictor of the convective cover.
Second International LBA Scientific Conference, Manaus 2002
Aline Sarmento Procópio (1), Paulo Artaxo (1), Luciana V. Gatti (2), Ana Maria C. Leal (2), Maria
Assunção F. da Silva Dias (3)
* corresponding author
Aline Sarmento Procópio aline@if.usp.br
Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo
Rua do Matão, travessa R, 187, Cidade Universitária
São Paulo – SP, Brazil 05508-900
The LBA-CLAIRE intensive field campaign took place in Balbina (1º 55.20’ S, 59º
28.07’ W), Amazonas, during the transition of the wet to dry seasons, in June and July of 2001.
Aerosols gravimetric mass, size distribution, scattering coefficient and black carbon
concentration were measured in parallel with trace gases as NO and NO2. Several meteorological
parameters were obtained from a meteorological station and from a SODAR installed at the site
during the experiment.
At this time of the year very low concentration of aerosols and trace gases are observed at
the forest, but changes in aerosol concentration and in its composition was seen during a cold
front (friagem) that reached Amazonas from June 19th to 21st. The mean daily air temperature
dropped from 28oC to 23oC, and the SODAR registered a change in the meridional wind from
north to south and a strong subsidence regime during these days. The mean linear light scattering
coefficient decreased from 5.35 x 10 –5 m-1 to 4.0 x 10 –5 m-1, indicating an increase in the fine
mode aerosol fraction. The ratio of black carbon to the aerosol fine mass concentration increased
from a mean value of 7% to 12%. Black carbon mean concentration increased by a factor of 2,
from 60ng/m3 to 125ng/m3. A strong correlation was found between black carbon and NOx
concentrations during this period, both being tracers of combustion. All these changes in the
concentration and composition of aerosols and trace gases clear indicate an entrance of a polluted
air mass at the site. This reflects the occupation and anthropogenic influences on a forested area,
changing the background atmosphere of a remote region at Amazonia.
Variability of the ones of extreme rain events in the estuary of the river Amazon
David Mendes
José Antonio Marengo
Centro de Previsão do Tempo e Estudos Climáticos – CPTEC
Rod. Presidente Dutra Km – 40
Cachoeira Paulista – SP 12630-000
david@cptec.inpe.br
The study of physical factors that act on the forest it is of vital importance in the knowledge
of the caused climatic impacts in such a way in the regional scale as in the global one. The
region of the estuary of the river Amazon has a climatic behavior of different rains of the
too much areas of the Amazon region. The main meteorological system that acts on this e
region the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The rainy period in this region goes of
December the April. This work has the intention to show a possible change in the
variability of rains, using given of stations located in the band of 51°W 48°W and 02°S 0°.
These data had been gotten through the National Agency of Energy from Brazil (ANEEL).
The variability of rains in the February months the May (rainier period) since of 1979 up to
2000, sample that mainly had a bigger variability of the anomalies, in the period of 1979 up
to 1988, from 1989 this variability diminished, being the year of 1983 what it presented the
biggest rain anomaly, this due to presence of the phenomenon El Niño that was acting. This
region has a possible influence of the El Niño. In this period of study, it was verified that
extreme rains (superior 60 mm) will diminish in the reason of y = -0,1228x + 5,6491. In the
years of the 1982-83 and 1991-92 occurrence of extreme events she was very low, in the
1991-92 case was not registered superior rain occurrence 60 mm. The number of days
without rains, also had a reduction in the reason of y = -0,8793x. 103,81. In the years of
1979-80, the 1980-81 and 1982-83 number of days without rains had been bigger, this
associate the presence of the El Niño, mainly in the years of 1979-80 and 1982-83.
Development of a High-resolution Assimilated Dataset for South
America
Dirceu L. Herdies, José A. Aravéquia, Rosangela Cintra, Julio Tóta e José P. Bonatti
Arlindo da Silva
Data Assimilation Office NASA/GSFC
Greenbelt, MD USA
This work is concentrated on the period from January to February 1999, when the
combined TRMM-LBA and WETAMC-LBA experiments took place in southeast
Amazonia. The experiment measured temperature, moisture and wind profiles from
rawinsondes, surface fluxes, soil parameters, precipitation, etc.
The Regional Physical-space Statistical Analysis System (ETA/RPSAS), implemented at
CPTEC since 1999, was used to produce a high-resolution reanalysis (40 km) for this pilot
period. Results for whole South America circulation obtained with this reanalysis get a
better agreement with the observation and a more detailed structure.
On a longer time scale, this regional system will be the engine for a regional South
American Project, which will serve the purpose of refining the data products available with
recent reanalysis from NCEP, ECMWF and DAO.
These regional data assimilation datasets represent an advancing in our undestanding of the
South American climate and synoptic climatology, given its high resolution and utilization
of observational data not yet available to the global reanalysis aforementioned. This work
will also serve as a “proof of concept” for a long-term reanalysis project for the South
America.
SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TEMPORAL EVOLUTION OF THE
Eliana Soares de Andrade1, Leonardo D. A. Sá1, Maria Paulete P.M. Jorge1, Amaury de
Souza2
Abstract: Pantanal is one of the biggest wetland regions of the world, with an area of
approximately 150,000 km2. It is located in central part of the South America (19o S, 57o
W) and presents a climatology which is characterized by a very dry season and a wet period
in which strong floods are often observed. The Interdisciplinary Pantanal Experiment (IPE)
aims to investigate the micrometeorological aspects and the differences between these two
layer (ABL) structure above Pantanal wetland, particularly the nocturnal boundary layer
(NBL). For this purpose, it is important to take into account the meteorological processes
which drive the early evening transition (EET) and define classes of the NBL. In Pantanal
some cases studies have shown two distinct classes of EET: a) one with the generation of a
strong low level jet (LLJ), below 600 m height; b) one without a well defined LLJ. LLJ is
more frequent during the dry season and seems to be generated as a response to the strong
stability created by next surface intense radiative cooling process after the sunset. Besides
the LLJ, other aspects of the dry and wet CLA structure are presented and some possible
Fabio Sanches
Gilberto Fisch
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais da UNITAU
e-mail: fosanches@uol.com.br
Abstract: There are a lot of concern about the impacts from an artificial lake in Amazonia
can make, especially related with the microclimate. These impacts are not well understood
yet. The rainfall data (daily values) from 1972 up to 1983 (namely prior) from INMET and
from 1984-1996 (namely post) from ELETRONORTE were used in this work. Comparing
the monthly totals, there is no significant differences between the prior and post period
according to statistical tests (Mann-Whitney and/or Fisher Test). Only one month
(December) has not failed to pass the hypotheses of equal precipitation at 5% level of
confidence. Analyzing the occurrence the days with rains higher than 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50
mm, the number (and frequency) of light rains has increased, especially during the dry
season. This may be due to the increase of evaporation from the lake. Although the onset of
the rainy season is controlled by large-scale factors, there is a weak signal that it can start
earlier (September) for the post conditions than for the prior conditions (October). An
autoregressive-moving average model (Arma) has been simulated with the prior data-set in
order to identify the influence of the lake. The post conditions (in a monthly scale) match
quite well the forecast data, suggesting that the lake did not modify the characteristic of the
rain.
Modeling the fine-scale turbulence within and above an Amazon forest
using Tsallis’ generalized thermostatistics. II. Temperature
Abstract: In this paper, we show that Tsallis generalized thermostatistics provides a simple
and accurate framework for modeling the statistical behavior of turbulent temperature
fluctuations. For this, we compared our theoretical framework to data measured during the
Large Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) wet-season campaign,
in the southwestern part of Amazonia region. Measurements were made simultaneously
with Campbell sonic thermometers at different heights in a 60 meters micrometeorological
tower located in the Biological Reserve of Jaru (10o 04´ S, 61o 56´ W), Brazil. The
theoretical results were found to be in good agreement with experiment through spatial
scales spanning at least three orders of magnitude and for a range of up to 10 standard
deviations, including the rare fluctuations in the tails of the distribution. For scales larger
than approximately 10 m, a gradual transition to Gaussianity becomes evident in the
experimental histograms which is not captured by the present model. A generalization of
this model is proposed to take this effect into account, assuring thus a smooth transition to
Gaussianity as the scale increases.
____________________
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: fernando@lac.inpe.br
SENSIBLE HEAT FLUX HEIGHT VARIATION ABOVE THE REBIO
JARU AMAZONIAN RAIN FOREST CANOPY DURING DIURNAL
PERIODS
Abstract: In this work we verify if the vertical sensible heat fluxes change with height
above the Amazonian rain forest canopy, under diurnal conditions. The data were measured
in March 1999, during the wet-season of the Large Scale Biosphere Atmosphere
Experiment in Amazonia (LBA), in southwestern part of Amazonia region. Measurements
were made at three different heights in a 60 meters micrometeorological tower located in
the Biological Reserve of Jaru (10o 04´ S, 61o 56´ W), Brazil. We used the fast response
sonic data of wind velocity and temperature measured simultaneously at heights of 64m
and 42m, during the 11 Hrs to 15 Hrs time interval (local time). The wind velocity
components and temperature data were decomposed into various frequency bands using
biorthogonal wavelets and the vertical heat fluxes were computed in each of the bands.
Non-parametric statistical tests were then performed to examine the hypothesis that the
fluxes in each of the bands are different at the two heights. Results show that the sensible
heat fluxes measured at the 64m and 42m heights are statistically different during diurnal
period.
Evidence of non-existence of a "spectral-gap" in turbulent data
measured above Rondonia, Brazil. Part II: Amazonian Pasture
Abstract:
Wavelet and Fourier analyses are used to identify the spectral characteristics of wind
velocity (u, v, w components), temperature, humudity and CO2 concentration data sets,
obtained during dry and wet seasons in a pasture in a deforested area in Amazonian. The
data were measured in August (dry-season) and in December (wet-season), year of 2000, as
a part of the Brazil/European Union LBA Tower Consortium, in southwestern part of
Amazonian region. Measurements are made at micrometeorological tower located in the
Nossa Senhora Farm (10o 045.7´ S, 62o 21.4´ W) county of Ouro Preto D’Oeste. The fast
response wind speed and temperature measurements, sampled at 10.42 Hz rate, were made
using a three-dimensional sonic anemometer (Solent A1012R, Gill Instruments), at a
height of 4 m. Analyses are performed over a wide frequency range, from the inertial
subrange domain up to one day time-scale. Data are studied for a five day only spectrum
and for one day mean spectra and cospectra. Results showed that is not possible to identify
spectra gap in any of the investigated variables. This has important consequence in that
separating the turbulence flow into mean and fluctuation components may not be valid.
This also makes it difficult to determine a cutoff frequency for filtering the data. This
absence of a spectral gap is probably due to the non-stationary characteristics of turbulent
fields above deforested area. A comparison is made with the turbulent spectra computed
above the Amazon rain forest in Rebio Jaru. Possible physical phenomena in tropical
meteorology are proposed to explain the findings.
__________________
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: prasad@cptec.inpe.br
THE CONVECTIVE BOUNDARY LAYER OVER PASTURE AND
FOREST IN AMAZONIA
G. Fisch*1, J. Tota2, L.A.T. Machado1, M.A.F. Silva Dias3, R.F. da F. Lyra4, C. A. Nobre2
A.J. Dolman5, A. D. Culf 6
1
Centro Técnico Aeroespacial (CTA/IAE), São José dos Campos, 12228-904, Brazil,
gfisch@iae.cta.br
2
Inst. Nac. de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), SJ dos Campos, 122201-970, Brazil
3
Universidade de São Paulo (USP/IAG), São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil
4
Universidade Federal das Alagoas (UFAL), Maceió, 57072-970, Brazil
5
Vrije Universiteit Amesterdam, Amesterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
6
Center of Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
Abstract: The Amazon region is suffering from a high rate of deforestation, with the
tropical forest initially being replaced by pasture and agricultural crops. The coupling
between different types of surface (tropical forest or grass) and the Convective Boundary
Layer (CBL) has been investigated using observational (rawinsoundings) data collected
over Rondônia in the southwest Amazonia. The data reported here support the notion that
deforestation may modify the dynamics of the boundary layer, in particular during the dry
season. In this period the sensible heat fluxes are very high over pasture, creating a CBL
around 550 m deeper compared to that over the forest. The height of the fully developed
CBL for pasture has been computed to be 1650m compared to around 1100 m for forest.
During the wet season the height of CBL is lower than during the dry season and it has the
same height (around 1000 m) for forest and pasture sites. The CBL over pasture is hotter
and drier than over forest during the dry season, but during the wet season the air
temperatures and humidities fields are similar. Comparing the CBL growth during the dry
and wet season, there is evidence that the CBL properties over the forest are not dependent
on the surface characteristics, but the pasture CBL are.
The modification of the ABL structure due to a Friagem event in Amazonia: a case study
Gilberto Fisch
Centro Técnico Aeroespacial (CTA/IAE-ACA)
São José dos Campos, 12228-904, SP, Brazil
gfisch@iae.cta.br
Alistair D. Culf
Center of Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
Abstract: A cold front invasion into Amazonia during the winter times is known regionally
as Friagem. These phenomena is an important feature of the climate, as intermittent events
can modify the meteorological conditions, altering the way of life from Amazonidas as well
as the flora and fauna. During the field campaign of RBLE 2 (july 1993), a Friagem event
has happened in the Ji-Parana area (Rebio Jaru tropical forest) and was fully measured.
Using temperature data from ABRACOS Project (1992-1993), usually there are 6-7 events
of Friagem during the year, with 2-3 cases in July. The invasion of cold air (classified as
moderate) had occurred in early evening on July 6, provoking a light rain (3.6 mm at 6 AM
on July 7). The radiation integrated fluxes (solar and net radiation) showed a remarkable
change from a value of 17.1 and 11.8 MJ.m-2.day-1 for solar and net, respectively, on July 6
to 7.1 and 5.2 MJ.m-2.day-1 during the event (July 7,1993). The air temperature also showed
a dramastic change from a daily average of 25.3 °C to a value of 18.7 °C. The specific
humidity also reduces from 18 g.kg-1 to a value around 13 g.kg-1. The windspeed had
increased from 1.5 m.s-1 to 3.8 m.s-1. All these changes are expected by the modification
from a cold and dry air mass. The following day (July 8, 1993), as the cold front was in
dissipation, the radiation fluxes return to their typical values. The behavior of the sensible
heat flux is interesting as it has a reduced during the friagem (as normally one expected) but
it was very high: 3.5 after on July 9, 1993. This value is very high (correspond a sensible
flux of 200 W.m-2 which is not typical). This can suggest the hypothesis that the principal
mechanism chosen by the plants were the sensible heat flux instead the usual latent heat
flux. In terms of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), prior of the Friagem the height of
the convective boundary layer was 1350 m, with an average virtual potential temperature of
307.8 K. The ABL was very well mixed at late afternoon with a temperature discontinuity
almost null. On June 7, there was a cooling of the layer (temperature of 293.5 K) and only a
shallow but still well mixed layer (height around 420 m). This value is 1/3 of the typical
values and the mechanical turbulence was very important. The temperature jump at the top
of mixed layer was 9 K, indicating a strong subsidence acting at Ji-Parana area. The next
day the insolation has begun to heat the layer and the averaged virtual potential temperature
was 300.5 K, with a discontinuity of 3.5 K and still shallow CBL. The cooling of the
atmosphere was so intense in the lower 1-2 km that first the mixed layer has to be heated
and then it can grow its depth. Also the intensity of jump of temperature was so strong that
it may inhibited the entrainment, which act on the CBL development. The timescale
associated with the influence of a Friagem is 2-3 days, depending the intensity of it. The
structure from the atmosphere above 2 km is not modified by the event.
The intercomparison of radiosonde systems during the LBA/TRMM experiment
Gilberto Fisch
Centro Técnico Aeroespacial (CTA/IAE-ACA)
São José dos Campos, 12228-904, SP, Brazil
gfisch@iae.cta.br
hlaurent@iae.cta.br - machado@iae.cta.br
Tropical convection tends to cluster into mesoscale convective systems that are responsible for the
main vertical exchanges of energy in the tropical troposphere, and that account for most of the total
rainfall. An automatic method, based in infrared images from geostationary satellites, has been used
for tracking cloud clusters during their life cycle. This objective tracking has been applied over
Amazonia during the WETAMC/LBA (Wet season Atmospheric Mesoscale Campaign), in January-
February 1999. The results allow for analyzing the MCS organization and propagation and to
compare them to the rain cells observed from meteorological surface radar. The convective activity
showed two different patterns named Easterly and Westerly regimes according to the wind flow in
the middle-to-low troposphere. During Easterly regime, MCS and rain cells have closely related
propagations, mostly associated to the mean flow at 700 hPa. During Westerly regime, the
propagations of both MCS and rain cells are much more disorganized, there is no clear relationship
with the mean atmospheric flow at any level, and the low-level rain cells propagate quite
independently from the high-level cloud cover.
The same tracking methodology was originally employed over West Africa during the rainy season;
therefore a limited comparison between these two continental tropical regions can be addressed.
The convective systems are mostly driven by the diurnal cycle in the Southwestern Amazon during
the rainy season, in contrast to the Sahel where squall lines and other long-lived MCS are the most
important convective systems. Another finding is that the behaviors of Amazonian and Sahelian
convective systems are quite similar during the Easterly regime, whereas they are very different
during the Westerly regime. This is consistent with the presence of a mid-level “jet” favouring a
wind shear essential for the organization of the convection.
MODELLING OF THE ATMOSPHERIC TRANSPORT OF SPECIES EMITTED BY
CONTROLLED BURNINGS IN AMAZÔNIA
Igor Trosnikov1, Ralf Gielow2, João Andrade de Carvalho Jr3, Carlos Alberto Gurgel
Veras4, Ernesto Alvarado5, David Victor Sandberg6, José Carlos dos Santos7
Abstract
A coupled numerical Transport-Eta Mesoscale model was used for the determination of the
transport of CO2 from a slashed Terra Firme Amazonian forest controlled burning with an
area of 9 ha, effected on August 31, 1998 in the region of Alta Floresta, MT, with an emission
of 2052 Mg CO 2 during 144 min. The path of the resulting CO2 plume was computed for 78
hours, and reached the coast of Santa Catarina as a compact mass. Its concentration, following
the wind, was modified by mesoscale diffusion, with values that agreed well with the ones
obtained through Taylor's similarity theory.
The results of the same numerical experiments for others dates will be presented.
Igor Trosnikov:
Center for Weather Forecast and Climate Studies
National Institute for Space Research
Rodovia Presidente Dutra, km 40
Cachoeira Paulista, SP
CEP 12630-000, Brazil
Tel:55 12 561 2822; Fax: 55 12 561 2835
e-mail:igor@cptec.inpe.br
THE DEEP CONVECTION THROUGH THE CAPE IN COMPARISON
WITH RADAR DOPLER BAND-L IN THE REGION OF SERPONG-
INDONESIA.
José Francisco de OLIVEIRA JÚNIOR1, Paulo Yoshio KUBOTA2, José Augusto Paixão
VEIGA3,
e-mail : jfoliver@cptec.inpe.br
ABSTRACT
Deep convective activity in the region of Serpong-Indonesia (6° 24’S – 106° 42’E)
identified with the help of the radar reflectivity and CAPE (Convection Avaliable Potential
Energy) shows strong diurnal variation with different chacarteristics in the dry and wet
seasons. Maximum convective activity in the dry season occurs around the early afternoon.
Whereas in the wet season it is in the morning and early evening hours. During the dry
season the CAPE is stable to moderately unstable agreeing with the Stutevant (1994) scale
except at 1500 LT (Local Time). Sometimes CAPE obtained values of over 3000 J/Kg at
this time. During the wet season CAPE was unstable to very unstable, values reaching 3500
J/kg, especially around 1800-2100 LT. High values of CAPE is only a necessary condition
for convection. In future the characteristics of convection over Indonesia and Amazonia
will be compared.
Soil Temperature and Moisture Variability, Beneath Forest, Pasture and Mangrove
Areas, in Eastern Amazonia
José Ricardo S. de Souza, Julia C. P. Cohen, Antônio C.L. da Costa, Zilurdes F. Lopes
Department of Meteorology
Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
e-mail : jricardo@ufpa.br
ABSTRACT
Soil temperatures down to 50 cm depth, and volumetric moisture content within the
upper 30 cm layer of soils, were measured with similar thermistor sonde and soil moisture
reflectometer probe sensor systems, beneath natural forest (Caxiuanã), pasture (Soure) and
mangrove (Bragança) areas, in Eastern Amazônia. The sites were selected along a 500 km
transect, parallel to the equador, between latitudes of 0 and 2 degrees south.
The climatic regimes at all three monitoring sites were quite similar and regulated
by the passage of the ITCZ over the equator, which determines the transition between their
drier and rainy seasons. The soils temperature and moisture levels and variability, before
and after the onset of the rainy season, were analysed considering the observed short wave
incident solar radiation flux and pluviommetric precipitation, at each site.
At the depths studied, the soil temperatures in general decreased in the sequence :
pasture, mangrove and forest. On the other hand, the soil moisture beneath the forest was
high throughout the dry season.
The soils vegetation coverage was found to be, the principal agent responsible for
the wide range of soil temperatures variability found among the studied sites.The water
storage recharging beneath the pasture was intense and abrupt, just after the onset of the
rainy season. A smooth soil moisture transition was observed beneath the forest.
José Ricardo S. de Souza, Julia C. P. Cohen, Antônio C.L. da Costa, Zilurdes F. Lopes
Department of Meteorology
Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
e-mail : jricardo@ufpa.br
ABSTRACT
Soil temperature and moisture were monitored within the upper 30 cm layer, beneath
a natural pasture area in Soure, Marajo Island, Pará, Brazil. The data collected during an 18
month observation period (Aug/2000 up to Jan/2002) inclued also the short wave incoming
solar radiation flux and pluviommetric precipitation, at that experimental site. An
automatic station was used, with thermistor sonde, soil moisture reflectometer probe,
silicon photodiode pyranometer and tipping bucket rain gage sensor systems.
The results presented, include the monthly averages, hourly behavior and respective
extremes, for those soil physical variables. Selected case studies are presented, to show
sudden temperature falls and/or moisture recharging, associated with severe rainshower
events or the transition between the local dry and rainy seasons.
The soil temperatures observed at 20 cm depth were nearly 3 ºC above those measured
at the same depth, beneath other pasture sites in the Amazon Region (Souza et. al; 1996).
This may be attributed to differences in soil composition and climatic conditions among the
sites considered. The soil moisture values were within the range observed for shallow
depths, at other pasture sites, in Marabá, Manaus and Ji-Paraná (Hodnett et. al; 1996).
The soil parameters measured, will be used to initialize regional weather and
climate numerical models, and serve as reference for comparisons with other ongoing
experiments, in soils beneath native forest and mangrove areas, as part of the Amazonian
Large Scale Biosphere – Atmosphere Experiment (LBA).
Julia Clarinda Paiva Cohen (1) , Adilson Wagner Gandu (2), José Ricardo S. de Souza(1)
ABSTRACT
This paper presents the observational results of two squall lines (SL) originated over
the continental eastern part of the Amazon Region.
Satellite images and automatic weather stations observations at three sites
(Bragança, Soure and Caxiuanã), located along a 500 km transect parallel to the equator
and between 0 and 2 degrees south, were used to monitor the SL´s genesis and
displacement.
The observation period, between 17 and 18 September, 2002, was within the drier
season. Nevertheless the pluviommetric precipitation monitored at three experimental sites,
indicated the occurrence of a large scale convective system over the region. This
atmospheric system produced a nearly 4oC temperature fall below seasonal daily average in
Soure and Bragança. This fact might be associated to downdrafts during the local dayligth
hours. Precipitation intensities in Soure and Caxiuanã reached 36 mm/h , followed by 8
mm/h observed in Bragança.
It was observed from the satellite images that before the disturbance, there were
some scattered convective clouds, over the central portion of the state of Maranhão. The
combination of an easterly wave disturbance plus the existence of a 300 m high topography
to the west appear to have produced an internal gravity wave, which apparently organized
those clouds in a linear form. The propagation speed of the SL´s formed was about 14 m/s.
Even though these continental SL´s have different generation mechanisms from the
maritime breeze circulation, which produce SL´s along the Atlantic coast of Amazonia
(Kousky, 1980 ; Cohen et al, 1995); the present case study shows that they both have
similar structure and propagation speeds.
The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of the seasonal simulation of two
versions of CPTEC´s Eta model using data from the WET-AMC/LBA campaign in 1999
assimilated by CPTEC RPSAS (Regional Physical-space Statitical Analysis System). As
part of the investigations of the LBA experiment, upper air and surface data were measured
continually during the WET-AMC/LBA campaign from January to February 1999 over part
of Amazon region. Those data were used to evaluate and validate variables simulated by
two versions of the CPTEC regional Eta model at a seasonal time scale. Two versions of
the CPTEC regional Eta model were used. One version of the Eta Model was coupled to the
OSU (Oregon State University) surface scheme, and another version was coupled with the
SSiB (Simplified Simple Biosphere Model) surface scheme. The models were configured
with a horizontal resolution of 40 km and 38 vertical levels over South America. A control
simulation was accomplished using analyses and forecasts of the CPTEC global model.
Another experimental simulation was accomplished using initial conditions and analyses
generated by CPTEC´s RPSAS, which assimilated the data from the WET-AMC/LBA
campaign during 1999 and the Global Telecomunication data (GTS). The spatial
distribution and daily variability of meteorological variables, for both simulations, were
assessed against observed data. The performance and the peculiarities of the surface
schemes, as well as its limitations over Amazon region were evaluated. The initialization of
the model and its respective characteristics are discussed. Heterogeneity of the surface and
its influence in the precipitation regimes were assessed. The data generated by the LBA
Project has been extremely important in the validation and improvement of several models
in Amazônia. This work mainly evaluates the use of the data available from LBA
campaigns in Amazônia to improve CPTEC´s regional Eta model at seasonal time scale.
Towards a South American Land Data Assimilation System (SALDAS):
Investigating Potential Precipitation Forcing Data
Abstract: We used Morlet wavelet transform to detect coherent structures in wind velocity
turbulent field above and within Amazon forest canopy. The data were measured in March
1999, during the wet-season of the Large Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment in
Amazonia (LBA), in southwestern part of Amazonia region. Measurements were made
simultaneously at three different heights in a 60 meters micrometeorological tower located
in the Biological Reserve of Jaru (10o 04´ S, 61o 56´ W), Brazil. The fast response wind
speed measurements, sampled at 60 Hz rate, were made using Campbell three-dimensional
sonic anemometers at the heights of 66 and 42 m (above the canopy), and 21 m (below the
canopy). The results show that coherent structures are allways present at the 42m level,
irrespectively of the time of the day. On the other hand, coherent structures are not
ubiquous in the wind velocity turbulent signal measured at 66 and 21 m. During the day,
the time-scale associated with the coherent structures detected at 42 m is of the order of 30
to 40 s. During the night, this time-scale grows up to values between 90 and 100 s. We
congecture that these coherent structures are "role-type" structures asociated with inflexion
point instability. They have a time-scale of the same of order of magnitude, and defined as t
= 1 / (d u / dz) |h, where du / dz |h is the mean horizontal wind velocity vertical gradient at h
= 32 m, the mean height of the forest canopy.
____________________
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: leo@cptec.inpe.br
SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TURBULENCE STRUCTURE
WETLAND
Luís Marcelo de Mattos Zeri1, Gannabathula S.S.D. Prasad1, Leonardo D. A. Sá1, Eliana
Abstract: Pantanal is one of the biggest wetland regions of the world, with an area of
approximately 150,000 km2. It is located in central part of the South America (19o S, 57o
W) and presents a climatology which is characterized by a very dry season and a wet period
in which strong floods are often observed. We compare some mean characteristics of the
atmospheric surface layer (ASL) structure during wet and dry seasons over Pantanal
Wetland. Momentum and sensible heat fluxes and its associated correlation coefficients
were calculated for some periods during IPE-1 wet season campaign and IPE-2 dry season
behavior were also investigated. It seems that turbulence structure characteristics are
similar during wet and dry seasons, except during early evening transition periods. This is
probably due to peculiar energy budget conditions associated to the existence of a 15cm
shallow water layer during wet season in Pantanal. Other aspects of the dry and wet ASL
characteristics are presented and some possible physical explanations for the results are
discussed.
THE DIURNAL MARCH OF THE CONVECTION OBSERVED DURING TRMM-WETAMC/LBA
Radiosonde, satellite data, TOGA radar 2 km CAPPI and rainfall collected from the
TRMM-WETAMC/LBA experiment have been used to investigate the diurnal cycle of the
tropical convection. GOES satellite images were used to describe the diurnal modulation of
the total/high/convective cloud fraction and the diurnal evolution of the size spectrum and
initiation/dissipation of the convective systems. Radar 2km CAPPI were used to describe
the diurnal cycle of the rain fraction for different thresholds and the diurnal evolution of the
size spectrum and initiation/dissipation of the rain cells. An average over the four rain
gauge networks was applied to describe the average hourly rainfall. The upper air network
dataset was used to compute the thermodynamic variables: equivalent potential temperature
(θe), convective available potential energy (CAPE), thickness of positive buoyancy,
instability and convective inhibition. High and convective cloud areas fractions reach their
maximum some hours after the maximum rainfall detected by rain gauge and radar 2 km –
CAPPI. The minimum cloud cover occurs only a few hours before the maximum
precipitation and the maximum cloud cover occurs during the night. The maximum rainfall
takes place at the time of the maximum initiation of the convective systems observed by
satellite and rain cells. At the time of maximum precipitation the majority of the convective
systems and rain cells are small sized and present the maximum increasing area fraction
rate. The diurnal evolution of θe also presents a very clear diurnal variation with maximum
occurring in the beginning of the afternoon. The CAPE is well related to θe; when θe is
high CAPE is high, the atmosphere is unstable and has a deep layer of positive buoyancy
and small convective inhibition. These results suggest the following mechanism controlling
the diurnal of convection: in the morning, cloud cover decreases as the solar flux reaching
the surface increases and consequently θe. In the beginning of the afternoon convection
rapidly develops, high and convective clouds fractions increase rapidly and the maximum
precipitation and initiation is observed. After convection is developed the atmosphere
profile is modified reaching a nearly saturated state; the water vapor flux decreases in the
boundary layer which becomes very stable, which inhibits surface fluxes and consequently
extinguishes the convection.
THE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM AREA EXPANSION AND ITS RELATION TO THE
LIFE CYCLE DURATION AND THE UPPER TROPOSPHERIC WIND
DIVERGENCE: AN ANALYSIS USING WETAMC/LBA.
Luiz A. T. Machado
(machado@iae.cta.br)
Henri Laurent*
(hlaurent@iae.cta.br)
The WETAMC/LBA data measured during January February 1999 combine many different
sources of data resulting in one of the most complete dataset to describe the convection in
the tropical continental region. Based in this dataset we have studied the convective system
life cycle obtained from GOES images and the methodology described in Laurent et al.
(2002). Machado et al. (1998) suggested that the normalized area expansion of the
convective system can be associated to the upper tropospheric wind divergence and
proposed a possible relationship with the life cycle duration of convective system. This
paper analyses this hypothese combining the convective system tracking, the upper level
winds derived from the GOES water vapor channel and the divergence computed using the
radiossonde data. The main goal of this study is to verify if the area expansion of the
convective system at the first moment of detection (i.e., at the initiation) can be related to
the life duration of the convective system. The physical explanation for this relationship is
based in the association of the area expansion with the upper tropospheric wind divergence.
Large wind divergence at these levels corresponds to strong mass flux in the convective
parts of the cloud cluster, a convective system having strong mass flux will live for more
hours than a convective system with smaller area expansion (mass flux). The results show
that there is an exponential relationship between these two parameters, and that up to 10
hours the life duration of the convective system can be predicted using only the convective
system area expansion at the initiation life stage. Also this study compares the upper
tropospheric wind divergence estimated from radiossonde, water vapor wind and area
expansion, to analyse the performance of these kinds of observations to describe the
convective activity. The diurnal cycle of the upper tropospheric wind divergence is
computed and compared with the precipitation (radar and pluviometer) and the convective
and total cloud cover. The maximum upper level wind divergence (as well as the area
expansion) occurs at the moment of maximum precipitation and two hours earlier than the
convective cloud cover maximum.
MICROPHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A SQUALL LINE IN THE
AMAZON REGION
ABSTRACT
A hydrometeor classification is performed for a squall line that passed through the WET
AMC and TRMM LBA experiment area in 26 January 1999. Polarimetric measurements
from a S-band dual Doppler weather radar were used in conjunction with a classification
procedure developed by Straka et al. (2000). This method is based on extensive
observational and modeling studies of polarimetric hydrometeors signatures. Hydrometeor
types are classified according to arbitrary boundaries or thresholds in a multidimensional
polarimetric space. The hydrometeors are divided in the following groups: rain, hail, rain-
wet hail mixtures, small graupel, snow crystals and aggregate. Preliminary results are
consistent with expected vertical microphysical structures; warm and could types below
and above the bright band, respectively. In the end, this classification showed to be very
restrictive. A fuzzy classification algorithm that builds upon this foundation will be
discussed in a forthcoming paper, because the fuzzy logic-based method makes use of a
smooth transition in polarimetric observable boundaries among precipitation types instead
of simple thresholds. Finally, this study will support a different number of scientific and
operational studies that needs a better understanding to deduce hydrometeor types from
polarimetric data. These include: determination of Z-R relations, evaluation of interactions
between microphysics and kinematics in severe storms and mesoscale systems, estimation
of latent heating budgets, initialization of hydrometeor types and amounts in storm-scale
and mesoscale numerical models, determination of detrainment rates in hybrid cumulus
parameterization schemes, improvement and verification of microphysical parameterization
in cloud and mesoscale models, and verification of quantitative precipitation models,
among others.
Horizontal vorticity budget associated to an Amazonian squall line during the
CIRSAN/LBA experiment
Marcos Longo
Maria Assunção Faus da Silva Dias
Since vorticity has a governing conservation principle, it is more adequate to study the
flow in terms of vorticity than in terms of wind speed, especially when Reynolds number is
large, like in the case of convection, for instance. Therefore, the aim of this work is to analyse
the horizontal vorticity budget associated to a squall line formed on Amazon basin during
CIRSAN/LBA experiment. This budget was developed using RAMS model, applied to a grid
suitable to convective scale. Only horizontal components were considered here because they
are about 2 orders of magnitude larger than the vertical component.
The squall line system chosen for this study was formed along the Amazonian coast,
between Pará and French Guyana in August 10th, 2001, reaching Santarém area by the
morning of the 11th. Most important synoptic-scale and thermodynamic features determining
appropriate conditions for propagation were found. This system did not produce much rain,
but, considering its overall structure it can be considered a typical squall line.
Results show that horizontal vorticity terms depict important convective structures:
meridional component of vorticity tendency is positive when convective cells are developing
and it is negative on decaying stage. Vorticity tendencies describe also some gravity waves on
the top of troposphere. Moreover, it was verified that the flux term acts at the same direction
of tendency, while tilting and solenoidal terms act in the opposite direction. Three-
dimensional divergence is positive in deep cumulus from cloud base to near the cloud top,
while at the top there is three-dimensional convergence. Equivalent potential temperature and
buoyancy have also important structures during deep convection, showing stabilization after
convection.
Dynamic and Synoptic Features of a Cold Outbreak during Wet-Season on South-
western Amazon
Marcos Longo
Maria Assunção Faus da Silva Dias
Ricardo de Camargo
The aim of this work is to analyse a cold outbreak, or “friagem”, event that reached
South-western Amazon and Southern and Middle Brazil on November 9th, 1999. Using
satellite images, CPTEC-INPE analysis and surface and sounding data, it was found that this
event induced, on South-western Amazon Basin, decrease of temperature — reaching about
12°C — and specific humidity — as low as 8 g/kg — and increase of wind magnitude — to 7
m/s southerlies. Convection activity, which was intensified before cold front interaction, was
suppressed for 2-3 days after the cold outbreak.
Since vorticity advection at middle to high troposphere is related to temperature
advection at low levels, it was verified that the anticyclonic advection induces pressure
increase at west side of trough and pressure decrease at east side of trough. This feature in
pressure field generates cold advection in low levels, which intensifies the trough.
Cold advection was the most important term in the temperature budget equation, and
an equilibrium was found between adiabatic cooling and diabatic heating. While it moved
northward, the layer which has cold advection became shallower.
The distribution of convective systems detected by satellite in the Tropics of South
America and some relationships with the precipitation and the general circulation
1
CPTEC - INPE, Cachoeira Paulista, km 40-SP, Brasil
bottino@cptec.inpe.br
Abstract
The distribution of convective systems (CS) identified in images of the satellite GOES 8 it
was implemented by a simple method of classification of high top and deep clouds based
on the information of the water vapor and thermal infrared channels. Images of the period
from 1998 to 2000 were processed on the tropical strip of South America. In this work it is
presented: the) the classification methodology and identification of SC; b) some aspects of
the annual and seasonal average distribution of the frequency and dimensions of these
systems and its relationship with the vertical movement and the precipitation; c) the
monthly evolution of SC in the area of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and
relationships with the circulation and the vertical movement. In a general way that areas of
intense annual and seasonal precipitation are associated to a larger covering of convective
clouds. The annual march of ITCZ and the continental convection present phase differences
that exercise it influences in the vertical movement of the atmosphere of the coast north of
Brazil.
Evidence of non-existence of a "spectral-gap" in turbulent data
measured above Rondonia, Brazil. Part I: Amazonian Forest
Abstract:
Wavelet and Fourier analyses are used to identify the spectral characteristics of wind
velocity (u, v, w components), temperature, humudity and CO2 concentration data sets,
obtained during dry and wet seasons above Amazonian forest. The data were measured in
August-September (dry-season) and in December (wet-season), year of 2000, as a part of
the Brazil/European Union LBA Tower Consortium, in southwestern part of Amazonian
region. Measurements are made at micrometeorological tower located in the Biological
Reserve of Jaru (10o 04´ S, 61o 56´ W) above a 32 m height forest canopy. The fast
response wind speed and temperature measurements, sampled at 10.42 Hz rate, were made
using a three-dimensional sonic anemometer (Solent A1012R, Gill Instruments), at a
height of 62.7 m. Analyses are performed over a wide frequency range, from the inertial
subrange domain up to one day time-scale. Data are studied for a five day only spectrum
and for one day mean spectra and cospectra. Results showed that is not possible to identify
spectra gap in any of the investigated variables. This has important consequence in that
separating the turbulence flow into mean and fluctuation components may not be valid.
This also makes it difficult to determine a cutoff frequency for filtering the data. This
absence of a spectral gap is probably due to the non-stationary characteristics of turbulent
fields above Amazonian forest. Some physical phenomena in tropical meteorology are
proposed to explain the findings.
__________________
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: margaret@cptec.inpe.br
Relationship between CAPE and Bolivian High during Wet-AMC-LBA
Maria Aurora Santos da Mota
Universidade Federal do Pará/Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais
Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos
Rodovia Presidente Dutra, Km 40, SP-RJ- 12630-000, Cachoeira Paulista, SP, Brasil
Phone: +55 12 5608562 - email: aurora@cptec.inpe.br
ABSTRACT
Radiosonde date from the Wet Season Atmospheric Mesoscale Campaign of the Large
Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment in Amazônia (January and February 1999) held
in Rondônia-Brazil, rainfall date sets as well as the global analysis from CPTEC were used
in this study. Analysis of the transient variability of convective available potential energy
(CAPE) and any possible relationship with Bolivian high and convective activity was
carried out. Results show that there is a direct relationship between CAPE and vorticity
field in 250 hPa, in the studied period. When CAPE increases, anticyclonic vorticity also
increases, if CAPE decreases cyclonic vorticity appears in the region. This means that
when CAPE is released for formation of the deep convection event, it will occur
convergence in the low levels with rising motion and divergence in the upper troposphere
favoring thus the formation of the Bolivian high.
Modeling the fine-scale turbulence within and above an Amazon forest
using Tsallis’ generalized thermostatistics. I. Wind velocity
Abstract: Modelling of the fine-scale for vertical wind velocity component above and
within Amazonian forest has been performed using Tsallis' generalized thermostatistics
theory (GTS). We show that such a theory provides an accurate framework for modeling
the statistical behavior of the inertial subrange above and below the canopy. For this, we
compared the experimental probability density functions (PDFs) with the theoretically
predicted ones. The data were measured in March 1999, during the wet-season of the Large
Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA), in southwestern part of
Amazonia region. Measurements were made simultaneously at different heights in a 60
meters micrometeorological tower located in the Biological Reserve of Jaru (10o 04´ S, 61o
56´ W), Brazil. The fast response wind speed measurements, sampled at 60 Hz rate, were
made using Campbell three-dimensional sonic anemometers at the heights of 66 m (above
the canopy) and 21 m (below the canopy). Above the canopy forest, results showed good
agreement between experimental data and the Tsallis´ generalized thermostatistics theory.
For below canopy data, the agreement between the experimental and theoretical PDFs was
fairly good, but some distortion was observed. This is probably due to some peculiar
characteristics of turbulent momentum transfer process inside the forest crown. Discussion
is presented to explain these results; conclusions regarding the absence of “universal
scaling” in the inertial subrange are also presented in the context of the entropic parameter
of Tsallis’ theory.
____________________
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: bolzan@univap.br
Wind, Temperature and Moisture Vertical Profiles at the FLONA Pasture Site
Osvaldo L. L. Moraes, Otávio C. Acevedo, Rodrigo da Silva
Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
Two campaigns of tethered balloon observations were conducted in 2001 (July and
October, 5 nights each) at the Km 77 LBA-ECO pasture site, 500 m away from the
micrometeorological tower. The tethered balloon carries a sonde that measures
temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction up to heights of 1000 meters, and sends
the signal to a receiving station at the ground. The soundings were performed throughout
the nights, starting before dusk, finishing when the convective boundary layer was well
developed, usually around 0800 LST. Typical profiles were taken every half hour, up to
400 m. Intensive observations were conducted at dawn, to get the early development of the
convective boundary layer.
Nocturnal soundings were designed to understand the development of the stable
layer and the vertical wind profile. Drainage flow was expected and found in a shallow
layer above which the large scale easterlies persist.
Observations indicate that the drainage layer has a 50-m thickness. Wind speed
composites for the 5 nights in october show that it starts its development around 1800 LST,
reaching 50 m around 2100 LST, after which it stays steady until 0400 LST, when it starts
to disappear. The wind direction in this layer comes from south/southwest. We found that
extremely calm conditions are common in the cleared areas. In the core of the night, the
eddy covariance flux effectively vanished on most nights.
The intensive sets of soundings performed from just before dawn until the CBL was
well developed allows the estimation of surface fluxes from the convergence of heat and
moisture observed in subsequent soundings, using the boundary-layer budget approach.
The estimated fluxes from this technique are in good agreement with those measured by
eddy covariance measurement at the nearby pasture tower. This period is of special interest
for canopy studies, because an appreciable portion of the CO2 released by the plants at
night is transferred to the atmosphere that is starting to become turbulent.
ENVIROMENTAL CONDITIONS DURING A FRIAGEM EVENT OVER
AMAZONIA : A STUDY OF CASE
Gilberto Fisch
Julio Tota
Bart Kruijt
Antonio O. Manzi
ABSTRACT
This work presents a quality control of radiosonde data collected during WET-
AMC/LBA. There were four radiosonde stations: ABRACOS, Rancho Grande, Rolim de
Moura and Rebio Jaru, where the first two ones launched VIZ radiosondes and the others
launched Väisälä radiosondes. The quality control method was based on visual inspection,
plausibility and spatial and physical consistency. The visual inspection corrected date and
hour in files and name files, while plausibility checked surface measurements and its units.
A statistical plausibility method based on temporal site series and its consistence with each
radiosonde at a 95% interval of confidence.was also applied. Finally the mass divergence
integrated in the atmospheric column in a triangle which vertices were the radiosonde
stations were computed to verify the horizontal consistency of wind vector data. It was
verified that the substitution or elimination of suspected data improves the reliability of
thermodynamical parameters, for instance, CAPE. Consequently, it is strongly
recommendable to use the corrected data series.
TEMPORAL EVOLUTION OF Z-R RELATIONSHIPS OVER PRECIPITATING
SYSTEMS DURING WETAMC/LBA & TRMM/LBA
This work is concerned with the time evolution of the ZR relationship of precipitating
events during the WETAMC and TRMM-LBA experiment in Rondônia, Brazil carried out between
January and February 1999. Particularly, five squall lines were analyzed. The results indicate that
most events are characterized by three distinct ZR relationships during the life cycle of such
systems. Disdrometer estimations and weather radar measurements of the reflectivity factor show
good agreement for convective rainfall and poor correlation for the stratiform type. Since the later is
responsible for nearly 50% of the total rainfall volume, one might be careful while using radar
derived rainfall accumulations.
COMPARISON AMONG TWO SIMPLE MODELS IN THE CLASSIFICATION OF
DAYS AS RESPECT TO CLOUDINESS
ABSTRACT
The Amazon Area, with its gigantic dimensions, a lot of times is studied by means of
simulations using models. However, it is not easy, for example, to assess the amount of
short wave radiation that reaches a certain surface, once this radiation depends mainly on
the cloudiness cover, which is difficult to estimate. This work consists of verifying the
performance of simple mathematic formulations to estimate the cloudiness, with the
objective of evaluating the convenience of using those formulations in the classification of
days as respect to cloudiness. The results showed that in both formulations used in this
work, it was verified that a large percentage of days was classified as cloudy days, and most
was classified as partially cloudy, reminding that these results refer to the rainy periods of
the first LBA campaign. However the largest differences found among the formulations is
in the classification of days of clear sky, as one of them classifies, like this, approximately
half of the studied days. Possibly this is related with the different ranges established by
each one of the different formulations.
Rationalizing Burned Carbon with Carbon Monoxide Exported from South America
We present several estimates cross-checking the fluxes of carbon to the atmosphere from burning,
comparing models that are based on simple land-surface parameterizations and atmospheric transport
dynamics. Both estimates made by NASA Ames and USP modeling techniques are quite high
compared to some detailed satellite/land-use studies of emissions. The flux of carbon liberated to the
atmosphere via biomass burning is important for several reasons. This flux is a fundemental statistic
for the parameterization of the large-scale flux of gases controlling the reactive greenhouse gases
methane and ozone. Similarly, it is central to the estimation of the translocation of nitrogen and
pyrodenitrification in the tropics. Thirdly, CO2 emitted from rainforest clearing contributes directly to
carbon lost from the rainforest system as it contributes to greenhouse gas forcing. While CO2 from
pasturage, agriculture, etc, is considered to be reabsorbed seasonally, and so “off budget” for the
carbon cycle, it must also be accounted. CO2 anomalies related to daily weather and interannual
climatic variation are strong enough to perturb our scientific perception of long-term carbon storage
trends. We compare fluxes deduced from land-use statistics (originally, W.M. Hao) and from satellite
hot pixels (A. Setzer) with atmospheric fluxes determined by the mescoscale/continental scale models
RAMS and MM5, and point to some new work with highly resolved global models (the NASA Data
Assimilation Office’s GEOS4). Our simulations are tied to events, so that measured tracers like CO
tie the models directly to the burning and meteorology of a specific period. We point out a particular
sensitivity in estimates based on CO, and indicate how analysis of CO2 along with other biomass-
burning tracers may lead to an improved multi-species estimator of carbon burned.
THE NOCTURNAL BOUNDARY LAYER:
OBSERVACIONAL ASPECTS IN RONDÔNIA
R. M. N. Santos1, G. Fisch2, A. J. Dolman3
The dynamics and the structure of the Nocturnal Boundary Layer (NBL) are
still not very understood especially in tropical forest areas, despite of its
importance for the weather and climate control mechanisms. Data set from
RBLE and WETAMC-LBA field experiments (dry and wet season
respectively) in Ji-Paraná, Rondônia – Brazil were analysed and consist of
tethered balloon profiles, surface fluxes (sensitive heat flux, H, latent heat
flux, LE, soil heat flux, G, and net radiation, Rn), and surface meteorological
data. These data were collected in 2 sites: one representative of the pasture
(Fazenda Nossa Senhora Aparecida/ABRACOS - 10o45’S, 62o21’W, 290 m),
and another representative for tropical forest (Rebio Jarú–10o05’S, 61o55’W,
120 m). During the dry season on the forest the NBL was deeper than on the
pasture. Otherwise, during the wet season the NBL was deeper on the pasture.
The maximum development has occurred at around 5 am for dry season (420
m and 320 m, on forest and pasture, respectively). During the wet season the
maximum development accured at 10 pm on the forest (270 m) and 04 am on
the pasture (450 m). Pasture was warmer and drier than forest for the dry
season. The stable stratification on the pasture was larger in both of seasons.
The CLN erosion occurred between 7-8 am, in both seasons (for the dry and
wet periods). On the pasture it seems to exist a contribution of a horizontal
flux to broken of nocturnal capping inversion, which is more effective during
the dry season. This advection can be created by the juxtaposition of
remanescent of tropical forest inside a larger deforested pasture. This situation
is not so clear on the forest yet, where more detailed analysis are still needed.
1
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais – INPE/CPTEC/LMO. Av dos Astronautas, 1758 – Caixa Postal
515 – Jardim da Granja – CEP 12201-970 – São José dos Campos – SP
Fone: 0xx12 3945-6821 Fax: 0xx12 3945-6817 E-mails: rosa@cptec.inpe.br ou rosa_
2
Centro Técnico Aeroespacial – CTA/IAE
3
Free University (Vrije Universiteit) of Amsterdam
Statistical Evaluation of the Wet Season Atmospheric Mesoscale Campaign – LBA
and GTS Observations used in RPSAS with CPTEC Eta model
Abstract
To improve the skill of the CPTEC regional model was developed and implemented a
analysis system, called Regional Physical-space Statistical Analysis System (RPSAS),
that make use of the core system PSAS from Data Assimilation Office (DAO) on the
GSFC/NASA. The RPSAS has ben designed as an improvement over the current
Optimal Interpolation (OI) based on the Data Assimilation System (DAS). From
January to February 1999, during AMC-WET/LBA campaign, comparisons of the
Observation Data Stream (ODS) and the RPSAS analysis fields were made using the
Eta six hour forecast fields (first guess). The Eta model was integrated daily for 00, 06,
12 and 18 GMT using initial conditions from RPSAS analyses. The statistical indexes
were calculated with the purpose of evaluating the quality of the analysis. The
observations minus analysis and the observations minus first guess for geopotential
height and humidity at the levels 850, 500 and 300 hPa levels were used to generate
mean bias score and standard deviation (RMS) for each region to produce a statistical
evaluaton of the observing system for South America. The first results show mean bias
score for geopotential height amplitude on 500 hPa of approximately 16 mgp at 00Z , 28
mgp at 06Z, 8 mgp at 12Z, and 14 mgp at 18Z.
Explicitly Modeling the Vertical Transport of Biomass
Burning Emissions by a Mesoscale Convective System on Amazon Basin
The convective transport of trace gases by a mesoscale convective system (MCS) in the Amazon
basin is explicitly modeled through a numerical simulation with high spatial resolution. The study is
carried out using the atmospheric model RAMS (Regional Atmospheric Modeling System). The
model configuration was set up with 3 grids with horizontal resolution of 50, 10 and 2.5 km. The
resolution of the finer grid should permit the model to resolve the main eddies associated with deep
convective activity, simulating the transport of pollutants from the planetary boundary layer (PBL) to
the high troposphere. The case study is related to a MCS that was observed on September 26, 1992 in
Amazon basin. The PBL was polluted by biomass burning emissions on the previous days. The
atmospheric simulations were carried out using ECMWF reanalysis for initial and boundary
conditions. The initial condition for carbon monoxide (CO) in the PBL was defined using profiles
obtained by an instrumented aircraft of the TRACE-A experiment and the remote-sensing product
'aerosol index' of TOMS. The simulated thermodynamic and CO vertical profiles inside the MCS and
in the environment are presented, as well the role of updrafts and downdrafts in the vertical transport
of pollutants. Comparison between the CO measured by aircraft at the MCS anvil and modeled is
shown. The main information resulting from high resolution experiments are discussed in the context
of convective transport parameterization for low spatial resolution models.
Atmospheric Responses to Land and Water: Simulations and Observations of
Mesoscale Circulations and CO2 Concentrations in the Santarém Mesoscale
Campaign
A. Scott Denning1, Lixin Lu1, Elicia Inazawa1, Maria Assuncao Silva Dias2, Pedro Silva
Dias2, Raymond Desjardins3, Jeffrey Richey4, Marek Uliasz1, and Peter Bakwin5
1
Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, USA
2
Universidade de São Paulo, IAG, São Paulo, Brazil
3
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Canada
4
School of Oceanography, University of Washington, USA
5
Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, Boulder, CO, USA
Variations of the concentrations and stable isotope ratios of atmospheric CO2 contain
information about sources and sinks at the underlying surface. We have investigated
mesoscale variations of atmospheric CO2 over a heterogeneous landscape of forests,
pastures, and large rivers during the Santarém Mesoscale Campaign (SMC) during
August, 2001. We simulated the variations of surface fluxes and atmospheric
concentrations of CO2 using the CSU Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS)
on a multiply-nested grid which included a 1-km inner grid centered on the Flona
Tapajos. Surface fluxes of CO2 were prescribed in the model using idealized diurnal
cycles over forested and pasture vegetation, and over surface water using a value
suggested by in-situ measurements in the Amazôn River. Land vegetation cover was
prescribed using AVHRR NDVI data. Atmospheric winds and structure and boundary-
layer depth were compared to observations made by radiosondes at Belterra and by
SODAR at Santarém.
Mesoscale circulations were simulated in the vicinity of both the Amazôn and
Tapajos Rivers on most days, with magnitudes of 1-2 m s-1 near the surface. These
“riverbreeze” circulations were also present in observations made in the field. Simulated
CO2 concentrations were perturbed by over 10 ppm in the immediate vicinity of the
rivers, with the strongest effect in the early morning. By midafternoon, the effect of the
river evasion fluxes on simulated concentrations was mixed through a deeper layer and
influenced by the riverbreeze, but still easily measurable.
In-situ measurements of atmospheric CO2 and its stable isotopic ratios during
transects flown in a small aircraft at midmorning were consistent with the river evasion
flux hypothesis, though the magnitude was weaker than simulated. This suggests that the
prescribed evasion flux in the model was too strong.
Pastures make up the principal use of cleared land in the Brazilian Amazon. Observations
show that after 4 to 10 years after they are formed, pastures generally begin a process of
degradation that characterized by a decline in grass productivity and an increase in the
cover of weeds. For both environmental and economic reasons, development of strategies
for reformation and restoration of these existing degraded pastures is preferable to
formation of new pastures by traditional slash and burn activities. The objective of this
project is to examine strategies for recuperation of degraded pastures in Amazônia
examining agronomic, environmental and economic criteria. To achieve this objective, we
are conducing an experiment on an existing 63-ha area of pasture in the process of
degradation located at Fazenda Nova Vida, in Ariquemes, Rondônia. The experiment
consist of four blocks (replicates) of six pasture reformation techniques: 1) control, 2)
herbicide + NPK +micronutrients, 3) disking + NPK + micronutrients, 4) plowing + disking
+ planting of rice + NPK + micronutrients and 5) plowing + disking + planting of soybean
+ NPK + micronutrients. Before and during the three years following the initiation of the
treatments, they will be evaluated for a number of agronomic, environmental and economic
criteria. Results will be analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance to determine the
treatments that best meet the criteria in each of the three areas and to examine the tradeoffs
between these reformation objectives.
Co-limitation by nitrogen and phosphorus for biomass growth in a six-year-old
secondary forest: results of a nutrient amendment experiment
Eric A. Davidson
The Woods Hole Research Center
Ima C. G. Vieira,
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi
Ricardo Figueiredo, Paulo Moutinho, FrançoiseYoko Ishida, Maria Tereza Primo dos
Santos, José Benito Guerrero, Kemel Kalif, and Renata Tuma Sabá
Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia
Deforestation and agricultural abandonment are increasing the area that passes through
secondary successional stages. Most Amazonian soils are highly weathered and
relatively nutrient poor, but the role of nutrients in successional processes is unclear. We
fertilized a six-year-old secondary forest growing on an abandoned cattle pasture on a
clayey Oxisol near Paragominas, Pará. Four treatments (control; 100 kg N ha-1 as urea;
50 kg P ha-1 as simple superphosphate; and N + P at these same rates) were applied with
three replications to 20x20m plots in January 2000 and February 2001. All trees >2cm
diameter were tagged and measured for height and diameter in November 1999, June
2000, and June 2001. Nonwoody biomass was measured destructively in 2x1m subplots.
Growth of remnant grasses responded significantly to the N+P treatment, whereas tree
growth rates increased significantly following N-only and N+P treatments. Responses of
foliar concentrations were species specific. The plants took up about 10% of the applied
P, and recovery in soil fractions accounted for the rest. The trees took up about 20% of
the applied N. Emissions of nitric oxide and nitrous oxide were elevated in the N-treated
plots only briefly after the second year of fertilization. Net N immobilization in soil
incubations indicated that much of the N was probably retained in soil. Our results show
a co-limitation of N and P to biomass growth and a strong capacity to retain both
nutrients in the plant/soil system. We intend to continue monitoring growth rates and
species composition to determine long-term responses to nutrient manipulations.
Carbon and Nutrient Stocks and Trace Gas Fluxes in Agroforestry Systems on Degraded
Pastureland in the Central Amazon.
Regina C.C. Luizão; Marciléa S. Freitas; Flávio J. Luizão & Sonia S. Alfaia
Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Caixa Postal 478,
69011-970, Manaus, AM. rccl@inpa.gov.br
ABSTRACT
An agroforestry system (AFS) using only three plant species (Theobroma
grandiflorum, Bactris gasipaes and Bertholethia excelsa) was generally adopted in 1989
by farmers belonging to RECA´s (Reflorestamento Econômico Consorciado e Adensado)
Association, in Rondonia, as their land use management model. Recently, after a period of
high productivity, the sustainability of the systems seem to be declining. In this study we
tested the hypothesis that low plant diversity in the systems prevents litter production in
adequate quantities and nutritional qualities to maintain an efficient turnover of nutrients
promoted by microbial activity. For that purpose, our objectives were to compare AFS and
natural forest regarding to the following parameters: (i) the amount of carbon immobilized
by soil microbial biomass, (ii) the stock of soil mineral nitrogen, relating their amounts
with N input from litterfall, (iii) the litter mass and their nutrients content, and (iv) to
evaluate the influence of soil type in the nutrient dynamics in both AFS and natural forest.
The study was conducted in three small farms in each of two secondary roads (Linha 5 and
Pioneiro) which present different soil types (Red Latossol and Yellow Cambissol,
respectively) with very similar agroforestry systems surrounded by natural forest, used as a
control. Results so far, including only the wet season sampling, showed that soil microbial
biomass was significantly higher in the forest (500 µgC g-1) than in the AFS (280 µgC g-1)
and particularly in the Cambissol than in the Latossol. Nitrate was the dominant form of
soil mineral nitrogen in both soil types and systems but there was more nitrate in forests
(25 µgN g1) than in the AFS (12 µgN g -1) soils. Nitrogen and calcium were the nutrients
with higher concentrations in the litterfall, independently of both soil and land use types.
Soil type was the major influence on litter mass accumulation, always higher in the
Latossol than in Cambissol, with little differences between AFS and forest. However,
regardless of the soil type, AFS showed higher proportions (> 80%) of leaf litter, the
fastest decomposing fraction, in the litter layer. Seasonal influences and AFS´s
sustainability will be discussed as soon as the dry season results become available.
Fallow vegetation and agricultural sustainability in Eastern Amazonia: bringing out
ecological features in the present and alternative scenarios∗
Abstract
Over a century, smallholder agriculture has been practiced in Eastern Brazilian Amazonia,
alternating cropping periods with fallow periods, when the secondary vegetation develops
and allows to restore the soil fertility, with land preparation been made by slash-and-burn.
With the population pressure increasing over this old agricultural frontier, reducing the
duration of the fallow period and introducing other land uses in the system, sustainability
has been threatened and research effort focused in understanding the biophysical and
biogeochemical roles played by the fallow vegetation in the traditional and in the recently
introduced systems, and in proposing and assessing sustainable alternative technologies
taking into consideration ecological roles played by fallow vegetation (i.e. biophysical and
biogeochemical processes and biodiversity). Along this process, ecological features of the
fallow vegetation have been gradually revealed: the ability of numerous groups of plant
species in storing different nutrients (functional biodiversity); the role of their deep roots
pumping water and nutrients of deep layers during the fallow phase, and of maintaining the
nutrients in the soil, even during the cropping period, by avoiding leaching (the safety-net
hypothesis); the effect of this rooting mat associated to the maintenance of the riparian
vegetation by the small holders, keeping water quality in a watershed scale; the rates of
carbon stocked above and bellow ground; and the rate of water vapor exchange with the
atmosphere found even in young fallow vegetation approaching those found in primary
forests. The alternative technologies proposed include: fire-free land preparation (to avoid
burning allowing doubling the cropping period) and improved fallow (reducing the fallow
period, by planting fast growing tree species). The assessment of the effect of these
alternative technologies as compared to the traditional system includes studies of: water and
nutrient balances; emission of green house effect associated gases; carbon stocks; and
watershed level hydrometeorological and hydrogeochemical aspects.
∗
Based in results and activities of the “Tipitamba Project”, being carried out by Embrapa Amazônia Oriental and partners
in Northeastern Pará State, started by the activities of the SHIFT-Capoeira project, and presently complemented by other
initiatives, including some of LBA (LBA-ECO, Milênio LBA).
Effects of different pasture management in emissions of soil trace gases (N2O, NO and
CO2)
Alexandre Pinto1, Mercedes Bustamante1, Richard Zepp2, Roger Burke2, Keith Kisselle2,
Laura Viana1, Catarina Garofalo1, Marirosa Molina2
1) Universidade de Brasília, Brazil (aspinto@unb.br)
2) United States Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, Georgia, USA
In the central savanna region of Brazil, the “Cerrado”, it is estimated that there are
approximately 50 million hectares of planted pasture, mainly Brachiaria spp., almost all
utilized for beef production. Our objective was to assess the effects of active pasture
management on the exchange of trace gases (N2O, NO and CO2) between soil and the
atmosphere. Using chamber techniques, trace gases have been measured monthly on a farm
in Planaltina – GO, Brazil (15o 13’ S, 47o 42’W) since November 2001. Three areas of
cerrado stricto sensu were converted to pasture (Brachiaria brizantha) in 1991 and have
been managed since 1999 as follow: 1) N and P fertilized plot (N = 60 kg ha-1, P = 12 kg
ha-1), 2) Brachiaria associated with a legume (Stylosanthes guianensis) with addition of P
(12 kg ha-1), and 3) a control plot without management. A fourth area of cerradão (dense
cerrado) was converted to pasture in 1999 and was left without management. All treatments
showed high variability of soil N gases emissions. The plot converted in 1999 showed the
highest NO fluxes (0.05 – 0.2 ng N cm-2 h-1) except during November 2001, when the
highest average NO flux (3.6 ng N cm-2 h-1) was observed in the control treatment. The plot
associated with legumes showed higher emissions of N2O (0.6 – 2.0 ng N cm-2 h-1) in the
beginning of the wet season, but in March 2002 the highest average N2O emission was
observed in the control plot (6.7 ng N cm-2 h-1). Despite some peaks, the total emissions of
NO and N2O could be considered low. The CO2 fluxes were larger in the managed pastures
(fertilized and legume treatments, highest average flux = 9.9 µmol m-2 s-1) than in the
control plot early in the rainy season. The variability of CO2 fluxes decreased within
treatments and between treatments at the end of the wet season (April 2002).
Corresponding Author
Carol M. Schwendener
610 Bradfield Hall
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 254-1244
cms67@cornell.edu
Soil charcoal amendments maintain soil fertility and create a carbon sink.
Christoph Steiner*1, 2, Wenceslau Teixeira2, Johannes Lehmann3, Thomas Nehls1 and Wolfang Zech1.
1
Institute of Soil Science, University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany; 2 Embrapa Amazonia Ocidental,
69011-970 Manaus, Brazil; 3 Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
* corresponding author: Christop@cpaa.embrapa.br, Christoph.Steiner@uni-bayreuth.de
Soil nutrient and carbon contents are generally low in the highly weathered and acid
upland soils of central Amazônia. In agro-ecosystems, high precipitation and temperature
lead to a loss of soil organic matter (SOM) as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and
nutrients into the sub-soil. Patchily distributed anthropogenic soils (Terra Preta de Índio) of
Brazilian Amazônia make an exception. These soils are rich in stable SOM and nutrients.
SOM is especially important to the cation exchange capacity of soils.
Recent investigations of Glaser et al. (2002) presented evidence that charcoal from
incomplete combustion of organic material is a key factor in maintaining high levels of SOM.
Terra Preta contains high concentrations of charcoal and SOM.
In a series of experiments, we are studying the use of charcoal in agricultural praxis
and management of a highly weathered Xanthic Ferralsol on terra firme north of Manaus. In
a randomized complete block design with five replicates 15 amendment combinations are
being tested on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). During the second growing period a significant
difference between NPK plus lime-fertilized plots and NPK, lime, and charcoal plots was
observed. Charcoal amendments alone had no effect. These results are evidence of
charcoal’s nutrient retention and/or sorption capacity and its positive effect on crop
productivity. Slash and char as alternative to slash and burn could be a further step toward
sustainable agriculture in the tropics as well as toward the management of the carbon cycle by
simultaneously transferring carbon to stable pools.
Mechanisms of conservation and cycling of N and P in a chronosequence of
secondary vegetation in Eastern Amazonia
Cláudio J. Reis de Carvalho1, Elizabeth Ying Chu1, Eric A. Davidson2, Maria Tereza
Primo dos Santos3, Ricardo de O. Figueiredo3, Geórgia S. Freire4, Karina de Fátima R.
Pantoja4.
1- Embrapa Amazônia Oriental.
2- The Woods Hole Research Center MA, USA
3- Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (IPAM)
4- Bolsista DTI, CNPQ/LBA
The availability of nitrogen and phosphorus may restrict rates of regrowth of Amazonian
secondary forests (3, 6, 10, 20, 40, and 70 years) growing on highly weathered, acid,
intensively cultivated pepper field and a remnant mature forest were also studied. In
addition to C, N and P stocks in the litter layer and soil, the number of mycorrhizal fungal
spores was counted and the activity of acid phosphatase was measured in the top 0-30 cm
of soil. The lowest stocks of N and P in fine litter were in the pepper field (14 kg N ha-1
and 0.5 kg P ha-1) and 3-year-old secondary forest (66 kg N ha-1 and 1.7 kg P ha-1), but
there was no clear pattern with age among the other forested sites (ranging from 93 to
130 kg N ha-1 and 1.4 to 2.7 kg P ha-1). The stocks of nonwoody litter were equivalent to
the mature forest by about 6 years of succession. A similar trend was observed for soil C
and N, although the mature forest had somewhat higher concentrations. Soil fungal
spores measured at the end of the rainy season decreased with increasing age of the
secondary forests. In contrast, acid phosphatase activity increased with forest age.
Although N and P litter stocks recover quickly during succession, the mechanisms of P
Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, National Institute for Research in the
Amazon, C.P. 478, 69011-970 Manaus-AM, Brazil; Tel.: 55-92-642 1148, Fax: 55-92-642
2050, Email: schroth@inpa.gov.br
Abstract
Throughout the tropics, farmers threaten primary forests with conversion into slash-and-
burn plots and pastures and expose forest borders to the degrading effects of timber
extraction, hunting, wind damage and fire. However, certain traditional agroforestry
practices may have the potential to "soften" the edge between forest and agriculture and, in
concert with effectively enforced conservation legislation, may help to protect forests from
degradation. At the same time, they may offer income opportunities for farmer
communities at the forest frontier. The traditional rubber agroforests in the lower Tapajós
region, which have been studied in a farm survey comprising the Tapajós National Forest
and neighboring areas, are a case in point. On the margins of the Tapajós river, where in the
1930s and 40s attempts to establish industrial rubber monocultures in Amazonia
spectacularly failed, small farmers have been cultivating the rubber tree for over a century
by sowing locally collected seeds into their slash-and-burn plots. Extensive management of
the plantations and their periodic abandonment at times of low rubber prices favor the
development of secondary forest-like systems, where rubber trees are associated with
variable amounts of spontaneous regrowth, often including large forest trees. In parts of the
population zone of the Tapajós National Forest, these systems form the transition between
agricultural land and forest. We hypothesize that the small-scale mosaic of permanent
agroforests and slash-and-burn plots which can be found along the forest boundaries
obliges the farmers to closely control the use of fire, thereby also protecting the forest.
Furthermore, while the otherwise very similar "jungle rubber" systems of south-east Asia
are clear-felled and burnt every few decades because of exhaustion of the rubber trees,
locally developed management practices allow to maintain Amazonian rubber agroforests
over much longer time periods. We propose the integration of local agroforestry practices
into forest management plans as a step in the harmonization of forest conservation and
community development.
Litter standing crop and mycorrhizal infection in roots of agroforestry systems
plantations in central Amazonia
This study aimed to evaluate the seasonal dynamics of the litter standing crop and
mycorrhizal infection rates in the roots of agro forestry systems (AFSs).The study has
been carried out at the CPAA/EMBRAPA experimental AFSs and in the surround second
growth, located 50 km north of Manaus. Three formulations of AFSs, with three
replicates each were used, one with low density of plants (AS1) and other with high
density (AS2). A third one included pasture in its formulation (ASP1). In each system
parallel transects were delimited, 50 m apart from each other, following the plantation
line. Two samplings were made so far, one in the wet season and the other in the dry
season. Composite soil samples from two depths, 0 – 10 and 20 – 30 cm were made of
five individual samples taken at each two meters along the transect. Root fragments were
manually extracted, clarified and stained for visualization of fungal structures. Results so
far showed that litter standing crop did not change with seasons but was higher in the
second growth (219g ± 58) and lower in the ASP1 (57g ± 35). Among the litter
components, the accumulation of leaves (100g ±50) was much higher than the
accumulation of branches (28g ± 26) and fruits (2 ± 4). Litter accumulation on second
growth soil is associated with its physical-chemical composition: leaves hard and thick
with high content of lignin and therefore low decomposability. Mycorrhizal infection
rates were higher in the dry season. In ASP1 soils, rates of infection were higher in the
topsoil (0 – 10 cm) than in the 0 – 20 cm layer. During the wet season, AS1 and second
growth soils showed the lowest rates of infection with 8.2 and 10.8% respectively.
Among the fungal structures, formation of hyphae were higher (18%) than the formation
of vesicles (2.4%) arbuscles (0.9%) or coils (0.1%). Litter standing crop were not related
with the rates of mycorrhizal infection. During the dry season higher rates of mycorrizal
infection in ASP1 soils may be related with the lowest accumulation of litter (and its
nutrients), which triggered mycorrhizal proliferation.
Nitrogen cycling in termite mounds in a secondary forest
in Central Amazônia
Abstract
Although the ammonification rate was not significantly lower, the nitrification and total
mineralization rate were indeed significantly lower in the termite mound than in the control
soils. The elevated moisture level did not affect the nitrification rate but decreased the
ammonification rate in both materials. The level of aggregation did not significantly affect
any of the response variables.
T h e s e r e s u l t s c o n f i r m t h e h yp o t h e s i s t h a t t e r m i t e m o u n d s m i n e r a l i z e n i t r o g e n a t l o w e r r a t e s
than the surrounding soil. At the levels chosen, moisture was not a limiting factor for
nitrogen mineralization in thenitrogen at lower rates than the surrounding soil. At the
levels chosen, moisture was not a limiting factor for nitrogen mineralization in the termite
m o u n d . A g g r e g a t e s i z e m a y n o t h a v e b e e n r e d u c e d e n o u g h t o e x p o s e p h ys i c a l l y- p r o t e c t e d
organic matter, or termite mound-building activities may chemically protect organic
matter.
Diversity and vertical distribution of soil fauna functional groups in two
agroforestry systems in Central Amazon
In the native Amazon forest, the mineralization and humification of the soil organic matter
depend upon the complex activities of a large community of invertebrate organisms, which
can also affect other (physical and chemical) properties of the soil. For the rehabilitation of
degraded pasture areas, through implementation of agroforestry systems (AFS), it is still
poorly understood how the botanical composition and management of the AFS affect the
structure and activity of soil biota. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the
vertical distribution, biomass and diversity of functional groups of soil invertebrates in two
types of AFSs implemented by EMBRAPA/Manaus in 1992 (km 53 of BR-174): the
agrossilvicultural system AS1, less diverse, with dominance of the palm trees Bactris
gasipaes and Euterpe oleracea; and AS2, more diverse, with several fruit species and
without any type of palm trees. Both systems are surrounded by live fences of Gliricidia
sepium, used as green manure. The field sampling procedure followed the TSBF method
(monolith 25 x 25 x 30 cm), and the classification of functional groups used the guidelines
given by the project SHIFT ENV-052 (Beck & Gasparotto, 2000). The number of
taxonomic groups within the functional groups was larger in the AS2 system (more
diverse). The more abundant functional groups in the AS2 and AS1 systems were: the “soil
engineers” (2407 and 2005 ind/m2), the social groups (2299 and 1819 ind/m2), and the
decomposers (634 and 603 ind/m2), in decreasing order, always with larger abundance in
the AS2 system. The vertical distribution of the functional groups showed larger
abundances in the litter and in the 0-10 cm soil layers, for all groups. Largest abundances
were found in the 0-10 cm soil layer in the two systems, for most of the functional groups,
except for the herbivores in AS1, and the predators and "other groups" in AS2, abundant in
the deeper layers (10-20 and 20-30 cm), especially in the system AS2. It is concluded that
the agroforestry systems, and especially the most diverse in species composition, AS2, are
housing a diverse and active soil fauna, presumably able to keep and improve soil
conditions towards a sustainable system.
1
Grant holder LBA-ND-04, Master's degree in Ecology of the National Institute for Research in
Amazonia - INPA. E-mail: cortarr@inpa.gov.br
2
Researcher of INPA - Ecology, Manaus AM. E-mail: fluizao@inpa.gov.br
3
Researcher of CPAA/EMBRAPA Manaus, AM. E-mail: elisa@cpaa.embrapa.br
4
Assistant Professor of Tropical Cropping Sistems and Agroforestry. Cornell University, Department of Crop
and Soil Science, Ithaca, NY. E-mail: ecf3@cornell.edu
ALTERATIONS TO NITRATE AND AMONIUM CONCENTRATIONS IN
PASTURE SOILS SUBJECTED TO TILLING
Janaina Braga do Carmo1, Carlos Clemente Cerri2, Christopher Neill3, Marisa de
Cássia Piccolo2 and Diana Garcia3
1
Doutoranda do Curso de Solos e Nutrição de Plantas- ESALQ-USP, Av. Pádua Dias s/n caixa postal 9
CPG-Solos e Nutrição de Plantas, Piracicaba-SP, Brasil. Email jbcarmo@esalq.usp.br
2
Centro de Energia nuclear na agricultura (CENA-USP).
3
The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory.
The Amazon rainforest is rapidly being converted to farmland and pasture. Many efforts are underway to
understand the ecology of reforestation of deforested areas and the sustainable management of associated
agroecosystems. Nitrogen-fixing trees in small-scale agricultural systems play an important role in
maintaining and restoring soil fertility via minimizing soil erosion and nutrient leaching, and enhancing
biological N fixation. Trees in agricultural systems also provide fruits, fuelwood and fodder. This study
focused on two N-fixing species, Inga edulis (native) and Gliricidia sepium (exotic) that are ubiquitous in
forests as well as on farms. The low levels of available Ca and P in local soils can severely restrict root
growth, nodulation and N-fixation. I investigated the effect of fertilizer treatments: phosphorus, lime and
phosphorus + lime on nodulation of I. edulis and G. sepium in a 2x2 randomized blocks field experiment
54km north of Manaus, Brazil. In addition, two methods: soil auguring and trenches were compared for
quantifying nodulation of I. edulis and local farmers were surveyed about their knowledge and uses of
Inga. Results showed that additions of lime (Ca) significantly increased total number of nodules of I.
edulis and there was a significant interaction effect between P and lime in terms of nodule biomass for I.
edulis. In comparing G. sepium and I. edulis, P had a significant positive effect on nodule biomass and
activity and there was a significant interaction effect with species. The augur method cannot be used to
predict nodulation values found with the trench method. All but three of 24 farmers interviewed cultivated
species of Inga, mainly for fruit and shade purposes.
Organic nutrients in throughfall and soil solution of mixed tree cropping systems
and forests of central Amazônia
Johannes Lehmann1 and Klaus Kaiser2
1
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA, Email:
CL273@cornell.edu; 2Institute of Soil Science, University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth,
Germany
Dissolved organic matter comprises a large portion of total nutrients in throughfall, stemflow
and soil solution of forests. In most ecosystems, the organically bound nutrients are mobile and
contribute largely to the leaching from soil. Under the strong leaching conditions of the humic
tropics, soluble organic nutrient forms may be even more mobile and thus control nutrient
losses.
We tested this hypothesis in soils under species of agroforestry systems (Bactris gasipaes
Kunth., Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. Ex Spreng.) K. Schum., Pueraria phaseoloides), of a
secondary (Vismia spp) and of a primary forest (Oenocarpus bacaba, Eschweilera spp) in
central Amazônia. We sampled throughfall, stemflow, and soil water at 10, 60, and 200 cm
depth in January 1999 and measured inorganic and total organic N, S and P and organic carbon
therein. In addition, a fractionation procedure was used to separate labile hydrophilic and
refractory hydrophobic (humic) compounds.
Under the species of the agroforestry systems, the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon
(DOC) were larger in the soil solution at 10 cm depth than in stemflow and throughfall. With
increasing soil depth the DOC concentrations decreased. Under Eschweilera and Vismia, the
concentrations of DOC in stemflow were larger than at 10 cm depth. The DOC concentrations
under both primary forest species increased with increasing soil depth and decreased only
slightly under Vismia. Dissolved organic carbon in throughfall and soil solutions of the
agroforestry and secondary forest stands were mainly in the hydrophilic fraction. The
proportions of hydrophobic DOC in soil water decreased with depth under the agroforestry
species. In contrast, the proportions of hydrophobic DOC under secondary and primary forest
species were largest in the subsoil. This result is opposite to those of temperate forests were
DOC typically decreases with soil depth and DOC in the subsoil is mainly hydrophilic.
Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in all solutions comprised up to 90% of total N. The
concentrations of DON under all investigated species remained unchanged with increasing soil
depth or even increased. This suggests that the organic N is more mobile compared with DOC
which is in agreement with observations in temperate forests. But in contrast to these systems,
DON is predominately in the hydrophobic fraction. The largest dissolved organic sulphur (DOS)
concentrations occurred in the topsoil. Here, up to 80% of total S were organically bound. The
concentrations of DOS increased strongly with soil depth. Thus, DOS was less mobile in these
soils than DOC. In all compartments of the investigated forests, DOS was entirely in the
hydrophilic fraction. Dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) was not detected in any solution.
Our results show that dissolved organic matter contained the major part of the nutrients in
throughfall, stemflow and soil solutions not only in natural forest ecosystems but also managed
and fertilized agroforestry systems of central Amazônia. Organic nutrient forms contribute
especially to the leaching of N into the subsoil. Thus, organically bound nutrients are of much
higher relevance in tropical soils than in temperate soil.
ROOT CARBON AND NUTRIENT STOCKS IN CENTRAL AMAZONIAN
ABANDONED PASTURES AND AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS.
The quantity of roots in two agroforestry systems (AFSs) and in three abandoned
pasture areas in Central Amazonia as well as their carbon an nutrient content was
measured in 2001. Two 9-year old agroforestry systems (AFSs) were studied: one
agrosilvicultural system (AS1) which is based on two perennial fruit trees
(Theobroma grandiflorum and Bactris gasipaes), and an agrosilvipastoral system
(ASP1), which has a forrage cover of Desmodium ovalifolium Wall, associated
with the herbaceous Brachiaria brizantha, between rows of timber trees. Native
(13-14 year old) secondary forest (SF) stands where the natural regeneration was
kept, were used as controls in each block. Vismia sp is the predominant species in
the secondary forest. One 1,5 m deep trench was excaveted in each plot,
according to the vegetation, structure where the roots were collected: at AS1, the
trench measured 3 m x 3 m; at ASP1 and secondary forest the trenches were 3 m
long x 0.5 m wide. Two sampling techniques were combined for sampling the
roots: soil corer were used for the fine roots, separating them layer by layer.
Coarse roots were collected at every 10 cm, up to a depht of 1.5 m, collecting all
the soil present in the corresponding layer of the trench. Coarse roots were
separated by species, into two categories of diameter: 2.5-5.0 mm and >5 mm.
Roots were dried at 65-70 ºC for 3 days, weighed and stored for organic carbon
and macronutrient analyses. Total root biomass up to 1.5 m deep was 20.8 Mg.ha-1
in the secondary forest; 9.5 Mg.ha-1 in AS1 and 1.5 Mg.ha-1 in the ASP1. The
highest root yield occurred in the secondary forest (SF). Nutrient concentration was
higher in the fine than in the thick roots for most species. The carbon and nutrient
contents in the different species shows the species’ stocking potential of carbon
and nutrients, with marked influence of some species: for instance, in the AS1
Columbrina glandulosa is stoing high amounts of C and nutrients, since it is clearly
the dominant species in the belowground plant biomass.
The Influence of Prescribed Burning on the Nutrient Cycling of the Cerrado Savannas
Resende1, J. C. F.; Klink1, C. A.; Bustamante1, M.; Markewitz2, D.; Davidson3, E. 1-
Departamento de Ecologia-UnB, 2-University of Georgia; 3-Woods Hole Research
Center. e-mail: resende@unb.br
The effects of controlled burning on the flows and stocks of nutrients were measured in
areas “cerrado denso” (savanna woodland) vegetation at the IBGE Ecological Station in
Brasília. Two experimental plots were evaluated: fire exclusion for 26 years and
burning every four years since 1992. The two plots are on a Haplustox. The stocks of
Ca, K and Mg in the biomass (litter + root biomass) were 108, 62.4, and 30 kg.ha-1,
respectively, while the stocks in the 0-100 cm soil were 77, 81 and 25 kg.ha-1,
respectively. The stocks of N and P in the biomass were 218 and 12.9 kg.ha-1,
respectively, much lower than in the soil (4,576 and 2,042 kg.ha-1, respectively). Litter
decomposition rates were low, with half-life of the 2.6 years and residence time of 10
years. The atmospheric deposition of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S were of 4.2, 0.01, 1.5, 3.6,
0.5 and 0.7 kg.ha-1.year-1, respectively. P availability evaluated by sequential extraction
indicated a system with large stocks of total P, whose largest portion occurs in occluded
forms in the soil. The stock of total organic P (up to a depth of 100 cm) was of 259
kg.ha-1 . Fire increased the concentrations of inorganic P in the NaHCO3 and NaOH
fractions, and reduced the concentration of organic P. The organic fraction was
significantly reduced from 86 µg P/g soil to 78 µg P/g soil in the 0-10 cm depth. Fire
alters the cycling of nutrients in the Cerrado savanna due to the reduction in biomass
and nutrients and losses through volatilization and leaching, thus impoverishing the
ecosystem. The replacement of Ca, K and Mg by atmospheric deposition occurs in
cycles that can vary from 4 to 15 years, depending on the amount of burned biomass.
The replacement time of P may be as high as 200 years, due to low rates of atmospheric
deposition.
Modeling regional soil patterns based on lithology and topographic attributes
Soil moisture and nutrient conditions are critical for modeling trace gas fluxes and
tropical forest biogeochemistry, but traditional soil maps are not designed to supply the
spatially explicit soil property information necessary for biogeochemical modeling. We
present a geostatistical method for producing gridded maps of soil properties from field
measurements combined with available geology, topography, soils, and precipitation
data.
The key to advancing research in tropical forest biogeochemistry and biosphere-
atmosphere modeling is to improve our understanding of the ecosystem moisture, carbon,
and nutrient flows. Basic hydrologic and pedologic processes regulate
evapotranspiration, net primary production (NPP), and soil microbial activity which can
either produce or consume atmospheric trace gases. Changes in the rates or magnitude of
these processes, such as those incurred through land-cover change, may significantly alter
regional NPP and carbon cycling, but how these processes react to disturbance under
different environmental conditions is not well understood. We model soil pH, total
organic carbon, and soil texture (2000 soil profile data from the SOTERON database)
across most of the state of Rondônia on a 1km grid with the following objectives: 1) to
improve our understanding of the natural controls on soil nutrient levels and the effects of
land-cover change; and 2) to refine a methodology for producing maps of soil
biogeochemical properties for use in biosphere-atmosphere models.
The geostatistical approach takes advantage of relationships between
environmental data, as well as spatial autocorrelation inherent in their measurement, to
predict attributes at locations where no data were available. Any regional trend in the soil
variable of interest is modeled through linear or non-linear regression, using topographic
attributes, lithology, precipitation, and existing soil maps as independent variables. The
residuals from the regression are then treated as stochastic variables and interpolated
(kriged) based on a model of their spatial dependence of data (variogram). The trend is
then added back to the interpolated residuals, to produce a raster map of the soil variable
under study. This method is an effective means of exploring relationships among soil
nutrients and edaphic gradients, visualizing spatial trends, and creating input layers for
regional biogeochemical models.
NUTRIENT USE EFFICIENCY IN ABANDONED PASTURE SOIL UNDER
ORGANIC AND CHEMICAL AMENDMENTS
Most of the agricultural systems in Amazon do not take into account the organic matter use
and recycling, which is the key for the functioning of the original forest ecosystem. In order
to compare the efficiency of nutrient use for plant growth and production under two types
of fertilizers added to the soil (organic or chemical), an experiment was established at the
EMBRAPA/CPAA Experimental Station, near Manaus. Using a randomized block design
with five repetitions, 1-m2 suspended plots, filled with Yellow Latosol from abandoned
pastures, were planted with green pepper (Capsicum sp), used as test-plants. Four
treatments were used: addition of organic fertilizer; chemical fertilizer; organic+chemical
fertilizer; and, control (without fertilizer). Lime was applied in all treatments. The plant
biomass, amounts of nutrients in the leaves, shafts and roots of test-plants, besides the fruit
production, were measured. In the plants under organic amendment, were necessary 0.42 g
of P; 4.5 g de K; 1.19 g of Ca and 0.04 g of Mg to produce 1 kg of fruits. In the chemical
treatment, the amounts of nutrients necessary were much larger (except for Ca): 1.05 g of
P; 13.2 g de K; 1.19 g of Ca and 0.95 g of Mg. That means that the use of nutrients for fruit
production in the treatment with organic fertilizer was more efficient than in the treatment
with chemical fertilizer, possibly due to a better retention of water and nutrients in the soil
organic matter. One consequence of that was significantly lower leaching of nutrients under
the organic amendment: 17 kg /ha of N; 1.3 kg /ha of K; 3.3 kg /ha of Ca and 0.4 kg /ha of
Mg. Under chemical amendment, leaching losses were: 94 kg/ha of N; 212 kg/ha of K; 36
kg/ha of Ca and 7.4 kg/ha of Mg. Additionally, under organic amendment plants developed
larger biomass of leaves and roots which allow larger photosynthesis rates and larger
surface for nutriente uptake. At a basin scale, the largest nutrient retention in the soil and in
the plants would represent a lower risk of pollution of water bodies by agricultural
plantations, when organic fertilizer is used instead of chemical treatments.
Wood, soil-macrofauna and nutrients – a field experiment in central Amazonia
Verhaagh, Manfred 1, Martius, Christopher 2, Martins, Gilvan C.3, Medeiros, Lucilene G.S.3
1
Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Erbprinzenstr. 13, D- 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
manfred.verhaagh@smnk.de
² Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung – ZEF, Walter-Flex-Str. 3, D-53113 Bonn, Germany
3
Embrapa Amazônia Ocidental, C.P. 319, 69.011-970 Manaus/AM, Brasil
Slash-and-burn cultivation is the method commonly used in Amazonia to clear land for crop
plants. Due to the normally highly weathered, nutrient-poor soils this practice has to be combined
with shifting cultivation. In practice fields are often abandoned already after one or two years to
allow the regeneration of the soil during the fallow period. Nevertheless, land degradation is a
common problem especially in densely populated areas like Manaus or Belém. Investigations
during the SHIFT-Project ENV 25 in the Zona Bragantina, Pará (HÖLSCHER ET AL. 1997) have
shown very high element losses during burning (e.g. up to 98% of C, 96% of N, 48% of K or 47%
of P) a major reason why this form of agriculture is not sustainable even under fertilization. In the
same project was shown, however, that fire-free land clearing by cutting and chopping the
secondary vegetation converting it into a mulch layer results in the preservation of organic matter
and nutrients. Crop production can be adequate especially in the second year under these
conditions, too.
In our field experiment as part of SHIFT-Project ENV 52/2 in Manaus (site of Embrapa Amazônia
Ocidental) we aim to investigate the role of the soil macrofauna, with a special focus on wood
consuming termites, during the decomposition of wood and in the release of plant nutrients in fire-
free land preparations. For this purpose, 9 areas of secondary forest (capoeira) were cut during the
drier season in 2001, each 30x40m sized. We prepared 3 replicates of 3 different land treatments:
(1) traditional slash-and-burn as control; (2) arranging the cut wood in files inside the areas leaving
the litter layer intact; (3) creating a several centimeters thick mulch layer of chopped wood via a
commercial wood chopper. Total wood biomass was at least 50 tons/ha (d.w.) in the selected areas,
and all areas were planted in November 2001 with cassava.
Wood decomposition and its colonization by fauna is monitored in wood bags of 70x40 cm filled
either with trunk pieces (about 4 kg d.w.) of two commonly encountered trees in the capoeira
vegetation (Vismia cayennensis, Bellucia sp.) or with a mixture of chopped wood of both species
(about 2 kg d.w.). Other methods used to compare macrofauna abundance and biomass in the
different areas are: extraction of fauna from the organic layer from 0,56 m² sized areas in Winkler-
bags; extraction from litter and soil cores (21 cm Ø, 7 cm depth) in a Berlese funnels; extraction of
earthworms from 4m² squares by diluted formol; direct counts of termites nests and galleries. Soil
organic matter, soil nutrients (N, P and major cations) and characters of soil physics are
determined in the same intervals as the fauna, i.e. every 6 months so far until the end of the project
in September 2003. To compare the effect of fertilizer on root production of cassava we fertilized
one third of each area.
Literature: HÖLSCHER, D., MÖLLER, M.R.F., DENICH, M., FÖLSTER, H. (1997): Nutrient input-output
budget of shifting agriculture in Eastern Amazonia. – Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 47: 49-57.
The fate of phosphorus in a lowland Amazonian forest ecosystem.
Ralf Gielow1, Maria Cristina Forti1, João Andrade de Carvalho Jr2, Carlos Alberto Gurgel
Veras3, Ernesto Alvarado4, David Victor Sandberg5, José Carlos dos Santos6
ABSTRACT
Changes in the chemical composition, with depth and time, of the soil water solution that
results from rainfall and that percolates through the unsaturated zone, are studied after the
slashing and burning of two “Terra Firme” Amazonian forest parcels located (9o57'42.20"S,
56o20'52.05"W) near Alta Floresta, MT. The samples were collected with zero tension
lisymeters installed in the following parcels: (i) pristine forest, (ii) forest with the litter
accidentally burned, (iii) and (iv) slashed and burned forest, in 1999 and 2001, respectively.
The concentrations of Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, NH4+, Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, Fe2+, Mn2+, Cu2+, Zn2+
and Al3+ in the soil solution were determined. The major cations and anions presented a
concentration decrease with time, after initial peaks caused by the burning, while for most
metals a mobilization was observed. Also, unbalances which decrease with time were
evidenced by the electronegativities determined. The pulses introduced in the soil solution
composition lasted about two months for each major ion, and react with the soil system.
Relationship between soil nutrient availability and carbon fixation in seedlings and
trees in central Amazonia
Tropical rain forests generally grow on nutrient-poor soils. Despite of efficient mechanisms
for nutrient conservation and recycling, developed by the forest, nutrient limitations may
prevent higher carbon fixation, and consequent plant growth. The present study aim to test
the hipothesis that soil nutrient limitations can influence both, the initial growth of
seedlings as well as carbon sequestration and additional growth in adult trees. The study
has been conducted at the ZF-2 INPA’s Reserve, ca. 80 km north of Manaus, in two phases:
i) test of the effect of fertilizer additions (N + P and Ca + Mg) on the growth of seedlings of
pioneer and climax species; and, ii) study of the relationship between C and nutrient
concentrations, and the possible nutrient limitation to the atmospheric CO2 uptake by adult
trees in the forest. In a toposequence (plateau, slope and valley), the ratios C/N, C/P,
C/bases, were calculated in selected trees and surrounding soil. The addition of N+P to the
soil induced a higher seedling mortality; however, there was a positive effect on the growth
of surviving seedlings, suggesting a possible N and P limitation to the establishment of
seedlings. Adult trees located in the valley plots showed the most favorable C/bases
(K+Ca+Mg) ratio: 83, against 145 in both, plateau and slope plots. Mean N concentrations
were similar in tree leaves at plateau (1.9%) and slope (2%); however, both were higher
than in the valley (1.3%). That is also reflected in the C/N ratio, significantly lower in the
plateau and slope than in the valley plots (26.1%, 26% and 36.6%, respectively). Carbon
concentrations in mature leaves were higher (49.2%) in the slope than in both, plateau and
valley (47.5% and 47.8% respectively). Suggestions are made that: (i) lower CO2 fixation
in the valley plots may be influenced by low soil nutrient availability for plants; and, (ii)
slopes may have better supplies of other elements (e.g., water in soil) which favor C
fixation in trees.
Assessment of biophysical and biogeochemical processes in traditional and alternative
agriculture systems in Eastern Amazonia∗
Abstract
∗
Segment of the Milênio LBA project financed by MCT, and leaded by P. Artaxo Neto, USP, and component
of the Tipitamba Project, a long term research initiative underway by Embrapa Amazônia Oriental associated
with several partners, focusing on fallow management oriented alternatives to slash-and-burn agriculture.
LITTER DYNAMICS IN AN UPLAND FOREST TOPOSEQUENCE IN CENTRAL
AMAZONIA
Fine litter production, its nutrient contents, and litter-layer deposition and
changes over time were studied in a toposequence of an upland moist forest in
central Amazonia, 80 km north of Manaus. The aim of this study was to assess the
dynamics of litter production and deposition at different climatic periods of the year
(dry and wet season) and topographic positions in the local relief. Three plots were
established in each of three distinct topographic levels: plateau, slope and valley,
at km 34 of the secondary road ZF-2. Litterfall was measured semi-monthly in ten
squared 50 cm X 50 cm traps for each plot. Litter was sorted into four main
components: leaves, woody material, reproductive structures, and fine fractions.
Macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) were analysed on oven-dried leaf samples. Leaf
carbon concentration was determined by elemental CHN Analyser. Each 3 months,
samples of the litter layer were also taken, in the same plots used for measuring
litter production, in order to follow the dynamics of litter deposition on forest floor.
The greatest litter production, during the dry period, occurred in the plateau (1.17 t
ha-1), while the smallest one was measured in the valley plots (0.67 t ha-1). The
same patttern was found in the wet season (0.48 t ha-1 in the plateau and 0.41 t ha-
1
in the valley), when much less litter was produced in all topographic positions.
However, higher proportion of leaves (81%) were recorded at the plots located in
the slopes, while more woody material (17%) was found in the valley plots. The
greatest C/N ratio was found in the valley (43.7), while lower ratios were recorded
in the slope (33.9), suggesting that faster litter decomposition and more efficient
nutrient recycling occurs in the slopes. During the dry season, higher leaf C
concentrations were found in the slope samples. There are indications of higher
efficiency of C fixation at the slope, which agrees with other current work made in
the same forest location.
The Quaternary Climate of Amazonia
An 137m ice-core drilled in 1999 from Eastern Bolivian Andes at the summit of Nevado Illimani
(16°37' S, 67°46' W, 6350m asl) opens a new perspective on tropical ice-core research as the site is
strongly influenced by Amazon Basin weather systems, offering the possibility of investigating
amazonian atmospheric chemistry changes along the 20th century.
The upper 50m of the ice-core were dated by multi-proxy analysis (δ18O, δ2H, 137Cs, Ca+2
content, electrical conductivity, and insoluble microparticle content), providing a record of environmental
variations of about 80 years. Elemental concentrations for 46 chemical species (from Li to U) in 744 ice
and snow samples along the 50m ice-core section were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass
Spectrometry, providing a complex database with sub-annual-to-annual resolution.
Lithium-rich salt lakes (salars) act as important local aerosol sources in the region. The average Li
and Al concentrations are 0.312 and 252 ng g-1, respectively. The measured Li/Al weight ratio is about 3
times above the ratio for the mean world soil composition, evidencing the contribution of regional sources
to the ice-core glaciochemistry. Analyses of austral summer and winter elemental concentrations show
different trends for the profiles of several elements, thus indicating changes in atmospheric chemistry.
After 1960-1970 the concentration of P during summer and Zn during winter show a growing trend,
which may be due to increasing biomass burning activity in Amazon Basin.
50,000 year record of vegetation and climate change in Noel Kempff Mercado
National Park, Bolivian Amazon.
Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ca. 15,000
km2, located in NE Bolivia on the Precambrian Shield, adjacent to the Brazilian states
of Mato Grosso and Rondônia. This is an ideal study area because it occupies the
climatically-sensitive ecotone between humid evergreen rainforests to the north, semi-
deciduous dry forests to the south, and upland cerrado savannas to the east. The
climate is highly seasonal, with mean annual precipitation of ca. 1500 mm.
The study sites are Laguna Chaplin (14028’S, 61004’W) and Laguna Bella
Vista (13037’S, 61033’W), 200-250 m above sea level, which are surrounded by
humid evergreen forest. They are large (4-6 km diameter), flat-bottomed, shallow
lakes (2.0-2.5 m water depth), formed by subsidence along fault-lines of the
underlying Shield.
Analysis of fossil pollen and charcoal from 3 metre cores from these 2 sites,
located 100 km apart, reveals a pattern of regional vegetation change over the last
50,000 years. Chronological control was provided by a suite of AMS 14C dates. A
mix of deciduous dry forest and savannas covered the park between 50,000 and
40,000 yr BP, while stable carbon isotope values show that more open savannas
predominated between 40,000 and 18,000 yr BP. We suggest that this expansion of
C4 grasses at the last glacial maximum (LGM) was driven by a combination of low
atmospheric CO2 concentrations and a slight reduction in precipitation. Gallery
forests contained Podocarpus trees, providing further evidence that LGM
temperatures were significantly lower than today.
Savannas continued to dominate throughout most of the Holocene, with
rainforests restricted to riparian zones. Humid evergreen rainforests only expanded to
dominate the area between 3,000 and 2,000 yr BP, due to increased precipitation in
SW Amazonia, an inference supported by comparison with ice-core (Thompson et al.,
1998) and lake-level records from the Bolivian Andes (Baker et al., 2001), as well as
soil carbon isotope data from more central parts of the Basin (de Freitas et al., 2001).
This Late Holocene increase in precipitation in southern Amazonia can be attributed
to more intense insolation in the austral summer, in turn explicable by orbital forcing
according to Milankovitch Theory.
Pleistocene Amazonia: forest cover, lake level and orbital variation.
Mark B. Bush
Peter Mann de TOLEDO; Dilce de Fátima ROSSETTI and Heloísa Maria MORAES-SANTOS
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Caixa Postal 399, 66040-170, Belém, Pará, Brazil.
Deciphering the origin of the Amazonian biodiversity has been a challenge to the scientific
community with special interest in the natural history, conservation of communities and
ecosystems, and the role of paleoindians in the shaping of the present landscape. An
important aspect of this multi-disciplinary field is the understanding of the main historical
factors characterized by the combination of physical and biological phenomena, which
acted upon the shaping of the biome as we see today. In order to reconstruct the origin and
the historical events of the main ecological processes that took place to form the rainforest,
an analysis and organization of a series of multi-disciplinary data related to geology and
climate, and a reasonable control of the fossil history is needed. Data focusing on pollen,
geomorphology and soil isotopes have been used as main sources to provide information
about Pleistocene paleoenvironmental changes in Amazonia with precise dating control.
However, these records are still scarce and spotty, providing only a broad picture of what
happened during the major ecological shifts between glacial and inter-glacial periods. The
megafauna is a reliable element to detect landscape changes through time. New findings of
exceptionally well preserved individuals of the giant ground sloth Eremotherium laurillardi
added to a mastodon Haplomastodon waringi are recorded in an area near the town of
Itaituba (PA), located in Central Amazonia. C14 dating indicates an age of 13,340 B.P. for
these fossils. The presence of this megafauna confirms the assumption that, at this time, the
area was dominated by open environments, instead of the modern, closed rainforest as seen
today.
CHARCOAL DEPOSITION FROM TROPICAL VEGETATION IN BRAZIL: A
COMPARISON IN DIFFERENT REGIONS AND TIME SCALE
1
Cordeiro, R.C., 3,1Turcq, B., 1,3Sifeddine, A., 1Albuquerque, A.L.S.,2,1Simões-Filho, F.F.L.
(1) PROFIX/CNPq/ Departamento de Geoquímica, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro S.João Batista, Niterói, R.J., Brazil.
rcampello@yahoo.com, tel/fax: 55216207025
(2) Institute de Recherche pour le development
(3) Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria. Conselho de Energia Nuclear
Fires records were obtained through the charcoal particles flux analyses in lacustrine sediments (da
Pata Lake, São Gabriel da Cachoeira (AM); N4 Lake, Carajás, PA; Dom Helvécio Lake, Parque
Estadual do Vale do Rio Doce, MG; and Caracaranã Lake, RR), resevoir sediment (Alta Floresta,
MT), and an anual cicle of atmospheric deposition (Porto Velho, RO). The deposition of charcoals in
the sediments results from local or regional burns, caused by dry climates, associated or not to
anthropogenic action. The highest charcoal fluxes values were obtained in the period of intense
land use change in Alta Floresta and in sediments that represent the medium Holocene in Serra Sul
Carajás region. The lowest values were found Lagoa da Pata in São Gabriel da Cachoeira, a
pronounced humid region in Amazon and in Porto Velho region, atmospheric deposition in a humid
season. Paleofires The deposition of charcoals in the sediments results from local or regional burns,
caused by dry climates, associated or not to anthropogenic action. Thus, the charcoal analyses
could have also a great importance in evaluating the impact of dry climates and human in different
tropical ecosystems. Determination of fire frequencies and dimensions in key areas of South
America, is a first step to understand the global carbon transference between terrestrial and
atmospheric systems.
River water as a medium for transport in Amazonia
ABSTRACT:
Recently, Richey et al. (2002, Nature Vol. 416, p.617) demonstrated that outgassing
of carbon dioxide from river and wetland waters of the central is a significant flux
relative to terrestrial carbon sequestration. An outstanding issue raised by this study is
that the source of this outgassed carbon remains largely unconstrained. Stable and radio-
isotopes compositions of river-borne carbon offers one approach to constraining sources.
As part of the CAMREX project studying the riverine biogeochemistry of the Amazon
basin, we have recently surveyed 14C and 13C isotopic compositions of four principal
fractions – dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), fine
particulate organic carbon (FPOC) and coarse particulate organic carbon (CPOC). The
~30 sites surveyed for these four coexisting fractions cover a wide range of environments
– from both Andean and lowland headwaters to the mainstem Amazon – at several stages
of the hydrograph. These preliminary data yield a number of important insights to
potential sources. Perhaps most striking are downstream trends of decreasing ages for
carbon in all fractions, indicating that river-borne carbon is remineralized and replaced on
time scales that are short with respect to transit down the river system.
Land use change alters the biogeochemistry and downstream movement of nitrogen in
small drainage basins
1. The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
cneill@mbl.edu
2. Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Avenida Centenário, 303, Caixa Postal 96, CEP
13416000, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
Land use change can influence nitrogen transformation and movement by altering
biogeochemical transformations at key places in the landscape. Terra firme forests cycle high
amounts of N and lose NO3- to soil solution. Forest clearing briefly increases NO3- losses but
pasture establishment quickly reduces N cycling and NO3- movement to soil solution. In forests,
stream riparian zones receive high amounts of NO3- from the uplands and appear to be very
efficient at removing NO3- by denitrification. In pastures, stream riparian zones also have high
potential for denitrification but appear to receive little NO3- from adjacent uplands. Solute
injection experiments in forest streams show that spiraling distances for NH4+ are approximately
200 m, while spiraling distances for NO3- are very long (>10 km). This indicates that once NO3-
reaches or is produced by nitrification in small forest stream channels, it travels downstream
relatively unprocessed. Low demand for inorganic N in forest streams was confirmed by low
rates of incorporation of added 15NH4+ in algal and bacterial surface films. Shorter spiraling
distances of NH4+ and NO3- in pasture streams determined from solute injections indicate a lower
tendency for direct downstream transport. Forest conversion to pasture appears to alter the
movement of inorganic N downstream in watersheds by 1) decreasing NO3- moving to riparian
zones and 2) increasing uptake demand for NH4+ and NO3- and thus retention of N in small
stream channels. These changes have the potential to alter control of stream primary production
and decrease movement of inorganic N to larger rivers.
Control of stream water cations by surface soil processes and land use effects
on the exchange of nutrients between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the
Eastern Amazonia
Daniel Markewitz
The University of Georgia
Ricardo de O. Figueiredo
Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia
Eric A. Davidson
The Woods Hole Research Center
Thomas Dunne
University of Califorina, Santa Barbara
While land use change is known to affect cycling of carbon and plant nutrients in
terrestrial ecosystems, the effect on small streams draining altered landscapes is less well
known. We present results from a 10,000-hectare watershed on highly weathered soil in
the Eastern Amazon where a positive correlation between stream water solute concentration
and discharge was observed. Base flow stream water had low concentrations of Ca+2, Mg+2,
and K+, because the primary minerals had already been extensively weathered in these
Haplustox. During the wet season, however, these same cations were leached from surface
charged exchange sites in upper soil horizons and were transported to the stream with
biogenically derived bicarbonate. This near surface process, as opposed to deep soil
mineral weathering, was entirely responsible for the generation of streamwater alkalinity.
This observed pattern in stream chemistry is contrary to the seasonal patterns widely
recognized in temperate ecosystems with less strongly weathered soils. Both forest and
pasture surface soils of this tropical landscape contain exchangeable cations and both
produce large amounts of CO2 and HCO3- during the wet season. Enrichment of the cattle
pasture soils with cations from forest clearing and burning twenty years previously may be
further enhancing wet season leaching of cations. To elucidate more fully this exchange of
nutrients from terrestrial to aquatic systems, we are measuring and modeling the flowpaths
of soil water and nutrients along forest and pasture hillslopes of this watershed.
Linking seasonal inundation with ecological, hydrological and biogeochemical processes in the Amazon basin
John M. Melack
Institute for Computational Earth System Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
melack@lifesci.ucsb.edu
Seasonally inundated areas cover large areas of the Amazon basin and are important components of the
ecology, hydrology and biogeochemistry of the basin because they modify riverine discharges and chemical
composition and are significant sources of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and fish to humans. Recent
advances in active and passive microwave remote sensing are providing regional information on temporal
changes in inundation and aquatic vegetation. Multiple aspects of LBA require are incorporating this
information. For example, combination of remotely estimates of inundation with extensive measurements of
dissolved carbon dioxide for the central Amazon indicates that evasion to the atmosphere of carbon dioxide is
about ten times the fluvial export of organic carbon by the Amazon River. The organic carbon fueling the
evasion appears to be largely derived from riparian and floodplain vegetation, illustrating the importance of
terrestrial-aquatic-atmospheric exchanges. Further, the evasion of carbon dioxide and methane from Amazon
wetlands appears to balance much of the uptake of carbon dioxide by terrestrial vegetation. Amazon fisheries
are important to the income and nutrition for many people living in the region, and fish yields have strong
statistical relations with maximum or minimum flooded areas.
Project: LBA-CARBONSINK
Title: Water balance and carbon leaching of a rainforest catchment in Central Amazonia.
Authors: M.J. Waterloo1, A.D. Nobre2, W.W.P. Jans3, A. Cuartas Pineda2, D.P. Drucker4, J.M.
Heijmenberg1, M.G. Hodnett5, W. Gomes Neto2, A. Nascimento2, J. Tomasella6.
1
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV
Amsterdam The Netherlands
2
INPA, Av. André Araújo 2936, Petrópolis, 69083-000, Manaus, AM, Brasil
3
Alterra Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Building 101, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
4
Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz – USP, Av. Pádua Dias, 11 / 151 – Agronomia, Piracicaba
- SP - C.E.P.: 13418-900, Brasil
5
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
6
CPTEC-INPE, Rodovia Presidente Dutra km 40, Cachoeira Paulista – SP, Brasil.
Abstract
Since 1999, CO2 flux measurements have been made in the Cuieiras Reserve near Manaus. Recently, the
research has been extended to include and hydrological studies. One of the aims of these studies is to assess
the losses of carbon released from the forest by decomposition and transported out of the area as dissolved
or particulate matter in surface and ground water. Due to delays in instrumentation a single year of data will
be available at the end of the Carbonsink-LBA project in 2002. To simulate losses over longer periods, the
TOPOG model (http://www.clw.csiro.au/topog) will be used to simulate discharge and carbon leaching.
TOPOG is a terrain analysis-based hydrological model, which can be used to describe the topographic
attributes of three-dimensional landscapes and simulate the hydrologic behaviour of catchments, and how
this is affected by changes in land cover. The model uses micrometeorological, soil and vegetation data as
input and will be calibrated on measured discharge and groundwater levels. Relations between discharge
and concentrations of total organic carbon (TOC) and particulate carbon will then be used to obtain
estimates of carbon leaching from 1999 onwards, when the micrometeorological measurements started. The
poster shows field data and preliminary model results such as a digital terrain model, aspect and slope maps
and a preliminary map showing the distribution of the groundwater level in the catchment. In addition, an
estimate of the total rainfall, discharge and associated outflow of carbon over a six-month period will be
presented.
Scaling up from pastures to watersheds: The spatial and temporal structure of
human impacts on stream nutrients.
Biggs, T.W.1, Dunne, T.2, Roberts, D.A.1, Karen Holems1, and Martinelli, L.A.3
In past LBA conferences, we reported that land uses besides deforestation, such as
urbanization and agricultural intensification, may have significant impacts on stream
nutrients compared with conversion of primary forest to pasture. In this presentation, we
put our observations of land use and stream chemistry in the spatial and temporal context
of frontier development using a time series of satellite images, census data, and a digital
elevation model to delineate watersheds. With these data, we define the probability
distributions of total deforestation extent and of the rates of conversion of primary forest
to other land uses for approximately 30,000 watersheds varying in size from 2.5 to
100,000 km2. The maximum annual and three-year deforestation rates decline rapidly
with watershed size, suggesting that deforestation is a gradual process for watersheds
larger than 100 km2, and that the relatively short-lived “pulses” of stream nutrients
associated with vegetation conversion in smaller watersheds are not likely to be observed
in watersheds larger than 100 km2. Simultaneously, the probability that any given
watershed contains an urban population increases with watershed size, suggesting a shift
in the relative importance of non-urban and urban sources of nutrient contamination with
watershed size.
Contrary to results of studies in small watersheds (< 1km), streams draining non-
urbanized watersheds (10-1000 km2) with high rates of primary forest conversion to
pasture do not exhibit the greatest impacts on stream chemistry. Rather, the largest
increases in chloride and nutrient concentrations occur in watersheds with little or no
current conversion of primary rainforest to pasture, but that have average clearing ages
greater than 10 years. This pattern, and the high stream chloride signal in watersheds
with longer occupation times, suggests that vegetation conversion is not the primary
agent driving anthropogenic impacts on stream nutrients. Other processes, possibly the
establishment and intensification of cattle production, is likely responsible for the impacts
in non-urbanized watersheds.
Additional stream sampling of larger watersheds (1,000-30,000 km2) shows that the
largest impacts on stream nitrogen occur in watersheds of intermediate drainage areas
(700-3000 km2), though a land use signal is still detectable in streams draining areas as
large as 30,000 km2. The watersheds with high stream nutrient impacts contain urban
populations, suggesting that urban sources may dominate human impacts on stream
nutrients for watersheds larger than ~1000-5000 km2.
Transport of Particulate Carbon and Nitrogen in the Paraíba do Sul River, Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil.
Alvaro R. C. Ovalle1; Ricardo de O. Figueiredo2 and Carlos E. de Rezende3
1
Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos dos
Goytacazes, RJ, 28015-620, Brazil; 2 Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia,
Av. Nazaré, 669, Belém, PA, 66035-170, Brazil;
ramon@uenf.br; rofig@amazon.com.br; crezende@uenf.br
Bibiana Bilbao1, Carlos Méndez, Alejandra Leal & Maria Dolores Delgado.4
Departamento de Estudios Ambientales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Apartado 89000,
Caracas, Venezuela.
1. bbilbao@usb.ve, 2. carlosmendez@etheron.net 3. 4. mdelgado@cesma.usb.ve
The objective of this study was to estimate the fuel properties and meteorological variables
contribution in fire behavior in savannas of Parupa, North Gran Sabana, Venezuela. Fire
behavior were studied in experimental burns done in fifteen 0.5 ha plots under different
treatments: at the beginning, middle and the end of dry season in year 2000, 2001 and 2002
with 3, 4 and 5 years of fire exclusion, respectively. Before and after burning, a total of
nine samplings per plot were carried out to estimate frequency, density and cover of plant
species, humidity content and fuel accumulation. Meteorological variables were recorded
during the experimental burns, and air and flame temperature, fire propagation speed;
combustion efficiency, and characteristic of ashes were also determined. Daily
meteorological variations had a major effect on fire behavior than seasonal variations in the
dry period. Meteorological variables, as wind speed and % relative humidity, had a major
contribution on fire behavior than those of fuel material (800-1200 g m-2). However, a low
fuel accumulation in plots burned in year 2000, did not allow a new burning for two
consecutive years. The combustion efficiencies were lower respect to those reached in
Orinoco Llanos (Central Plains), in part due to a high fuel humidity (22 to 54%), irregular
distribution of vegetation and specially to the presence of big superficial rhizomes that
maintain live tissues during the dry season.
Dynamic of Gran Sabana forest-savanna gradient, revealed by isotopic composition of soil
organic matter.
MENDEZ, C.L.* and B.BILBAO
Laboratorio de Ecología Vegetal. Departamento de Estudios Ambientales. Universidad
Simón Bolívar. Baruta, Estado Miranda, Venezuela. Apartado Postal 89000.
carlosmendez@etheron.net; bbilbao@usb.ve
Abstract:
The great expansion of savannas in Gran Sabana (Canaima National Park, 3 million ha) has
been associated to a high fire occurrence and to the Holocene dry climatic phases. Soil
organic matter (SOM), δ13C, light fraction of SOM (LF), soil nitrogen, δ15N, and plant
species dominance were studied in three forest-ecotone-savanna gradients (I;II;III) to
determine the replacement of forests by savannas and soil C and N dynamic. Soil samples
were taken in different soil depths (0-200 cm) along transects (140 m) from forest to
savannas. The SOM, LF and soil nitrogen were higher in forests with respect to savannas.
δ13C of SOM showed superior values in soil surface under savanna vegetation (dominated
by grasses with C4 photosynthetic mechanism), while the δ13C of the soil at 2m depth were
similar under forest (dominated by tress with C3 photosynthetic mechanism) and savannas.
At intermediate depth, maximum value of δ15N coincided with δ13C changes in soil,
correlated with vegetation change in the past. These results suggest that the nitrogen cycle
was affected during this vegetation change in both ecosystems, being the capacity of N
fixation the most affected component. The biggest differences among plants and soil C/N
were found in the savanna ecosystem; hence, we suggest fire as a FL removal agent.
Differences among light carbon were a sensitive indicator in the vegetation substitution.
Furthermore, the presence of "helechal" or dense fern community, in the ecotone area,
appears to play an important role in the successional dynamics in the gradient.
Remote sensing for sampling station selection in the study of water
circulation from river system to and Amazon floodplain lakes: a
methodological proposal.
Although remote sensing is a suitable tool for monitoring vast remote areas such
as the Amazon floodplain, the accurate extraction of information must rely on ground
validation sampling, through burdensome and expensive field campaigns.
This paper proposes a methodology for planning and optimizing the acquisition
of water quality parameters during field campaigns aiming the study of water circulation
between Amazon River and Amazon floodplains lakes and wetlands. The objective of the
approach is to settle an optimized geographic position data set spatially representative of
water quality parameters revealing water circulation patterns.
The first step in the study was to build a georeferenced image database consisting
of seven dates of Landsat-TM/ETM+ images selected according to Amazon River water
level. Each image date was then submitted to the following processing: 1) atmospheric
correction 2) region growing segmentation, 3) unsupervised segmented-based
classification.
Each resulting class for each date was then characterized by the statistical
attributes estimated from bands TM1, TM2 and TM3 of Landsat Thematic Mapper,
which are the bands sensitive to water optical properties. Changes in the spatial dynamic
of each class from images acquired at different water level were then mapped and the
number of sampling stations and the geographic position of each station were defined
analyzing the results of the previous step.
Submitted to: II_ISC_LBA – 2ND INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE OF LARGE
SCALE BIOSPHERE ATMOSPHERE EXPERIMENT IN AMAZÔNIA (LBA),
ABSTRACT
Soil respiration from plateau and slopes may be different from the respiration of valleys
due to different soil moisture and temperature conditions at different topographic positions.
Movement of water in the soil may also influences in the respiration because it can transport
organic material and nutrients from plateau and slopes to valleys.
Our objective is to quantify the influence of topography on the landscape estimate of soil
respiration in this rainforest in Caxiuana (East Amazon). We measure soil respiration, soil water
content and soil temperature along replicated toposequences at the following four positions:
plateau, high slope, low slope and valley.
Our preliminary data show that the respiration during the wet season is lower in the
valleys, ranging from 1.98 ± 0.08 to 3.32 ± 0.01 µmol CO2. m-2.s-1. Soil respiration increases
along the slope with the highest values at the high slope position (2.84 ± 0.04 to 4.17 ± 0.15 µmol
CO2. m-2.s-1, n=3) and plateau (2.82 ± 0.07 to 3.70 ± 0.24 µmol CO2. m-2.s-1, n=3). We plan to
continue our measurements to include dry season conditions.
The coming global freshwater scarcity: a project for the exportation of
water from the Amazon Basin
Luciana Valente
I. Introduction
II. The Water Wars – the Middle Eastern situation
III. Increasing the freshwater supply
III.1. Building dams and reservoirs
III.2. Transferring surface water
III.3. Tapping groundwater
III.4. Converting salt water into freshwater – desalinization
III.5. Cloud seeding and towing icebergs
IV. Watershed Management
IV.1. Watershed
IV.2. Brazil
IV.2.a) Water Resources Legal Frame
IV.2.b) Watershed Management in Brazil
IV.3. The Amazon Basin
IV.3.b) The Amazon River Basin Watershed Management
V. Improving water use efficiency – the Blue Revolution of water conservation
V.1. Using irrigation water efficiently
V.2. Using homes, businesses and industries’water efficiently
V.3. Other mechanisms for watershed management
V.3.a) The price of water
V.3.b) Privatization
V.3.c) Watershed trading
VI. The quality of drinking water
VI.1. Purifying water
VI.2. Recycling water
VII. A project for the exportation of water from the Amazon Basin
VIII. Conclusion
IX. Bibliography
Influence of land use in aquatic metabolism of streams- Fazenda Nova Vida- RO.
Abstract
Land use change in Brazilian Amazonia from forest to pasture has concentrated in
the south and east boundaries of the basin, in the States of Pará, Maranhão , Mato Grosso
and Rondônia. In this study we compared two small catchments with different
distribution of forest and pasture, located at the State of Rondônia, relating the
metabolism of organic matter in their streams. The water samples were collected in ten
sites, throughout the streams, from which physical and chemical parameters were
measured. The distribution of forest and pasture was determinated using satellite images.
The results of the analysis in the streams has showen higher concentrations of total
dissolved inorganic carbon and free CO2 in the pasture stream (710 e 485 µM,
respectively) compared to the forest stream (504 e 188 µM, respectively). The
concentration of dissolved oxygen in pasture stream was lower (0,5 mg/l) compared to
the value found in the forest streams (6,4 mg/l). A high correlation was observed between
the increase of the percentage of pasture in the catchment with the dissolved organic
carbon concentration (n=10; R=0,78) and with the respiration rates (n=9; R=0,69). The
data showed a change in the aquatic metabolism between the studied systems, suggesting
that the organic matter, in the pasture stream is being oxidized close to anaerobic
conditions.
Organic matter composition of rivers of the Ji-Paraná basin (southwest Amazon
basin) as a function of land use changes.
∗
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Caixa Postal 96, CEP 13400-970,
Brazil, Fax: 55-19-4349210, e-mail: bernardes@cena.usp.br
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SOIL SOLUTION AND WATER RUNOFF IN
PASTURE RESTORATION AND FOREST SYSTEMS IN RONDÔNIA
Soil solution and water in overland flow (runoff) were collected during four months
(from January to April, 2002) in the rainy season, from five different soil management
treatments in experimental plots located at Nova Vida Farm, in Central Rondônia to
determine chemical composition of solutions and to quantify losses in drainage and
runoff. The soil management treatments tested different methods for restoration of a
degraded pasture and consisted of: (i) control, (ii) plowing + fertilization and planting of
Brachiaria brizantha, (iii) planting of rice under no-tillage + fertilization, (iv) planting
of soybean under no-tillage + fertilization. Samples of soil solution and overland flow
from pasture treatments were also compared to the solutions collected from a natural
forest, close to the experimental area. Soil solutions were sampled with both tension
lysimeters and free tension lysimeters, and water in overland flow with runoff
collectors of 4 m2. Throughtfall and rainfall were also collected. Solutions were
analyzed for electrical conductivity and pH. The pH and the electric conductivity varied
with the amount of rain and quantity of solution collected. The pH in soil solution in the
forest was more acidic than the pasture control and pasture plowing treatments. In
runoff, pH decreased in the order of the plowing, control and forest. Electric
conductivity was highest in the forest, lower in the plowed pasture and lowest in the
control pasture. Solution will also be analysed for the concentration of dissolved
inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), cations, anions, metals, trace
elements, total dissolved nitrogen, total dissolved phosphorus, δ13C in DIC and δ13C in
DOC. The solutions will be collected through the beginning of the next rainy season.
Natural and athropogenic influences on the biogeochemistry of a meso-scale (75,000 km2)
river undergoing deforestation in Southwest Amazon (Ji-Paraná river, Rondônia).
Nei Kavaguichi Leite1, Alex Vladimir Krusche1, Maria Victoria Ballester1, Marcelo Bernardes1,
Reynaldo Victoria2, Beatriz Machado Gomes3, Anthony Aufdenkampe2, Jeffrey Richey2.
1
Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura - USP. Laboratório de Ecologia Isotópica. Caixa
2
School of Oceanography - University of Washington. Seattle - WA - USA.
3
Universidade Federal de Rondônia - Campus de Ji-Paraná. Ji-Paraná - Rondônia - Brazil
Abstract
The rivers of the Ji-Paraná basin were sampled at seven different occasions, corresponding to
various stages of the hydrograph. A total of 14 sampling stations were distributed along 7 major
tributaries and the Ji-Paraná river mainstem. Spatially, the chemistry of tributary waters showed
statistically significant differences (p<0.001), related, but not significantly, to the composition of
soils and land use. Those tributaries draining soils with low cation content were located in areas
with higher percentages of forest cover and had waters with average conductivities of 11 µS.cm-1,
while the areas with higher percentages of pastures were located in soils richer in cations and
were drained by rivers with average conductivities of 59 µS.cm-1. The Ji-Paraná mainstem,
drained both types of soils and land uses and, as a result of these contrasting contributions from
main tributaries, occupied and intermediate position, with average conductivies of 30 µS.cm-1.
Seasonally, the two groups of tributaries also showed contrasting tendencies. Poorer river waters
showed the highest concentrations of major ions during the high water period, while the rivers
with higher ionic content showed an opposite trend. These results show that even within a meso-
scale basin there are striking differences among tributaries, both spatially and seasonally, which
should be taken into consideration while making extrapolations from small-scale, single plot
studies to the entire Amazon basin.
Pascal Kosuth (IRD), Maximiliano Strasser (UFRJ), Ilce de Oliveira Campos (USP),
Julien Nicod (IMFT), Alfredo Ribeiro Netto (UnB), Marcio Sousa da Silva (IEPA),
Eurides de Oliveira (ANA)
Pascal Kosuth, IRD, CP 70911 Lago Sul, CEP 711619-970 Brasilia DF Brazil kosuth.ird@apis.com.br
Longitudinal profiles of Solimões, Madeira and Amazon rivers (from Tabatinga and Porto
Velho downwards to Obidos and Macapa) are presented, analyzing time variable water
surface profiles, permanent mean bottom depth profiles, maximum depth profiles and river
bottom structures (dunes) characteristics.
Altimetry along Amazon River mainstream has been determined, in Brazil, through
implementation and comparison of three techniques : geometric leveling, GPS positioning and
radar altimetry (TOPEX / POSEIDON). Altitudes of more than 30 hydrometric stations with
reference to mean sea level (or geoïd) have been determined, allowing to translate water level
time series to a homogeneous referential. Rivers bathymetry has been obtained through
measurement of transversal profiles using ADCP and/or echobathymeter coupled with GPS.
Bathymetric profiles have been measured every 25km along Solimões river, every 30 km
along Madeira river and every 10 km along Amazon river downwards to Obidos.
Characterization of river bottom structures has been realized along 40 different reaches using
echobathymeters.
Amazon river water profile mean slope between Manaus and Macapa varies from 5
mm/km(low flow) to 15 mm/km (high flow), depending on hydrological cycle phase.
Solimões river slope is almost constant in relation with time but varies from 20 mm/km
downstream (Manacapuru) to 40 mm/km upstream (Tabatinga). Madeira river slope is 60
mm/km upstream (Porto Velho) and varies from 0.6 mm/km to 10mm/km along its
downstream reach submitted to Amazon River backwater influence. Longitudinal bathymetric
profiles enlighten differences between rivers and significant spatial variations along a given
river, related to the morphological dynamics of the river bed. Average observed dune length
was about 160 m with maximum 400 m, while observed dune heights, when existing, ranged
from 2 m to 12 m, flow depth varying from 10 to 90 m.
Results contribute to a better understanding of the river valley morphological evolution and of
sediment deposition trends and processes along the main river. They are of prime interest for
mathematical modeling of flow hydrodynamics and sediment transport dynamics.
Carbon Accumulation in Amazon Várzeas
Moreira-Turcq, P.1*, Turcq, B.1 , Seyler, P.2, Jouanneau, J.M.3 and Guyot, J.L.2
1
I.R.D. - Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement, 32 avenue Henri Varagnat, 93143
Bondy cedex, France.
2
IRD - UMR LMTG, Université Paul Sabatier,39 allées Jules Guesde 31000 – Toulouse,
France
3
UMR-CNRS 5805EPOC, DGO, Université de Bordeaux I, av. des Facultes, 33405 Talence
cedex, France.
Floodplains of large rivers or “Várzeas” (Amazon river floodplains) are dynamic and
complex wetland systems which periodically oscillate between terrestrial and aquatic phases.
Sediments are constantly exchanged between river channels and floodplains. The rates at
which sediment is transferred to and from “várzeas”, and the residence time of “várzea”
storage, are few known. They affect mineral erosion, transport and sedimentation fluxes in the
river-várzea system and have a special importance for the carbon cycle.
Amazon “várzeas” are an important source of organic carbon to Amazon river.
Organic production in Amazon “várzea” systems represent about 8.4 106 ton C yr-1 (Junk,
1997), which are composed by : macrophytes (c.a. 5 106 ton C y-1), tree and grasses (c.a. 2.4
106 ton C y-1) and plankton (c.a. 1 106 ton C y-1). A significant portion of this carbon is
exported by “várzeas” to atmosphere such as methane and CO2. A great part of the plankton
(Richey, 1982) and the bulk of carbon (Junk, 1997) are probably degraded or is burned in situ.
But the major part of the carbon produced by Amazon “várzea” seems to remain in situ and
can be subsequently exported to the river. Today there are very few data of organic
sedimentation and carbon exportation by várzea lakes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the
sedimentation and carbon accumulation rates in Amazon várzea systems and its importance in
the Amazon total carbon budget.
Sediment traps and cores were used to better understand seasonal variation of organic
and mineral matter and the recent organic carbon sedimentation in the Amazon “várzeas”.
One core was sampled in the “Várzea do Lago Grande de Curuai” during low water stage
(October 2000). Accumulation rates were obtained by 210Pb radioisotope geochronology.
Subsamples were analysed for granulometry, mineralogy, and organic matter determination.
We have observed a high seasonal and spatial variation in the sediment and carbon
settling. Located phytoplankton blooms can be responsible for a significant carbon settling in
the traps. The highest fluxes of settling particles were observed during the falling water period
and varied between 300 and 2000 g m-2 day-1 and the lowest were found during the rising
water period and varied between 4 and 60 g m-2 day-1. The greatest flux of organic carbon and
nitrogen were observed in the same period. These flux ranged between 5 and 50 g C m-2 day-1
and 0.34 and 6 g N m-2 day-1 during the falling water stage and between 0.041 and 4 g C m-2
day-1 and 0.009 and 0.209 g N m-2 day-1 during the rising water stage. A part of this material is
degraded in the water column and another part is incorporated in the sediment. Sedimentation
rates, ranged between 1.0 and 1.3 cm yr-1. These high sedimentation rates associated with a
relatively high organic carbon content in sediments show a very high capacity of Amazon
várzeas to accumulate organic carbon.
CHANGES TO INORGANIC NITROGEN IN SOIL AND SOIL SOLUTION
FOLLOWING FOREST CLEARING FOR PASTURE IN RONDÔNIA
Extractable soil nitrogen and rates of net nitrogen mineralization and net nitrification
in tropical soils are indicators of soil fertility and the ability of these soils to retain N
following disturbances such as forest cutting and burning. We examined changes to
soil and soil solution inorganic N concentrations, net N mineralization and net
nitrification rates following forest clearing for pasture on Paleudults soils at Nova
Vida (10o 30 S, 62o 30 W) in Rondônia. We measured extractable NH4+ and NO3-
concentrations in soils and NH4 and NO3 concentrations in soil solution in forest and
in a 3 ha plot that was cut, burned and planted to pasture. Soil solution samples were
collected by tension lysimeters at 30 and 100 cm depth. Soil NH4+-N and NO3--N
pools in the cut forest increased compared with the reference forest during first 6
months after cutting. Unlike NH4+-N and NO3- -N concentrations, rates of net N
mineralization and net nitrification did not change greatly during the cutting and
burning of pasture installation. Soil solution NH4+ concentrations in forest were
higher during the first 6 months after burning. In contrast, soil solution NO3- pools
were higher during the first 8 months after burning compared with forest.
Relation between photosintesys and leaf morphoanatomy of 4 species in C4-C3 savannah-
fernsland gradient, Gran Sabana, Canaima National Park, Venezuela.
R. Castillo & B. Bilbao.
Laboratorio de Ecología Vegetal. Departamento de Estudios Ambientales. Universidad Simón
Bolívar. Baruta, Estado Miranda, Venezuela. Apartado Postal 89000.
rcastillo@usb.ve, bbilbao@usb.ve
Keywords: photosintesys, morphoanatomy, C3-C4 gradient, Venezuela.
In a physiological C3-C4 gradient, dominat herbaceous species in the savannah are mainly of the
C4 tipe, while in the fernsland C3 species are dominant. Photosynthetic rates and other related
variables were studied in a vegetation gradient savannah-fernsland in Gran Sabana, Canaima
National Park, Venezuela, in order to associate them to some foliar morphoanatomical
characteristics, to understand the natural distribution of these species. In the savannah Echinolaena
inflexa (Poir.) Chase (Poaceae) y Lagenocarpus rigidus (Kunth) Nees (Cyperaceae) showed
photosynthetic rates of 18.10 y 14.17 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1, respectively, while fernsland species,
Pteridium arachnoideum Maxón (Dennstaedtiaceae) (12.90 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1) and Dicranopteris
flexuosa (Schrader) Underw. (Gleicheniaceae) (12.14 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1) showed lesser values, there
being statistically significant differences between E. inflexa and the remaining species. Upon
comparison of specific leaf area (SLA), a clear difference was observed between savannah and
fernsland species, whem photosynthesis was expressed in grams and correlated with SLA,
differences were evident between functional groups distributed on the gradient: grass > sedge >
ferns. Hypostomatic leaves in ferns and amphistomatic levasin savannah plants, with variating in
stomatic density between E. inflexa and L. rigidus, were among the anatomical differences found.
Differences in proportion and distribution of leaf tissues were also found. The behaviour observed
in C3 species may be explaines by these plants efficient utilisation of available resuorces, and their
capacity for adaptation to microclimatic and edaphic contions of the region
Scenarios of land use change: what are the human drivers?
Marcelo Moreira Projeto Dinâmica Poster Changes in land use in the city of
Biológica de Manaus and adjacent areas of the Br
Fragmentos Florestais 174 highway
Mark Cochrane Michigan State Poster Priority Areas for Establishing National
University Forests in the Brazilian Amazon
Renata Marconato Centro de Energia Poster Land Occupation and Use in the Ji-
Nuclear na Agricultura - Paraná River Basin (Rondônia, Brazil).
CENA-USP Social-Economics-Agricultural Survey
DEFORESTATION TRAJECTORIES IN A FRONTIER REGION OF
THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON
Moran, E. F., S. McCracken, and B. Boucek.
Indiana University
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has not been random. It has followed the roads of
national development, which have attracted settlers and economic activities. Even along
these roads, deforestation follows highly differentiated trajectories as a function of
topographic position, soil quality endowments, and spatial factors such as distance to
local towns and connectivity to national and international commodity markets. This paper
presents results of research from one region of the Brazilian Amazon, in the Lower
Xingu, in an efforts to elucidate the spatial and temporal dynamics of deforestation
trajectories as mediated by the demographic characteristics of immigrating households,
and the natural endowments of the location. Unlike much of the literature currently
available, the analysis presents not only a landscape analysis of deforestation, but also a
property-level analysis that allows examination of household determinants of land use
and deforestation. The trajectories of deforestation are based on time-series analyses of
TM images overlaid on the property grid in a GIS for the 3,718 properties present in the
study area. The demographic analysis is based on a survey of 402 farm households within
the study area. The paper makes projections for deforestation into 2020 for the entire
study region based upon the trajectories examined. We project that by 2020 only 24 to 32
percent of the original forest cover will remain standing under the most optimistic of
scenarios.
HUMAN DIMENSIONS AND METRICS OF LANDSCAPE CHANGE IN
E-mail: mb@cnpm.embrapa.br
attracted substantial attention since the early 1970s. The phenomenon has been
an area of approximately 3,000 km2 within the State of Rondônia in western Amazon.
Two adjacent settlements of similar age, biophysical features, and assets among
colonists were compared to assess the role of their different architectural and
orthogonal road network system. Machadinho d’Oeste was designed with attention to
topography in laying out the grid of farm properties and included communal reserves
with right-of-use to local rubber tappers. Field research was undertaken in conjunction
with the use of multi-temporal remotely sensed data (1988-1998), GIS integration, and
landscape ecology methods. The results indicate that the communal reserves play an
just 51% in Anari. Without the reserves, forest cover in Machadinho is also 51%. Also,
landscape structure confirmed that Machadinho is less fragmented, more complex, and
more interspersed. The combination of privately based decisions for the properties and
community-based decisions for the reserves clearly indicates that this architectural and
Controlling deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon region has long been illusive despite
repeated efforts of government authorities to slow the process. Now, a licensing and
enforcement program in the state of Mato Grosso appears to be having a significant effect.
Clearing rates of Amazonian forest and of the “transition” between forest and cerrado
(central Brazilian savanna) have declined since the program began in 1999, while
deforestation in the rest of Brazil’s nine-state “Legal Amazon” region has continued to
increase. However, due to exhaustion of uncleared land without steep slopes or other
impediments to agriculture in some parts of Mato Grosso, the clearing rate in this state was
already declining since before the program began. The decline of clearing rates in forest
and transition areas steepened after the program began, especially in the transition area
where enforcement has been concentrated. Examination of trends at the county (município)
level help separate the effects of frontier aging and repression. In new frontiers, clearing
rates were increasing before the enforcement program, but decline sharply after 1999.
Clearing rates decline more sharply where enforcement is concentrated. Disturbing
evidence of clearing in some indigenous reserves indicates the urgency of developing
mechanisms to reward environmental services as an alternative form of development. The
assumption that deforestation in Amazonia is uncontrollable is at the root of Brazil’s
traditional resistance to international monetary flows to reward avoided deforestation, as
through the Kyoto Protocol. The recent events in Mato Grosso indicate that this
assumption is flawed, and that deforestation can be controlled.
ABSTRACT
Several institutions have been studying the causes and dynamics of deforestation in
the Amazon. Since the start of this study in July 2000, the World Bank has discussed with
the Amazon Coordination Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment – SCA/MMA –
the possibility of doing a joint undertaking given the interest shown by both institutions. In
addition to the World Bank and SCA/MMA, the AMA Project of PPG7 (Support to
Program Monitoring and Appraisal) also identified the need to undertake a study that would
review the causes and dynamics of deforestation in the Amazon as part of its study and
evaluation component, and decided this could be done in partnership.
With the support from SCA/MMA and from IMAZON, we identified key regions
and agents to undertake a rapid resource assessment (RRA). Due to time and resource
constraints, the RRA was carried out during the 7-18 May 2001 period in the States of
Mato Grosso and Pará. It did not allow for inferring extensively on the deforestation
process in the Amazon; on the other hand, it allowed for far more than just reviewing and
reorienting hypotheses and theses related to these processes, including those related to
cattle ranching economics, to land use conversion processes (from forest to ranching), to
the roles of loggers’ and that (secondary) of agriculture, as well as the intensification of
farming and ranching, in addition to the extent of land speculation.
1
Emails:
britaldo@csr.ufmg.br
ane@amazon.com.br
dnepstad@whrc.org
lsolorzano@whrc.org
Deforestation Patterns and Household Determinants of Land Use Choices by Rubber
Tapper in Amazonia: The Case of the Chico Mendes Reserve in Acre, Brazil
The Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve (CMER), with nearly one million hectares, has
experienced different levels of land use change as a response to local and regional
economic forces and prevailing social stresses. This study provides both a reserve and a
household level approach of measuring land-use changes. General patterns of
deforestation are analyzed at the reserve level, and household characteristics affecting
land use choices are analyzed at the household level. At the reserve level, TM-Landsat-5
data from 1986, 1992, and 1998 were utilized to quantify deforestation rates. At the
household level, in-depth interviews were carried out with 66 households. Reserve level
findings show that the CMER has experienced accelerating small-scale deforestation. The
overall deforestation level in the CMER was 0.7% in 1986, 1.5% in 1996, and 2.9% in
1998. The deforestation process does not occur uniformly across the reserve. Eight
seringais (rubber tapper estates), which represent about 12% of the reserve territory,
presented the highest deforestation rates and are closer to reach the legal limit for
deforestation of 10%, as determined by the Utilization Plan of the reserve. Household
level findings shows that the age of the household heads and the locations of the
seringais have a strong association with rubber and Brazil nut production, which suggest
that older household heads tend to engage in forest activities. The availability of sons of
household heads exerts a strong effect on pasture and cattle raising activities, which
suggests that non-forest activities tend to be carried out by the young residents. The
migrant status accentuates agricultural activities, implying that non-migrant households
tend to engage in forest activities. Understanding which factors are driving these changes
will hopefully contribute to the strengthening of sustainable land-use management
strategies in the CMER and in other extractive communities in Amazonia
ASSESSING THE EVOLUTION OF LAND USE IN BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA
Diógenes S. Alves, Maria Isabel S. Escada, Morris Scherer-Warren, José C. da Silveira Jr.
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE)
Av. dos Astronautas 1758, São José dos Campos SP CEP 12201-010 BRAZIL
dalves@dpi.inpe.br
Human occupation in Brazilian Amazônia has been accompanied by persistent changes in Amazonian landscapes,
ecosystems, and in demographic and socioeconomic conditions of people settling in the newly established frontiers.
In this paper, we use 1985 and 1996 Census data to investigate how cattle ranching, annual and permanent crops
have evolved in Amazônia. Our goal is to review some of the available data and discuss some characteristics of
agriculture and cattle ranching that may have different impacts on land degradation and on sustainable land use.
Census data show important regional differences in the relative importance of cattle and crops, frequently associated
with Federal Government colonization programs but also depending on the evolution of the agrarian structure in
different regions. Pastures do constitute the prevailing land use, at the same time as the total number of heads
frequently increased faster then the total area of pasture. The relative area of crops decreased in some areas of
agrarian reform and family agriculture colonization, while pastures increased their relative importance in such
regions. At the same time, grain production and productivity have significantly increased in few areas where
connections to the nation-wide grain networks were set up. In general, the data suggest a scenario of land use
intensification in regions of more important settlement and agricultural production, where deforestation has also
been concentrated. The analysis suggests that systematic research should be carried out on the carrying capacity of
different regions and on the relationships between land use intensification, land degradation and sustainable land
use.
Riverine Agriculture of the Peruvian Amazon: Productive but
Unprofitable?
Douglas Whitea*, Ricardo Labartaa,b, Efraín Leguíaa, Wagner Guzmánc, Javier Sotod, Héctor
Campose and Jhon Avilésd
a
Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical- CIAT
b
Michigan State University
c
International Centre for Research on Agroforestry- ICRAF
d
Ministerio de Agricultura (Peru)
e
Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agraria- INIA (Peru)
*
corresponding author address:
CIAT
A.P. 558, Pucallpa, Peru
email: d.white@cgiar.org
Abstract
In the Peruvian Amazon, many scientists and politicians recommend that agricultural activity be
concentrated in the rich alluvial soils of the riverine regions. Supposedly, this development
policy would enable more intensive production, thereby improving the well-being of farmers
while reducing pressure upon forest cover. However, soil fertility does not guarantee the
economic feasibility of an agricultural system. This paper examines the relationships between
production and marketing conditions of the riverine areas. An agro-economic mathematical
model takes into account available smallholder farmer labor, land, and capital resources to
simulate two distinct riverine farm types, those of: 1) permanent dwellers, and 2) temporal
farmers. The Ucayali River, near the fast-growing city of Pucallpa, serves as the case study site.
Returns to labor, a measure that is crucial in examining smallholder agriculture, varies greatly
according to crop type and its location. Research results reveal that for temporary farmers, the
low mudflats enable higher returns to labor, approximately 1.5 times the standard wage for
agricultural labor. Sandy beaches and riverbanks permit returns nearly equal to the standard
laborer wage. For the permanent dwellers, who plant a wider variety of crops in different
locations, returns to labor are about 1.2 times the standard wage. Not only are these economic
returns modest, but also both types of riverine farmers are beset by fluctuating market prices and
uncertain rises in river levels that can destroy entire plantings and harvests. In order ensure
economic viability riverine development policies must address these shortcomings.
Introducing New Agricultural Technologies for the Amazon Frontier:
Environmental-Economic Impacts or Tradeoffs?
Douglas Whitea*, Ricardo Labartaa,b, Wagner Guzmánc, Efraín Leguíaa, Héctor Camposd and
Javier Sotoe
a
Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical- CIAT
b
Michigan State University
c
International Centre for Research on Agroforestry- ICRAF
d
Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agraria- INIA (Peru)
e
Ministerio de Agricultura (Peru)
*
corresponding author address:
CIAT
A.P. 558, Pucallpa, Peru
email: d.white@cgiar.org
Abstract
The introduction of new agricultural technologies into Amazon frontier regions can affect both
household economic security and rates of forest conversion to agricultural use. This paper
examines both farm management decisions and market conditions of the forest margins context.
Although smallholder farmers attempt to increase their involvement in market-oriented
agriculture, minimal government support compels them to ensure household food and income
with subsistence crop production. Three features of the smallholder swidden agriculture system
(labor and land inputs, and markets) are not homogeneous and require careful consideration in
order to examine the effects of introducing of new agricultural technologies. Theoretical and
empirical analyses focus on: a) seasonal labor inputs (competitiveness with respect to traditional
agriculture production), b) the quality of land inputs (requiring fertile recently-converted forest
or fallow lands), and c) the designation of product output (for market trade or household use).
The Pucallpa region in the Peruvian Amazon serves as a case study site. Results from agro-
economic mathematical modeling reveal that greater earnings at the farm-level come about not
only through productivity increases but also by changing the seasonal characteristics of their
cultivation. Altering traditional technologies (e.g. rice, maize, cassava) that lead to seasonal labor
shortages, simultaneously permits greater and more diverse harvests, and thus should become a
research priority. Environmental impacts depend upon whether new agricultural technologies
require more weed-free plots from recently-converted forest or can withstand less-fertile fallow
land. Policy implications regarding the role of traditional technology development and
dissemination are discussed.
Spatial diffusion of deforestation in the Brazilian Legal Amazon
Most recent models of deforestation in the Brazilian Legal Amazon concern the
factors affecting this process, and are useful for understanding driving causes of
deforestation and how to plan development with the lowest possible impact.
Another way to look at deforestation is to understand its spatial distribution over
the region, assessing the probability of deforestation based on the percentage of
forest in the neighborhood. The spatial pattern of deforestation was obtained
through semivariograms and correlograms including the entire Brazilian Legal
Amazon.
Analyses were done at two different scales, using quadrats of 50 x 50 km (total
coverage, N=1932), and a random sample of 5000 quadrats of 20 x 20 km (from
the approximately 12000). To assess if the effect of distance is isotropic (i.e., has
the same intensity) in all directions, we applied the semivariograms to different
directions: 0o, 45o, 90o and -45o . Each model was adjusted using nugget, sill, and
range, and the results for these directions were compared. Correlograms were
applied to obtain the magnitude of spatial dependence of the deforestation process.
The semivariograms indicated that deforestation is an anysotropic phenomenon,
being more pronounced in the N-S and E-W directions. All variograms were
adjusted using the exponential model, and the sill was similar for all directions, but
shapes of the curves revealed different patterns. Variograms in the N-S and E-W
directions had the most accentuated increment in variation for the first five
intervals, for both scales. Correlograms detected a strong spacial dependence, with
coefficients ranging from 0.8 to 0.5 for the first five classes. At the 50-km scale,
correlograms showed a continuous trend falling as a function of distance, but at
the 20km scale, the falling trend stabilized around a coefficient of 0.3. Thus, results
indicate strong spatial dependence in the deforestation process, and this should be
considered in further analysis and models.
Forest susceptibility to fire during a one year El Niño period (1998-
99); a case study Western Amazon
1,2
Mendoza, E. R. H.; 1,3Nepstad, D.;2,3 Brown, I.F.; 3Solorzano, L.
1 2
Institute of Environmental Research of Amazonia - IPAM; Federal University of Acre/
3
Zoobotanical Park UFAC/PZ; Woods Hole Research Center-WHRC
Universidade Federal do Acre-PZ, BR-364 Km 4 Campus Universitário CEP:69900-000 Rio
Branco – Acre, Brasil;
e-mail:elsa_mendoza@uol.com.br
Abstract
Historically, forest fires in pre-Colombian Amazonia occurred at intervals of 400 to 700
years, and were apparently associated with severe droughts. Forest fires are becoming
more common today through the interacting influences of drought, forest thinning
through logging, and fires that escape from pasture and agricultural plots. The objective
of this study was to determine the contribution of several meteorological, fuel, and forest
structural variables to the flammability of a primary forest in southeastern Amazonia
(Catuaba Experimental Ranch, Acre State). Two hundred experimental fires were
conducted along 2000 m of transect, accompanied by measurements of air temperature
and humidity, litter height, litter moisture content, leaf area index, canopy openness, and
plant-available soil water. Fires were ignited in both a tall, open forest (floresta aberta)
and bamboo-dominated forest (floresta de bambu). The area burned by experimental fires
(between 1 and 4 minutes following ignition) was correlated most closely with relative
soil humidity, potential available water, and LAI (r2= 0.54). Models created from the
field data showed that the probability of fires igniting reached a threshold at relative air
humidity <70%, fine fuel moisture (litter humidity) <35% and litter height >7cm.
Surprisingly, the area burned, and the ignition success of experimental fires showed no
difference between bamboo forest and high, open forest, even though leaf area index was
a unit lower in the bamboo forest. These fire prediction models help in the definition of
prevention and control strategies for governmental organizations and farmers, working
towards the future prevention of large-scale forest fires in the region.
Land Use Patterns in the Brazilian Amazon: Comparative Farm-
Since the 1970s the Brazilian Amazon has received nearly one million migrant
farm households from other regions of the country, many of whom were attracted to
government sponsored frontier settlement programs that offered free tropical forest land.
corridors throughout the region. Despite their importance as agents of landscape change,
surprisingly little is known about the land use practices of these farmers. This paper
briefly reviews the research literature on smallholder land use patterns in Amazonia. The
recent history of one important agricultural land settlement program in the western
conducted in three separate settlement locations in the state, this paper highlights key
differences in land use patterns among the rural population. Typologies of farming
systems are presented based on cluster analysis of land use data and ANOVA tests. The
systems. Spatial variations in farming system types may be due to geographic differences
in soil regimes, the social histories of specific communities, and site-specific exogenous
variables.
Committed carbon emissions from deforestation in three municipalities of Acre
State, Brazil: a first approximation for public policy decision-making.
Jose Augusto Rocha1, I. Foster Brown2, Marcos Silveira3, Hiromi Sassagawa4, and
Diogo Selhorst5. augusto.setem@globo.com.
1
CNPq/LBA Fellow, Zoobotanical Park, Federal University of Acre, Rio Branco, AC
2
Woods Hole Research Center, Woods Hole, MA USA, and Federal Fluminense
University, Niteroi, RJ Brazil
3
Department of Natural Sciences and Zoobotanical Park, Federal University of Acre
4
Ministry of Agriculture, Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil
5
Bioma Foundation and Federal University of Acre
1,3,4
Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF
2,5,6
US Environmental Protection Agency, Georgia, USA
1
SQN412 Bl.N Apt. 305 CEP: 70867-140 Brasília-DF (mailing adress)
1
lviana@unb.br; 2 molina.marirosa@epa.gov; 3 aspinto@unb.br; 4 mercedes@unb.br;
5 6
kisselle.keith@epa.gov; zepp.richard@epa.gov
2
The Brazilian savannas (Cerrado) covers an area of 2 million Km and represents the second
major biome in Brazil. It presents a dry season from April to September and a rainy season
from October to March and different vegetation covers that varies in woody species density.
The region has suffered drastic changes in land use with conversion of native areas to
agriculture and burning practices are common during the dry season. The microorganisms
have an important role in nutrient cycling and ecosystem functioning and the effects of land-
use changes on microbial community structure and function are not well understood. As part
of an effort to understand the effect of vegetation changes and fire regimes on the nutrient
dynamics and trace gas emissions, the structure and dynamic of soil microbial communities
were studied using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. Soil samples (0-5 cm) were
collected from June/00 to June/01 in two native vegetation types (cerrado sensu stricto e
campo sujo) subjected to different fire regimes (2 plots protected from fire since 1992 and 2
plots submitted to prescribed fires) and in a 20 year-old active pasture (Brachiaria brizantha).
Principal component analysis (PCA) separated microbial communities by vegetation type
(native vs. pasture) and seasonality (wet vs. dry), explaining 45,8% and 25,6%, respectively,
of the total PLFA variability. Differences between burned and unburned sites were observed
although it was less significant than vegetation cover and seasonality effects. Gram-negative
bacteria (16:1ω7c, 16:1ω5, 18:1ω7c) were in higher concentrations in the pasture than in
native areas, which showed more abundance of lipids from eukaryotic microorganisms and
Gram-positive bacteria. Most of the variability, during the dry season, were explained by 16:0
(general prokaryotic lipid) and cy19:0 (Gram-negative lipid) and, during the wet season, by
Gram-positive bacteria lipids (i16:0, br18:0, 15:0). Total PLFA varied from 7,1 to 41,0 µg/g
dry weight of soil with higher values observed during the wet season.
Changes in land use in the city of Manaus and adjacent areas of the Br 174 highway
Endereço: PDBFF/Inpa
e-mail: pinguela@inpa.gov.br
Historically, changes in land use patterns in Brazilian Legal Amazon have been stimulated
by Government interventions through public policies such as road building, colonization
projects and economic subsidies to industrial activities. In Central Amazon, mainly in areas
around Manaus, the occupation process was initiated with the rubber exploitation cycle, and
was later accelerated by the creation of the Free Commercial zone and implementation of
the industrial district, accompanied by an agricultural program. These incentives have
generated a intense demographic flux to this region. The present study aims to evaluate the
dynamics of the deforestation and land use changes in the area around Manaus and along
the nearby part of the BR-174, by using Landsat TM5 images from 1986, 1992 and 1997.
The study area included 6825 Km2, in a rectangular shape of 105 x 65 km. Mapping of land
use and natural vegetation cover was made using supervised classification by maximum
likelihood classifier in the IDRISI 32 software. After classifying, the area of each class was
calculated for each of the following: mature forest; second growth, and urban/deforested
areas, and “other” (e.g. water, open natural vegetation areas) for the three images. Forested
areas have been reduced 3.3% in 1992 and 1.8% in 1997. Second growth areas increased
from 1986 to 1992 (7%), and was slightly reduced in 1997 (less than 1%). Urban areas
increased 66% from 1986 to 1992, and 9% from 1992 to 1997. These results make it clear
the strong impacts of economic subsidies to the region during the 1980s, and a diminution
in the rhythm of deforestation and urbanization from 1992 to 1997. Despite the
development model based on these subsidies be considered one of the reasons of low forest
losses in the State of Amazonas, our results show that at a more local scale, around
Manaus, they have had a drastic impact, mainly through promoting the urbanization
process.
Priority Areas for Establishing National Forests in the
Brazilian Amazon
Mark A. Cochrane1,2, Adalberto Veríssimo1, Carlos Souza Jr.1 and Rodney Salomão1
1
Instituto do Homem e Meio Ambiente da Amazônia (IMAZON), 2Michigan State
University, Basic Science and Remote Sensing Initiative (MSU/BSRSI)
Brazil will benefit if it gains control of its vast Amazonian timber resources.
Without immediate planning, the fate of much of the Amazon will be decided by
predatory and largely unregulated timber interests. Logging in the Amazon is a transient
process of natural resource mining (Uhl et al. 1997). Older logging frontiers are being
exhausted of timber resources and will face severe wood shortages within 5 years
(Veríssimo and Amaral 1998). The Brazilian Government can avoid continued repetition
of this process in frontier areas by establishing a network of National and State Forests
(Flonas – Florestas Nacionais) to stabilize the timber industry and simultaneously protect
large tracts of forest. Flonas currently comprise less than 2% of the Brazilian Amazon
(83,000 km2). If all of these forests were used for sustainable logging, they would
provide less than 10% of the demand for Amazonian timber. To sustainably supply the
present and near-future demand for timber, approximately 700,000 km2 of the Amazon
forest needs to be brought into well managed production. Brazil’s National Forest
Program, launched in 2000, is designed to create at least 400,000 km2 of new Flonas.
Objective decision tools are needed to site these new national forests. We report here a
method for optimally locating the needed Flonas that incorporates information on
existing protected areas, current vegetation cover, areas of human occupation, and timber
stocks. The method combines these information in a spatial database that allows for
modeling of the economic potential of the region’s various forests as a function of their
accessibility and timber values while constraining model solutions for existing areas of
protection or human occupation. Our results indicate that 1.15 million km2 of forests
(23% of the Brazilian Amazon) could be established as Flonas in a manner that will
promote sustainable forest management while acting as buffer zones for fully protected
areas (Parks and Reserves).
Título: Land Occupation and Use in the Ji-Paraná River Basin (Rondônia,
Brazil). Social-Economics-Agricultural Survey
rmarcona@carpa.ciagri.usp.br
Laurens Ganzeveld Max-Planck Institute Oral Impact of land cover and land use
for Chemistry changes on surface trace gas
exchanges.
Robert Yokelson University of Oral The Emissions From Savanna Fires,
Montana Domestic Biofuel Use, and Residual
Smoldering Combustion, and the
Effects of Aging and Cloud-
Processing on Smoke During
SAFARI 2000
Caio Cesar Passianoto CENA-USP Poster Soil trace gas emissions influenced
by pasture reformation systems in
Rondônia, Brazil
Christopher Neill Marine Biological Poster Control of N2O and N2 Emissions
Laboratory from Amazonian Pastures Under
Intensified Use: Availability of
Nitrogen, Carbon and the Effects of
Soil Tillage
Francoise Ishida IPAM - Instituto de Poster Emissions of CO2, CH4, N2O, and
Pesquisa Ambiental NO in a chronosequence of
da Amazonia secondary forests in eastern
Amazonia
Jadson Dias Universidade Federal Poster Soil-Atmosphere Flux of Nitrous
do Para - Campus de Oxide and Methane Measured Over
Santarem Two Years on Sand and Clay Soils in
Undisturbed Forest at the FLONA
Tapajos, Brazil
Keith Kisselle US EPA Poster NOx and CO emissions from soil and
surface litter in a Brazilian savanna
Luciana Gatti IPEN - Instituto de Poster What we learned about trace gases in
Pesquisas Energeticas the Amazon Basin
e Nucleares
D.C. Garcia-Montiel1, J.M. Melillo1, P.A. Steudler1, C. Neill1, C.C. Cerri2, B. Feigl2
and M. Piccolo2
1
The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543,
USA.
2
Centro de Energia nuclear na Agricultura, Avenida Centenário 303, CEP
13416000, Piracicaba, SP, Brasil.
The availability of labile organic carbon for microbial metabolic processes could
be an important factor regulating N2O emissions from tropical soils. We
investigated how an increase in labile C affects N2O and CO2 emissions from
forest soils in the southwestern Brazilian Amazon State of Rondônia.
Experimental manipulations included the addition of NO3- or glucose to field plots
in the forest and of NH4+, NO3- and/or glucose to laboratory incubations of soils.
The addition of labile carbon dramatically increased the emissions N2O and CO2
from the forest soils. These results indicate a strong C limitation of forest N2O
production. In this study and related field observations, we have observed a
positive linear correlation between the emissions of N2O and CO2 from forest
soils in Rondônia. We have used this relationship together with our process-
based biogeochemistry model, the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM), to predict
N2O emissions for the Amazon Basin. For the period 1980-1995, we estimate
annual basin-wide N2O-N emissions of between 0.74 and 0.83 Tg.
Impact of land cover and land use changes on surface trace gas exchanges.
Laurens Ganzeveld
Max-Planck Institute for Chemistry
Joh.-Joachim-Becher-Weg 27, P.O. Box 3060, 55020 Mainz, Germany
E-mail: ganzeveld@mpch-mainz.mpg.de
Surface trace gases exchanges are controlled to a large extent by land cover and land
use. Dry deposition as well as biogenic emissions depend on turbulent exchange and the
biogeo-physical and -chemical properties of the surface. Moreover, interactions between dry
deposition and biogenic emissions within the vegetation canopy depend on land cover
properties through modification of the turbulent exchange and (photo)-chemical
transformations within the canopy. Hence it is expected that changes in land cover and land
use, e.g., deforestation, will alter surface trace gas exchanges and consequently atmospheric
chemistry.
The complexity of surface trace gas exchange processes requires the use of explicit,
mechanistic models to assess potential impacts of land cover and land use changes. The
chemistry-GCM ECHAM contains such an explicit representation of dry deposition, biogenic
emissions, canopy interactions and meteorology. To indicate the complexity of the impact of
land cover and land use changes on surface trace gas exchanges, through changes in the
Planetary Boundary Layer- and micrometeorology, we will present some results of a
deforestation scenario for the Amazon region, using a Single Column Model version of
ECHAM.
The Emissions From Savanna Fires, Domestic Biofuel Use, and Residual
Smoldering Combustion, and the Effects of Aging and Cloud-Processing on Smoke
During SAFARI 2000
P.V. Hobbs
University of Washington, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Seattle WA
Caio Cesar Passianoto(1), Toby Ahrens(2), Brigitte Josefine Feigl(1), Paul Steudler(2)
(1) Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, CENA / USP, Caixa Postal 96, CEP
13400-970, Piracicaba-SP ccpassia@cena.usp.br
(2) The Ecosystem Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
02543, U.S.A.
Conversion of forest to pasture has been a major activity in the state of Rondônia, Brazil
since the 1970s. After decades of use, pasture productivity has declined. A number of
management options exist to reform these lands including conventional tillage,
fertilization, herbicide application, intermediate crop rotation, and planting of legumes.
What are the consequences of these reformation practices for trace gas emissions? A
subset of these reformation practices has been studied in a large-scale field experiment
(>3 ha) in an area of degraded pasture at Fazenda Nova Vida, Rondônia. The experiment
involved five treatments: 1) control; 2) tilled; 3) herbicide; intermediate planting of no-till
4) rice and 5) soybean. Here we report soil emissions of CO2, N2O, and NO from the first
three months of control, conventional till, and no-till rice treatments. The tilled, herbicide,
and rice treatments received 40, 40, and 12 kg N ha-1, respectively. Tillage increased in
CO2 emissions by 35% over first 40 days, while herbicide application in the no-till
treatment decreased CO2 emissions by 20% over the first 30 days. Following
establishment of the pasture grasses in the tillage and rice treatment, CO2 emissions were
similar to control plots. Tillage increased N2O emissions 17-fold, but highest emission
rates (357 ug m-2 hr-1) were measured after fertilizer application. A similar response was
measured after fertilizer application in the rice treatment. Tillage and fertilizer application
resulted in increased NO emissions. Field measurements will continue to better
understand the longer term legacy of different reformation practices on soil gas emission
rates.
Control of N2O and N2 Emissions from Amazonian Pastures Under Intensified Use:
1. The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
cneill@mbl.edu
2. Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Avenida Centenário, 303, Caixa Postal 96,
CEP 13416000, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
Most studies of the effects of land use change on soil emissions of trace gases have
focussed on forest-to-pasture or forest-to-cropland conversions. Here we examine soil
fluxes from secondary forests regrowing after abandonment of traditional slash-and-burn
agriculture. A chronosequence of secondary forests (3, 6, 10, 20, 40, and 70 years) was
identified on highly weathered, acid, nutrient-poor soils in eastern Pará. An abandoned,
intensively cultivated pepper field and a remnant mature forest were also studied. Three
chamber flux measurements were made in each of 4 plots for each age class, 3 times in
the wet season and 3 times in the dry season. As expected, CO2 and N2O emissions were
highest during the wet season and soil consumption of atmospheric CH4 was highest
during the dry season. Consistent with other studies of deforested land, the abandoned
pepper field had lower emissions of CO2 and N2O than the mature forest and was a net
source of CH4. Low fluxes were also observed in secondary forests, but wet season
emissions of CO2, N2O, and NO and uptake of CH4 increased with increasing forest age.
Litter layer N concentration also increased with forest age, indicating that N gradually
becomes less limiting during forest succession, thus permitting somewhat larger N gas
losses in older forests. After 70 years of secondary succession, however, N2O emissions
were still only half those of the mature forest. These results show that deforestation has
long-lasting effects on trace gas emissions and that recovery of N cycling processes may
require many decades or centuries.
Soil-Atmosphere Flux of Nitrous Oxide and Methane Measured Over Two Years on
Sand and Clay Soils in Undisturbed Forest at the FLONA Tapajos, Brazil
Jadson Dias1, Eraclito Sousa1, Hudson Silva2, Michael Keller2, Patrick M. Crill2;
Raimundo Cosme de Oliveira Junior3.
1
Fundação Floresta Tropical, Santarem, Para, Brazil,
2
University of New Hampshire
3
EMBRAPA Amazonia Oriental, Santarem, Para, Brazil
Nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) are important greenhouse gases.
Tropical forest soils account for the largest natural source of N2O. Most upland tropical
forest soils studied so far consume CH4. We measured soil-atmosphere flux of N2O and
CH4 using static chambers during 30 minute long emplacements. Four samples were
removed at equal time intervals in nylon syringes and transported to our laboratory in
Santarem for analysis within about 24 hours of collection. We analyzed N2O and CH4
using gas electron capture and flame ionization gas chromatography. To determine
concentrations, integrated sample peak areas were compared to peak areas for
commercially prepared standards that had been calibrated against the LBA-ECO
standards. We calculated fluxes by linear regression of 3-4 concentration-time pairs.
Our sampling points were randomly selected at intervals of 2-4 weeks at mature
undisturbed forest sites near the km 83 IBAMA base in the Tapajos National Forest
(FLONA Tapajos). Approximately 8 chamber measurements were made during each
sampling period on both sandy Ultisols and clayey Oxisols. Soil and air temperature and
soil moisture were measured at the same time as gas fluxes.
N2O emissions from clay greatly exceeded the emissions from sand. During 2
years of measurement, N2O emissions from clay soils averaged 7 ng-N cm-2 h-1 while
emissions from sand soils averaged only 2 ng-N cm-2 h-1. Sand soils generally consumed
more CH4 than clay soils -1 mg-CH4 m-2 d-1 vs.0 mg-CH4 m-2 d-1). Seasonal variation
of both N2O and CH4 fluxes appeared to be controlled primarily by soil moisture. For
N2O, wet season (January-June) emissions greatly exceeded dry season (July –
December) emissions. In the case of CH4, fluxes were near zero or positive during the
wet season but notably negative (indicating consumption of methane in the soil) during
the dry season.
NOx and CO emissions from soil and surface litter in a Brazilian savanna
ABSTRACT- Land clearing and burning in the tropics often results in increased solar
irradiation of soil and surface organic matter. This increased light exposure and surface
heating may impact the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO),
trace gases that play an important role in tropospheric chemistry. Our objective in this
study was to quantify the effect of light on these trace gas emissions at sites located in the
Cerrado (savanna) in central Brazil. Two native vegetation types (cerrado sensu stricto
and campo sujo) with or without recent burning, and a pasture site were studied. Gas
measurements were made in the field using either clear, or covered (opaque), Pyrex
chambers sealed on the soil surface. Laboratory studies of surface litter allowed CO
emission measurements of leaf litter from several species while controlling the light
wavelength and intensity and the temperature. Field NOx flux measurements using clear
chambers were higher than when using opaque chambers (approximately 4-7 times
higher in burned sites; 2 times higher in the unburned native grassland and pasture).
Immediately after burning, CO emissions from soils and charred surface organic matter
increased in the cerrado, where 30 days after the fire, daytime CO emissions were over
10-fold higher than those from the unburned cerrado (812.8 x 109 molecules cm-2 s-1 vs.
76.8 x 109 molecules cm-2 s-1). The increase in CO production occurred both in light and
dark chambers, suggesting that the fire created thermally-reactive precursors.
Gatti, Luciana V., Cordova, A. M.; Yamazaki, A., Trostdorf, C.R., Pretto, A.
IPEN – Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory, Travessa R, 400, CEP 05508-900,
Sao Paulo, Brazil; e-mail: lvgatti@net.ipen.br
Artaxo, P., Instituto de Física, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil; e-mail: artaxo@if.usp.br
Silva Dias, M. A. F, Departamento de Ciencias Atmosféricas, IAG-USP, SP, Brazil.
Several intensive sampling campaigns were performed in 1999, 2000 and 2001, in
different regions such as Rondonia, Manaus and Santarém as part of the LBA experiment..
The wet season experiments extended from February to May and the dry season experiments
measured atmospheric composition associated with biomass burning emissions. The O3
concentrations were measured in parallel with CO, NOx, VOC, aerosol mass, organic carbon,
light scattering and absorption. Several meteorological parameters such as solar radiation,
PAR, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction were also monitored.
After measurements in six different campaigns, five during the wet season and one in
the dry season, it is possible to observe that the site that suffers smaller human activities
impacts is the Floresta Nacional do Tapajós, Para and Balbina, AM (150 km north of
Manaus). The first characteristic signal of natural conditions is the small difference between
day and night concentrations for ozone. It was also observed at the Floresta Nacional do
Tapajós, very frequent nocturnal peaks of high ozone concentration, that has as origin the
medium troposphere.
In the wet season in Amazonia, the ozone concentration in the nighttime averages 3
ppb and at the peak of the radiation during daytime, it averages 15 ppb. In the dry season, the
ozone average concentration in the nighttime was 12 ppb and in the daytime (14:00 - 15:00
LT), the average concentration was a very high 50 ppb. Similarly to O3, the NOx
concentrations differ significantly between wet and dry seasons, due to biomass burning
emissions. The average concentration for the wet season for NO was 0.23 ppb and NO2 was
0.69 ppb, while for the dry season NO averaged at 0.04 ppb and NO2 at 2.73 ppb. Typical
levels of CO in the Amazon basin in the wet season were 150 ppb, with maximum values of
around 500 ppb. In the dry season, peaks of 2,000 ppb in the daytime and 8,000 ppb at the
nighttime were observed, associated with high black carbon and aerosol loadings. The
biomass burning signal is very strong in Rondônia and moderate in Santarem.
Our conventional understanding of methane (CH4) exchange between the atmosphere and
upland forest soils leads us to expect that these well drained soils will consume
atmospheric CH4. However our measurements using automated gas chromatographs and
automated chambers in the undisturbed site at km67 in the FLONA Tapajos in Para
indicate that this may not be the case. Profile measurements show CH4 regularly
accumulates in the subcanopy atmosphere at night. This accumulation is on the order of
200-500 ppbv between daily minima and maxima at 4 levels between 0.2 and 10 m
during a period in the late wet season (days 78-150 of 2001). Later in the season after
day 175 very high mixing ratios of CH4 (>5 ppmv) were often observed and diel
accumulation still occurred. Our initial analysis based on similarity with CO2 dynamics
indicated that the source strength of CH4 had to be on the order of 5 mg CH4 m-2d-1.
Direct emissions of CH4 were observed over a period from day 150 to day 201, 2001 in
all 18 dark automated chambers that are operational. Average fluxes for individual
chambers during this period ranged from 0.8 to 6.9 mg CH4 m-2d-1. This is in rough
agreement with our previous analysis. Even though these measurements are confined to
clayey Oxisols, they represent a hitherto unrecognized but significant source of CH4 to
the atmosphere.
ANNUAL PATTERNS OF SOIL CO2 EMISSIONS FROM BRAZILIAN FORESTS
AND PASTURES
steudler@mbl.edu
eduardo@cena.usp.br
dgarcia@mbl.edu
jmelillo@mbl.edu
cneill@mbl.edu
mpiccolo@cena.usp.br
cerri@cena.usp.br
Soil carbon dioxide (CO2) effluxes and soil physical and chemical properties were
measured intensively over a 19-month period in two sequences that consisted of forest
and pastures ranging in age from four to 41 years old in Rondônia in the southwestern
region of the Amazon Basin. Furthermore, we created a new pasture directly from forest
and measured the emission of CO2 and other properties over 27 months. Maximum soil
respiration rates were measured during the wet season in both forests and pastures. Plant
phenology, such as the timing of maximum root biomass and the asynchrony of above-
and below-ground litter inputs and subsequent decomposition, may play an important role
in determining the seasonally of the observed respiration rates. Average annual CO2
release from the forests was 1,347 g C/m2. Annual releases from the pastures ranged
from 1,090 to 2,365 g C/m2 and increased with pasture age for the first six years after
establishment, but then remained nearly constant at about 1,750 g C/m2 for the next two
decades. Soil moisture was a strong predictor of seasonal CO2 emissions from all sites
but soil temperature was not. Absence of a relationship between soil respiration and soil
temperature in moist tropical forests and over the annual temperature cycle in pastures,
has important implications for global carbon cycle analyses. Soil respiration rates in
some of these analyses are described as a function of either air or soil temperature. Our
study suggests that this characterization is not valid in moist tropical forests and pastures.
Trace gases and VOCs in Amazonia- from canopy process to the large scale
1
Atmospheric Chemistry Division, NCAR, 1850 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder CO, USA, guenther@ucar.edu
2
Instituto de Fisica, U. São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
3
IPEN, Divisao de Quimica Ambiental, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
Land-use and landcover change are expected to perturb the exchange of gases and
aerosols between Amazônian landscapes and the atmosphere. The biosphere-atmosphere
exchange of reactive carbon compounds, RCCs (e.g., isoprene, acetone, a-pinene, CO,
carbonaceous aerosols) is particularly important because of their role in the processes
controlling oxidant, CO, aerosol, and organic acid evolution, as well as their contribution to
global carbon cycles and budgets. Regional air quality policy decisions, which have large
environmental and socio-economic impacts, also rely on accurate RCC emission and
deposition estimates. The LBA research program has greatly expanded the Amazônian
database of leaf-scale (enclosure measurements), canopy-scale (eddy flux measurements), and
regional-scale (vertical profiling measurements) biogenic VOC observations. We have
integrated the LBA flux measurements into an emission modelling scheme that has a 1km
resolution and accounts for Amazonian vegetation distributions and land-use. The emissions
predicted by this model were input to both a global 3-D model (MOZART) with moderately
detailed chemistry and a box model with very detailed chemistry (NCAR Master Mechanism)
and used to investigate the impact of land-use change on the chemical composition of the
atmosphere. Land-use change induced perturbations in both emission and deposition of RCC
were considered in these model simulations. LBA observations of volatile organic compound
and aerosol fluxes (from above canopy towers) and boundary layer concentrations (from
tethered balloon and aircraft sampling platforms) were used to evaluate the performance of the
models. Scenarios considered include conversion of forest to 1) pasture, 2) small family farms,
and 3) large commercial plantations. The implications of other Amazonian emissions (e.g.
biomass burning, the Manaus plume) were also considered. The model simulations indicate that
Amazônia land-use change will significantly perturb regional atmospheric chemistry including
oxidants, reactive nitrogen and carbon trace gases and aerosols. This presentation will describe
the advances in biogenic emission and deposition modelling procedures and the predicted
impacts on atmospheric trace gas and aerosol distributions. The implications for regional air
quality and climate will also be discussed.
Biogenic volatile organic compound emissions from disturbed and undisturbed
Amazonian landscapes
J.P. Greenberg (greenber@ucar.edu), A. Guenther, P. Harley
National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, Colorado, USA
80307
J. Tota, G. Fisch
IAE/CTA, Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo, Brazil
L. Gatti, O. Vega
IPEN-MQA, Sao Paulo, Brazil
1-Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ambiente Forestale e delle sue Risorse, Università della Tuscia, Via C. de Lellis,
CAP 01100 Viterbo ITALY (e-mail: pstefani@unitus.it)
2-Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia, C.P. 478 Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil 69011-970
3-Istituto sull’Inquinamento Atmosferico del CNR area delle ricerche di Roma Via Salaria km 29.300 CP10
CAP 00016 Monterotondo Scalo Italy
4-Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Biogeochemistry Dept.,P.O. Box 3060, D55020 Mainz GERMANY
Although small when compared to the GPP, the amount of carbon released in the atmosphere by terrestrial by terrestrial
vegetation exceeds by an order of magnitude the one produced by man-made activities. Although the largest portion of
this emission is concentrated in tropical regions, only recently systematic investigations have been undertaken in this
portion of the earth surface. Among them, particularly interesting are the data that have been collected in Brazil during
the previous LBA- EUSTACH experiments, where an integrated approach was followed to quantify reduced carbon
emission from terrestrial vegetation and to assess its possible conversion of emitted VOC into secondary products
(gases and aerosols). During these experiments, first attempts were also made to quantify the fluxes of biogenic VOC
by REA. These preliminary data have been recently complemented with those collected in the LBA-CLAIRE 2001 and
LBA-CARBONSINK field studies performed in the tropical rain forest near Manaus. As a part of these projects, VOC
fluxes were measured during the dry season (July 2001) using a REA system installed in the K34 tower located inside
the ZF2 reserve managed by INPA: More than two weeks of data were collected. For some of them diel trends were
followed. Data confirmed the preliminary observations made during the wet season. Isoprene was the dominant
component even though the emission of monoterpenes was not negligible (30-40% of reduced carbon emission).
The relationship between carbon emitted as VOC and carbon fixed from photosynthetic activity will be presented and
discussed.
Variations in Isoprene Emission Capacity among Neotropical Forest Sites
Peter Harley1, Pérola Vasconcellos2, Lee Vierling4, Alex Guenther1, Jim Greenberg1,
3
Carlos Cleomir de S. Pinheiro, Lee Klinger
1
Atmospheric Chemistry Division, NCAR, 1850 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder CO, USA, harley@ucar.edu
2
IPEN, Departamento de Química e Meio Ambiente, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
3
INPA –Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
4
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, USA
Isoprene (C5H8) is a hydrocarbon produced and emitted by leaves of many tree species, and
is the most important volatile organic compound in most rural atmospheres. It is an
important participant in tropospheric chemistry, and carbon losses in the form of isoprene
are a small but significant component of the carbon budget in some forest ecosystems.
Isoprene emission capacity of sun leaves, defined as the emission rate of isoprene measured
at 30 oC under photosynthetically active radiation of 1000 µmol m-2 s-1, varies across
species by three orders of magnitude. Approximately 2/3 of those tree species examined
appear to emit very little isoprene (<0.5 µgC g-1 h-1) while the remaining 1/3 have emission
capacities exceeding 50 µg g-1 h-1. In contrast, photosynthetic capacity of sun leaves
probably varies by only about a factor of 2 between tree species. In order to estimate
regional fluxes of isoprene, therefore, it is necessary to estimate not only the overall leaf
biomass but also the species composition. In addition, estimates of isoprene emission
capacity are required for all species encountered.
During 5 LBA field campaigns, we have sampled individual leaves of over 150 species for
emissions of isoprene, and approximately 1/3 have been found to be high isoprene emitters.
These data will be presented. Although this is a small fraction of the several thousand
Neotropical tree species, these measurements and additional measurements in the
Neotropics and elsewhere have allowed us to develop tentative relationships between the
taxonomic position of a tree species and its isoprene-emission characteristics.
A number of detailed plant surveys have been carried out in Neotropical upland forests,
several in conjunction with LBA, in which all trees greater than 1.0 cm dbh within a given
area (ranging from about 10 to 100 ha) have been identified and counted. Combining this
detailed census information with estimates of isoprene emission potentials either
determined from actual measurements or inferred from taxonomic relationships, we have
estimated the potential of each of these regions to emit isoprene to the atmosphere. The
regional emission potentials are compared with trends in above canopy isoprene flux and
concentrations observed at several of these sites. Methods for incorporating this
information into regional and global models are described.
Concentration profiles of volatile organic compounds over Amazonia: Aircraft
measurements during LBA CLAIRE 2001
(1) Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Biogeochemistry Dept., Mainz, Germany
(2) Instituto sull' Inquinamento Atmosferico del C.N.R., Monterotondo Scalo, Italy
(3) Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
(4) Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ambiente Forestale e delle sue Risorse, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
(5) Centro Tecnico Aerospacial IAE-CTA-ACA, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil
(6) Institute Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Cidade Universitaria, Sao Paulo, Brazil
(7) Dept. Ciencias Atmosfericas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
(8) Instituto de Física, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
(9) Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, Brazil
The focus of LBA-CALIRE 2001 was to improve our knowledge required to determine the
net exchange of trace gases and aerosols between the atmosphere and the Amazon region, to
understand the regulating processes and how they are influenced by anthropogenic activities.
We present measurements on the vertical distribution of volatile organic compounds (VOC),
carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, aerosol concentrations, and meteorological conditions above
a primary rain forest site, that will be used to develop an integrated and quantitative
understanding of the interactions of biogenic source fluxes, atmospheric transport and vertical
exchange, and photochemical processing over the tropical forest. A specific objective within
these studies was the impact of the Manaus plume on the chemical processing within the
boundary layer. High product/precursors ratios were observed at fixed altitudes showing that
the Manaus plume get stratified in a rather complex fashion.
COMPARISON OF AEROSOL OPTICAL THICKNESS IN THE UV-B BAND
IN BIOMASS BURNING AND SEASHORE REGIONS IN BRAZIL
Av. dos Astronautas 1758, CP 515, 12201-970, São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil
kir@dge.inpe.br
ABSTRACT
The Aerosol optical thickness (AOT) in the UV-B band (280-320 nm) has been measured
in the atmosphere at two different sites in Brazil. One of the sites, Campo Grande (19.2o S,
54.3o W), is an agriculture and pasture site in the savanna of Central Brazil which
experiences large biomass burning activities in the dry season, becoming highly polluted.
The other site is Natal (5.8o S, 35.2o W), located next to the seashore of the Atlantic Ocean
with a characteristic clean atmospheric environment in the Brazilian Northeast region. Sites
are about 2500 km (1554 miles) apart. Field campaigns were conducted in the July-August
period during the 1999 winter (dry season). The AOT is retrieved from ozone, sulfur
dioxide, and Rayleigh optical thicknesses out of the measured atmospheric optical
thickness which is obtained using the Langley method applied to 5 UV-B wavelengths of
direct sun measurements of a Brewer spectrophotometer. This instrument obtains ozone
and sulfur dioxide columns which are used to calculate corresponding optical thicknesses.
The AOT average values for the campaign in Campo Grande are 0.57 ± 0.52 in the morning
and 0.90 ± 1.04 in the afternoon at 306.3 nm, while for Natal they are 0.04 ± 0.02 in the
morning and 0.07 ± 0.05 in the afternoon at the same wavelength. The majority of the AOT
results show increasing values with wavelength.
Abstract submitted for presentation at the
2nd International LBA Scientific Conference, Manaus, Brazil, July 7-10, 2002
ABSTRACT
Fire pixels detected by satellite are a useful tool to study biomass burning. We have used
this information to feed a simple model, which calculates the regional carbon monoxide
(CO) mixing ratio resulting from a given distribution of fire pixels. The model assumes that
the observed concentration is the result of a background concentration, a regional
component, and a transport term. A field experiment was designed to check the model.
Several flights were made aboard an instrumented Bandeirante aircraft in the biomass-
burning region of central Brazil to measure atmospheric CO in several specific situations.
The fixed Maxaranguape, RN, observation station near Natal is used to obtain background
concentrations of trace gases, including CO. In regions where the transport term is small,
the model calculates CO concentrations that compare well with the measurements. One
exception occurs in regions of strong horizontal transport, when the transport term reaches
values of the order of the regional component. In the atmospheric well mixed source region,
CO concentrations are of the order of 300-400 parts per billion by volume, ppbv, whereas
the background values are of the order of 80 ppbv.
1
The meteorological conditions during the LBA CLAIRE - 2001 Mission
Francis Wagner Silva Correia (CPTEC – INPE)
francisw@cptec.inpe.br
Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos – CPTEC
Rodovia Presidente Dutra, Km 40. Cachoeira Paulista – SP. 12.630-000
Gilberto Fisch
Centro Tecnico Aeroespacial (CTA/IAE-ACA)
gfisch@iae.cta.br
The Claire mission was held in Manaus area in July 2001. This mission had the objectives to collect
atmospheric chemistry data in order to characterize the convective processes in Amazonia. This
work deals with the meteorological condition during this experiment. The solar radiation show
pulses of low and high values associated with the presence of mesoscale systems. The Bowen ration
was tipically around 0.30. On days July 8, 16, 22-23 e 28-29 the solar radiation were low, with high
rate of precipitation: 16.8, 14.2, 13.8, 34.2mm respectively. The CAPE (Convective Available
Potential Energy) was typically around 1600 J.kg-1, with the exception for the rainy days. The liquid
water content was around 4.5 g.cm-2 for the whole experiment. During the period from July 3 – 13
the windflow was from east at 1000hPa. On days July 15 – 18, a squall line crossed Manaus
changed the wind direction to the North. The wind at 500hPa is from east for the whole Amazonia.
The squall line conditions will be full described.
Abstract submitted for presentation at the
nd
2 International LBA Scientific Conference, Manaus, Brazil, July 7-10, 2002
It is well recognized that the tropical forests are an important global source
of VOC (volatile organic compounds), as well as a number of other atmospheric
trace gases. The high biodiversity in tropical rainforests complicates the
extrapolation of biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions from leaf-
level measurements to landscape and regional or global scales. In Amazonia, a
significant fraction of the carbon emitted from the biosphere to the atmosphere is
emitted in the form of VOCs, and the knowledge of these fluxes is important to
our understanding of the tropical and global atmospheric chemistry and carbon
cycling.
As part of the LBA (The Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in
Amazonian) experiment, continuous VOCs gradient measurements are being
performed in four sites in Amazonia. The first two sites are located at the
National Forest of Tapajós, Pará State, Santarém, Km 67 of BR 163, one at a
primary forest. The preliminary average flux results is about 4 mg m-2 h-1
(average concentration ~ 5 ppb) and another at a forest were selective logging is
taking place, Km 83 of BR 163, were the preliminary average flux of about 2 mg
m-2 h-1 (average concentration ~ 3.5 ppb). The measurements were made at 65
and 55 m heights simultaneity in an LBA Tower (20 and 10 meters above forest
canopy, respectively). The other two sites are located in the Rondonia state, at a
primary forest and also at a pasture site. The forest site is the Biological Reserve
of Jaru, Primary forest, with the gradient measurements taking place at 65 and
55 m above the ground (30 and 20 m above forest canopy, respectively, average
~7 ppb). In the pasture site (grass vegetation), the gradient measurements are
taking place at 8 and 3 m above the ground (~1.7 ppb). The gradient
concentration measurements are being used to calculate VOC fluxes. The
expected seasonality of VOC fluxes and emissions are being captured. The
preliminary results indicates that the forest respond with less isoprene fluxes in
perturbed forest.
S. Rottenberger (1), U. Kuhn (1), A. Wolf (1), G. Schebeske (1),O. de Simone (2),
W. Schmidt (2), E. Müller (3), M.T.F. Piedade (4), J. Kesselmeier (1)
(1) Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Biogeochemistry Dept., Mainz, Germany
(2) University Oldenburg, FB Biology, Germany
(3) Max Planck Institute for Limnology, Tropical Ecology Dept., Plön, Germany
(4) Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia, Manaus, Brasil
rottenbe@mpch-mainz.mpg.de / Fax: +49-6131-305428
Plants are known to emit considerable quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOC) to the
atmosphere. Among biogenically emitted VOC the oxygenated hydrocarbons acetaldehyde and
ethanol play an important role in atmospheric chemistry. They participate in regulating the
oxidative capacity of the atmosphere, are involved in the production of peroxyacetylnitrates
(PAN) and are precursors for short-chain acids contributing to the acidity of the atmosphere.
Biogenic emissions of acetaldehyde and ethanol are known to occur when plants are subjected to
stress conditions (air pollution, freezing) and to hypoxic conditions of the root system induced by
flooding. The Central Amazon floodplain is one of the largest flooding areas in the world and
plants are subjected to waterlogging for periods over several month. Hence, it is a potential large
source for acetaldehyde and ethanol. In a greenhouse experiment we simulated the flooding
situation and monitored the acetaldehyde and ethanol exchange of tropical trees representative of
Central Amazonian floodplain forests over a 6-day flooding period by an enclosure method.
Large differences in emission rates, diurnal pattern and temporal behavior were observed
between species depending on the duration of flooding. Our results indicate that different leaf
emission response patterns are linked to specific differences in adaptive physiological and
morphological strategies of the roots to overcome hypoxic conditions induced by waterlogging.
Variations in carbon monoxide concentrations at a Central Amazonian site.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) plays a major role in controlling the global levels of OH in the
atmosphere, and is a tracer of combustion sources. CO measurements are being made at
a forested site near Santarem, Para, Brazil (km67 tower site) in order to determine
background CO levels in the clean continental tropical atmosphere, to identify factors
that control CO levels, and to serve as a tracer for emissions from local and distant
biomass burning. A CO measurement system consisting of a Thermo Environmental
Instruments model 48CTL analyzer, cold-trap at 2.5C to eliminate variations in water
vapor interference, zeroing catalyst, and automated calibration with 100 and 500 nmol
mol-1 standards was installed in April, 2001. Sample is drawn from an inlet above the
forest canopy.
CO concentrations were less than 100 nmol mol-1 on average, with no significant diel
variation during the rainy season, April to June. The wet season data indicate a low
regional background CO concentration and suggest that the local forest is neither a
significant source nor sink for CO. In mid July, after local rain ended, there was a modest
increase in CO concentration that was not accompanied by a large increase variance. This
increase we attribute to increased transport from distant CO sources or to increased
production by photochemistry of biogenic hydrocarbons contributing to regional
enhancement in CO. In late August, the variability of CO concentrations begins to
increase dramatically. Individual half-hour concentrations exceed 1000 nmol mol-1. By
November, the frequency and magnitude of high CO events has increased. Maximum
concentrations up to 5000 nmol mol-1 are observed and the minimum concentrations have
increased to about 200 nmol mol-1. The high CO levels and large variability are due to
nearby fires. The diel variation during the late dry season when local fires are present
shows a strong enhancement during the night as smoke is trapped in the nocturnal
boundary layer. CO concentrations drop sharply after January 1, 2002 when heavy rains
put an end to local burning.
CO during the burning season will be used as a tracer to quantify the contribution by fires
to CO2 variability and to determine emission factors for aerosol components.
Vegetation Dynamics in a Changing Ecosystem
D.J. Zarin1, S.S. Mulkey2, S.S. Vasconcelos3, L.B. Fortini4, C.J.R. Carvalho5, F.A.
Oliveira6
1
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110760,
Gainesville, FL 32611-0760 USA, zarin@ufl.edu; 2University of Florida,
mulkey@botany.ufl.edu; 3Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias do Pará,
steel@amazon.com.br; 4University of Florida, lucasfortini@usa.net; 5EMBRAPA-
CPATU, carvalho@cpatu.embrapa.br; 6Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias do Pará,
fassis@amazon.com.br
Rates of carbon uptake and accumulation in forests are strongly influenced by climate. In
Amazonian regrowth forests, more attention has been focused on land-use impacts on
carbon accumulation than on climatic constraints, although a recent synthesis indicates
that most of the intersite differences in aboveground carbon accumulation in those forests
are related to differences in the length of the dry season and soil texture. To test the
effects of altered dry-season moisture availability on carbon flux rates in an Eastern
Amazonian regrowth forest, we initiated an irrigation experiment in a 15-year-old stand
near Castanhal, Pará. During the first year of treatment, we added 5 mm day-1 to four 400
m2 plots from August through December; all measurements were made in 100 m2 sample
areas nested in the center of the treatment plots. Compared to control plots in the same
stand, preliminary results of the irrigation experiment included significantly higher soil
CO2 efflux during especially droughty periods and significantly higher maximum
photosynthetic capacity (Amax) throughout the dry season in Miconia ciliata (Rich.) DC, a
common understory species. Leaf water potentials were significantly higher for both M.
ciliata and Vismia guianensis (Aubl.) Choisy, a common overstory species. V.
guianensis Amax values did not differ significantly between treatment and control plots,
but instantaneous water-use efficiency (Amax/Gs) was lower under irrigation. These
preliminary results suggest that above- and below-ground carbon fluxes in this Eastern
Amazonian regrowth forest are constrained by moisture stress during the dry season.
Effects of Land-Use and Environmental Variability on the Carbon Balance of the
Amazon Basin
Hurtt G (1,2), Pacala S (3), Shevliakova E (3), Braswell B (1), Boles S (1), Cardoso M
(1), Fearon M (1), Frolking S (1), Hagen S (1), Moorcroft P (4), Moore B (1), Nobre C
(5), Palace M (1), Xiao X (1).
(1) Institute for the Study of Earth Oceans and Space, University of New Hampshire,
Durham, NH 03824 USA
(5) Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - São Jose dos Campos, SP 12201 Brazil
To better understand the effects of land use and environmental variability on the carbon
balance of the Amazon basin, we are developing an integrated combination of new
remote sensing products, data syntheses, and ecosystem models. The new remote sensing
products are based on MODIS/MISR and supplemented with Landsat and IKONOS and
provide much needed spatio-temporal information on basin wide land-cover and land-use
characteristics. New data syntheses combine this information with additional remote
sensing products, census statistics, and other information on land-use change to produce
essential land-use history products needed for models. Data on climate variability across
the basin are also being studied and formatted for model input. Collectively, this
information is being fed into new state-of-the-art biosphere models based on the
Ecosystem Demography (ED) model. These models are being developed to serve as
quantitative synthesis tools capable of helping to disentangle the mechanisms behind
observed variability in the regional carbon balance, and for helping to evaluate the likely
consequences of alternative scenarios of future development and environmental change in
the region. In this presentation, results from this synthesis activity will be presented
focusing on key advances in modeling and remote sensing that facilitate the estimation of
the large-scale consequences of fine-scale heterogeneity. Fine-scale heterogeneity is
shown to have important consequences for large-scale ecosystem dynamics including
carbon sequestration.
The El Niño / Southern Oscillation and the
Climate, Ecosystems and Rivers of Amazonia
(1) (1) (1) (2)
Jonathan A. Foley , Aurélie Botta , Michael T. Coe , and Marcos Heil Costa
The El Niño / Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is one of the dominant drivers of
environmental variability in the tropics. In this study, we examine the connections between ENSO
and the climate, ecosystem carbon balance, surface water balance, and river hydrology of the
Amazon and Tocantins river basins in South America.
First we examine the climatic variability associated with ENSO. We analyze long-term historical
climate records to document the “average” climatic signature of the El Niño and La Niña phases
of the ENSO cycle. Generally speaking, the “average El Niño” is drier and warmer than normal in
Amazonia, while the “average La Niña” is wetter and cooler. While temperature changes are
mostly uniform through the whole year and are spatially homogeneous, precipitation changes are
stronger during the wet season (January-February-March) and are concentrated in the northern
and southeastern portions of the basin.
Next we use a land surface / ecosystem model (IBIS), coupled to a hydrological routing algorithm
(HYDRA), to examine how ENSO affects land surface water and carbon fluxes, as well as
changes in river discharge and flooding. The model results suggest several responses to ENSO:
• During the average El Niño, there is an anomalous source of CO2 from terrestrial
ecosystems, mainly due to a decreased net primary production (NPP) in the north of the
basin. There is also a decrease in river discharge along many of the rivers in the basin,
especially in the southeast, which causes a decrease in flooded area along the main
stem of the Amazon.
• During the average La Niña, there is an anomalous sink of CO2 into terrestrial
ecosystems, largely due to an increase in NPP in the northern portion of the basin. In
addition, there is a large increase in river discharge in the Amazon basin, especially from
the northern and western tributaries. There is a corresponding increase in flooded area,
largely in the northern rivers.
These results illustrate that changes in water and carbon balance associated with ENSO have
complex, spatially heterogeneous features across the basin. This underscores need for
comprehensive analyses – using long-term observational data and model simulations – of
regional environmental systems and their response to climatic variability.
Interannual variability of Soil moisture and Vegetation Biomass
In Amazonian Cerrado
M. Simard and S. Saatchi
MS 300-319
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA 91109
Tel: (818) 354-6972
Fax: (818) 393-5184
E-mail: marc.simard@jpl.nasa.gov
The Cerrado is the second most important biome in South America, which covers nearly 1.8M
km2 in Brazil and is a significant factor in the regional carbon cycle. According to most recent
estimates, the total area and the rate of the clearing (mainly due to fire) in Cerrado region is
higher than the central Amazonian rainforest. On a larger scale, Cerrado is also a dynamic
system because of its seasonal changes in moisture and vegetation biomass and its sensitivity to
climate variability and change. In this paper, we use a time series of coarse spatial resolution
remote sensing data to examine the interannual variability of vegetation biomass and soil
moisture over the Amazonian Cerrado. Space-borne scatterometer (ERS and Quickscat), and
AVHRR NDVI (GAC) data over past 10 years (1992-2001) are used in a synergistic approach to
separate the moisture and vegetation signal in the time series analysis. Scatterometer data is
from an active microwave sensor with relatively coarse spatial resolution (25 km to 50 km) and
high temporal resolution (daily). In its enhanced resolution mode, with 5 km resolution and 5-10
day composites, the data is compatible with the AVHRR NDVI global composites of 8 km
resolution and 10-15 day composites. These two data sets are used to build a continuous time
series data set for the past decade. By combining these data sets with existing precipitation data,
and utilizing the sensitivity of each data set to biomass and moisture we decoupled the two
effects. It is shown that, the scatterometer data is a useful instrument to monitor the rain events
and moisture variability in Cerrado region. As the temporal dynamics of vegetation biomass in
this region is strongly linked with seasonal water availability, the results of this analysis can
provide the necessary long-term observation of carbon and water cycle within the Amazonian
and LBA context.
BIOMASS DYNAMICS OF AMAZONIAN FOREST FRAGMENTS
William F. Laurance
A imensa riqueza em espécies vegetais e a fragilidade dos ecossistemas amazônicos, exigem maiores
informações quanto a composição florística e a sua distribuição nesses ambientes florestais. Objetivando
caracterizar a composição e a diversidade florística de uma floresta de platô da região, inventariou-se os
indivíduos arbóreos, palmeiras e cipós, com diâmetro á altura do peito igual ou superior a 10 cm, presentes
em um hectare de floresta primária de terra-firme da Amazônia. Foram levantados 670 indivíduos,
distribuídos em 48 famílias, 133 gêneros e 245 espécies. Fabaceae, Sapotaceae e Lecythidaceae, constituem
as três famílias com maior riqueza específica, Índice de Valor de Importância e Familiar; a família
Lecythidaceae se destacou, ainda, quanto ao número de indivíduos e diversidade específica. Eschweilera
micrantha foi a espécie de maior importância ecológica do ambiente florestal. Os índices de diversidade e
Equitabilidade de Shannon indicam que a floresta é bem diversificada, com distribuição uniforme das
espécies dentro da população. A baixa dissimilaridade florística entre as parcelas avaliadas, permite inferir
que existe um forte gradiente ambiental ao longo da unidade amostral avaliada.
Corresponding Author:
Arlete Silva de Almeida
Departamento de Botânica
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi
Belém, PA 66.040-179 Brasil
Email: arlete@museu-goeldi.br
Nelson(1), B.W.; Oliveira(1), A.C.A.; Silveira(2), M.; Smith(1), M.; Vidalenc(1), D.;
França(1), M.B.; Miranda(3), I. & Kalliola(4), R.
Measurements of CO2 and water vapor flux using eddy covariance are being made from a
40m tower located in a transitional tropical forest near Sinop Mato Grosso. As
complementary information to this study, the photosynthetic light response curves of
three trees located near the tower were measured at different heights in the forest canopy
with the objective of understanding seasonal and spatial (height in the forest canopy)
trends in the photosynthetic light response. The measurements were in a canopy emergent
tree (30 m tall) identified as Catanudo and in two other sub-canopy (14 m tall) trees
locally identified as Canela and Laranjeira (positive identification of all species is current
under investigation). Measurements were made in the wet season (January), transition
wet-dry (April), dry season (June and August), and in the dry-wet transition (September)
of 2001. For Catanudo, measurements were made at two different heights of 26m (at the
top of the canopy) and 18m, while measurements on the other trees were made at 10m
above ground. In the wet season the Catanudo exhibited a photosynthesis rate at light
saturation (Pmax) of 9.4 µmol m-2s-1 while Laranjeira and Canela had a Pmax of 10.0 and
5.5 µmol m-2s-1, respectively. In the dry season (June) the values of Pmax were of 7.1,
11.0 and 7.4 µmol m-2s-1 respectively for the Catanudo, Laranjeira and Canela, so while
Catanudo experienced a decline in Pmax from the wet to the dry season, Canela and
Laranjeira had increases in Pmax. The leaves of Catanudo at different heights (26 and
18m) presented different physiological behavior. The leaves at 26m had larger rates of
Pmax compared to sub-canopy leaves regardless of season, however, sub-canopy leaves
showed much less seasonal variability in the photosynthetic light response than canopy
leaves. These data suggest that species responses to seasonal variations in rainfall are
variable. In addition, although leaves at the top of the canopy have larger rates of Pmax,
the small seasonal variation in sub-canopy leaves may be important for CO2 uptake
during the dry season.
Causes and Mechanisms of Interannual CO2-flux Variability in South American Tropics.
Shevlaikoava E(1), Hurtt GC(2), Pacala SW(1), Fearon M(2), Malyshev S(1), Moore B
(2), Nobre C(3)
Documented effects of forest fragmentation and edge formation include biomass loss and
increasing of tree mortality. There are some direct causes, such as wind, and other indirect
causes, such as competition with invader plants that quickly colonize these areas. We
investigated edge effects on canopy-gap formation, using high-resolution videography images
(resolution=1.8 m) obtained in 1999. The Study area is located approximately 70 km North of
Manaus, at the INPA/PDBFF reserves. This area encompasses approximately 1000 km2, being
an E-W rectangle of 20 X 50 km. Forty transects of 200 x 100 meters were sampled in the area,
distributed among five classes of distance from forest edge (0-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400
and 400-500). Location of these transects were at random, but seven of them had to be modified
due to problems with the image quality (distortions, clouds, and/or shadows). The high-
resolution videography image was classified into two classes, gaps or intact canopy, by the
method of minimum distances, using IDRISI 32. Trees with intermediary sizes and medium
levels of shadowing were classified as intact canopy. The mean proportion of gap area was
23.9% for plots 0-100m from the edge and 15.7% for those 400-500m from the edge. The
largest value of proportion of gaps area (36.6%) occurred in the 100-200m class and the smallest
(3.4%) occurred in the 400-500m class. This range show the magnitude of variation in the
sampled plots. The relationship between intact canopy cover and distance to edge was negative
(r2=0.197, t = -3.051, P=0.004). Based on the visual inspection of the image, the classification
applied to the videography seems to be satisfactory . In spite of that, due to relief problems and
distortions in mosaicing images, which can led to mistaken results, these results should be
analyzed carefully.
TREE SPECIES DISTRIBUTION AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE
OF CENTRAL AMAZON VÁRZEA FORESTS BY
REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUES
The large-scale estimation of forests biomass and primary production depends on a reliable
classification of diferent forest types. In Amazonian white-water floodplains (várzea), the
distribution of tree species is determined by their tolerance to flood stress. This leads to a
characteristic zonation of tree species along the flood gradient. Frequent disturbance by
sedimentation, erosion and human impact result in a complex pattern of forest formations
of different successional stages. The formations are characterized by typical patterns of
species composition, and their architecture results in different light reflectance patterns,
which can be detected by Landsat TM image data. Ground checking comprised a detailed
forest inventory of 5 ha in várzea forests of the Mamirauá Reserve (Tefé) and Ilha da
Marchantaria (Manaus). Digital Elevation Models (DEM) for all sites were generated. The
results indicate that, at the average flood-level of 3 m, species diversity and architecture of
the forests changes, thus justifying the classification into the categories of low várzea and
high várzea. In a first step to scale up field-research data to a regional scale, the study sites
were observed by aerial photography. Tree heights, crown sizes, gap frequencies and the
projected crown-area coverage provide information, which confirms a remotely sensed
classification into four different forest types. The structure of low várzea depends on the
successional stage, and species diversity increases with increasing age of the formations. In
the high várzea, species diversity is higher than in all low-várzea formations. The more
complex architecture of the high-várzea results in a more diffuse behavior pattern in pixel
distribution, when classified by TM image data.
FLORÍSTICA DE UM SUB-BOSQUE DE FLORESTA OMBRÓFILA DENSA DE TERRA FIRME
NA AMAZÔNIA CENTRAL, AMAZONAS, BRASIL
Com o objetivo de estudar a composição florística do sub-bosque de uma floresta densa de terra firme da
Amazônia, inventariou-se 0,05 hectare de floresta situada entre as coordenadas 60º12'40" W e 2º35'45" S. A
avaliação foi feita a partir de vinte de 5 x 5 m; as plantas foram divididas em quatro classes de tamanho:
Plântula (H < 0,5 m), Muda 1 (0,5 m < H < 1,5 m), Muda 2 (1,5 m < H < 3,0 m) e Estabelecida (H > 3,0 m e
CAP < 0,3 m). Foram observados 4113 indivíduos, distribuídos em 64 famílias e 196 gêneros. As famílias
botânicas que detiveram o maior número de gêneros foram Caesalpiniaceae (10), Fabaceae (9), Moraceae e
Rubiaceae (8), Mimosaceae e Arecaceae (7), Annonaceae e Lauraceae (6), Euphorbiaceae, Sapotaceae e
Apocynaceae (5). Quanto ao número de indivíduos, as famílias Chrysobalanaceae, Mimosaceae e
Annonaceae, são as mais expressivas com 201, 191 e 168, respectivamente. Por outro lado, Apocynaceae
apresentou o menor valor numérico dentre as onze famílias com maior número de gêneros, com apenas onze
indivíduos. No que se refere às classes de tamanho, os dados evidenciaram maior representatividade da classe
Plântula com 2539 indivíduos, correspondendo a 61,7% do total de plantas. As famílias mais expressivas
dessa classe foram Chrysobalanaceae (170), Mimosaceae (146) e Marantaceae (113), enquanto isso, a
Estabelecida manifestou o menor percentual observado com apenas 4,4%. Os demais valores, 26,5 e 7,4%,
foram distribuídos entre as classes de tamanho Muda 1 e 2, respectivamente.
1 Projeto MANFLORA, School of Forest Resources & Conservation, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110760,
Gainesville, FL, USA 32611, E-mail: jmtucker@ufl.edu; 2 Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias do Pará, E-mail:
robertapantoja@zipmail.com.br; 3UF, E-mail: zarin@ufl.edu; 4FCAP, E-mail: izildinhamiranda@uol.com.br
We examined stem recruitment and mortality (DBH > 1 cm) in twelve 100-m2 plots
established in a 12-year-old secondary forest in Castanhal, Pará, Brazil. From November
1999 to June 2001, mean stem density declined from 213 to 189 stems plot-1 (P < 0.001,
one-way repeated measures ANOVA); 352 stems present in the first inventory died,
corresponding to 14 percent mortality, while 64 stems were added, corresponding to 3
percent recruitment. The rate of mortality reported here is significantly higher than the
annual mortality rates usually reported for old-growth tropical rainforest (1-2 percent).
Lacistema pubescens (Lacistemataceae), Myrcia sylvatica (Myrtaceae) and Vismia
guianensis (Clusiaceae) accounted for 61, 18 and 6 percent of all dead stems, and
displayed net mortality of 19, 10, and 16 percent, respectively. These three species
represent 70 percent of all stems in the stand (tree species richness = 64) and commonly
colonize abandoned agricultural land in the region. Most recruits were less-common
species already present in the sample plots. In a nearby 4-year-old stand, the densities of
L. pubescens and M. sylvatica stems (DBH > 1 cm) were lower, while the density of V.
guianensis was higher than in the 12-year-old stand. Relative abundance values for L.
pubescens and V. guianensis in regeneration surveys (DBH < 1 cm) were 1.0 and 0.5
percent, respectively, suggesting that the decline of these shade-tolerant species is likely
to continue. Relative abundance of M. sylvatica in the regeneration surveys was greater
than 50 percent, suggesting that this shade-tolerant species will likely persist in the sub-
canopy.
J.M.N. da Costa1, A.C.L. da Costa2, J.C.P. Cohen2, Y. Malhi3, P. Meir3, J.Grace3, V.M.S.
Andrade2, R.B.C. Silva2, R. F. da Costa4, P.J.O.P. de Souza2, M.H. Costa1, M.L. Ruivo4
and S. Almeida4
Quantification of fluxes of carbon dioxide, water vapor and sensible heat, measured on 15
selected days, on January 2001, at a mangrove site, near Braganca-PA (1o 3' S; 46o 45' W),
using the eddy covariance technique are presented. Relevant meteorological variables were
also measured. The dominant mangrove species at Braganca are Avicennia germinans and
Rhizophora racemosa. The mean midday CO2 flux at the mangrove site reached a peak of –
12.9 µmol.m-2.s-1, and the nocturnal CO2 flux averaged about 4.0 µmol.m-2.s-1. At night,
wind speed was in average 2.3 m.s-1, with most of friction velocities values between 0.4
and 0.6 m.s-1. The magnitudes of CO2 fluxes at the mangrove site were considerably lower
than the CO2 fluxes measured at an Amazonian forest site at the Ferreira Penna Scientific
Station (ECFPn), in Caxiuana-PA (1° 42’ 30’’ S; 51° 31’ 45’’ W), for the same period. The
mean CO2 fluxes at the forest site reached a peak of about – 20 µmol.m-2.s-1, around noon,
and the average nocturnal CO2 flux was about 7 µmol.m-2.s-1. The dependence of the
daytime mangrove CO2 flux on the incident solar radiation was very well established. The
daily magnitude variations of CO2, water vapor and energy fluxes were also examined
based on the pertinent meteorological variables.
The Potential of Combined SAR Data and Optical VI´s for Vegetation Mapping in
the Brazilian Cerrado
1
Instituto de Estudos Socio-Ambientais (IESA/UFG), Campus Samambaia – Cx.
Postal 131, CEP: 74001-970, Goiania-GO Brazil E-mail: laerte@iesa.ufg.br
2
Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria, BR-020 Km 18 Cx. Postal
08223, CEP: 73301-970 Planaltina, DF Brazil
3
Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ
85721
The Brazilian Cerrado covers more than 208 million hectares in the central part of the
country and presents a well-defined seasonality. Approximately 40% of the Cerrado
have been already converted. In order to evaluate the potential of optical and synthetic
aperture radar data to map and monitor Cerrado’s vegetative cover, we acquired dry and
wet seasons Landsat/TM and JERS-1 SAR data over the Brasilia National Park, a
30.000 ha, preserved area located in northern Brasilia. The georeferenced SAR and TM
images were overlaid with the vector format, vegetation map of the Park to facilitate the
extraction of representative SAR and optical digital numbers in each Cerrado unit
(savanna grassland; shrub savanna; savanna grassland or shrub savanna with
“termiters”; wooded savanna; savanna woodland; and gallery forest). The TM digital
counts were transformed in top-of-canopy, nadir reflectance values by using the 6S
radioactive transfer model. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and
Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) were derived from the reflectance data. SAR digital
counts were transformed in backscattering coefficients. Scatter plots between
normalized SAR and TM data as well as statistical analyses (discriminant analysis and
ANOVA) showed overall better performance of radar data to map Cerrado’s
physiognomies, in comparison to the VIs. However, the performance improved
significantly when we combined the two types of data. The discrimination capability of
69% obtained by the radar data, regardless of season, increased up to 85% when we
combined SAR and optical data.
Título:
Mapeando a inflamabilidade florestal na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós
Autores:
Luciana Magalhães Monaco
Paulo R. Souza Moutinho
The distribution of representative key species from different communities through flooding gradients in
whitewater floodplains, is determined by different levels of tolerance showed by for each species to
physiological factors, and is correlated with the intensity and duration of the annual flooding cycle. One of
the aims is to evaluate the implications of the river synchrony with the spatial distribution and dispersion of
three tree species from low floodplain. This study started on September 2000 and will be finished in June
2002. The fieldworks were carried out at Marchantaria Island, about 20 km from Manaus, Central Amazon.
Were studied three species of low várzea trees (n=5) such as: Himatanthus sucuuba (Apocynaceae), Hevea
spruceana (Euphorbiaceae) and Calophyllum brasiliense (Guttiferae) and, the following parameters were
analyzed: a) diametric growth (increment of medium basal), phenology (individual observations),
chlorophyll content (at 650 and 665 nm wave length) and Mariaux windows (dendromethric bands,
annually). For the phenology the following procedures were taken: vegetative (to new, mature and old
leaves) and reproductive phenophases (green and dehiscence fruits). For chlorophyll contents five leaves
from three different ages (five discs). The results showed that: a) H. sucuuba do not showed differences in
its diametric growth between flooded and nonflooded phases, while H. spruceana e C. brasiliense showed
the highest growing during the no flooded period; b) For the phenological aspects, H. sucuuba has two
reproductive events per year (aquatic and terrestrial phase). For H. spruceana synchronize the fruits
dehiscence with high level of inundation and C. brasiliense maximized these events in the drought phase. c)
For the chlorophyll contents, H. sucuuba, H. spruceana e C. brasiliense produces their chlorophyll contents
regularly during all year. The metabolic processes of the plants are accelerated during terrestrial phase, to
turn over the energy spent by anaerobic conditions during flooded period.
Forest Fragmentation, Biomass Collapse and Carbon Flux in the Brazilian Amazon
Tropical forest edges are subject to the phenomenon of biomass collapse. This process
reduces standing biomass amounts indefinitely and is an unaccounted for source of
atmospheric carbon. Indirect effects of forest fragmentation in the Amazon may more
than double the overall area of forest impacted by outright deforestation alone. It is well
known that tropical deforestation is an important contributor to increases in atmospheric
carbon. There is an emerging concern that forest fragmentation is also an important
source of carbon to the atmosphere through the process of biomass collapse in forest
edges. Recent evidence from field studies in the Brazilian Amazon show a persistent
decline in forest biomass along forest edges adjacent to land deforested for pasture and
other uses. Biomass collapse results from an increase in tree mortality and decrease in
recruitment rates as a result of increased exposure to wind, violent microclimatic
episodes, soil loss, reduced soil productivity, and encroachment by plants, animals, and
humans. These studies report a dramatic, and apparently stable, loss of aboveground live
biomass of 8 - 14% (average of 10.6%) within 100 meters of the forest edge during the
first 7-10 years after fragmentation, with a rapid initial loss occurring in the first 4 years.
Concern over carbon loss from biomass collapse in forest edges arises from the fact that
fluxes of this kind are not currently being considered in carbon models. The current
biotic net global flux from biomass collapse in tropical forests has been estimated to
potentially be as high as 149 million Mg C/yr. We conducted a multitemporal analysis of
the Brazilian Amazon for 1992 and 1999 using 430 Landsat TM/ETM images to assess
the extent and persistence of biomass-collapse-affected forests. Throughout the basin,
edge forests were rapidly eroded. Our results show that the total unaccounted for carbon
flux was no more than 39 x 106 Mg C as of 1999. The annual flux rate of between 1.2-1.3
x 106 Mg C yr-1 is less than 1% of the annual flux from deforestation.
Detecting deforested areas from NDVI series in Amazonia 1982-1999
The aim of this work is to localize forest areas that evolved toward a deforestation or a
reforestation using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). We shall pay special
attention to 9 areas chosen among the LBA study areas. When the forest undergoes a
transformation such as deforestation, the NDVI presents a very sharp minimum during the dry
season, that we shall use in this work. Firstly, we use the areas that have remained steady
during 18 years as a reference to calibrate the NDVI dataset over this period. Secondly, the
regions of rain forest are geographically distinct because the dry season is not the same from
one region to the other. To take this into account, we define homogeneous areas using the
IBGE (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) vegetation classification, the
precipitation series that are provided by the Agência Nacional de Energia Eléctrica (ANEEL)
and the Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET) and the high level cloud cover available
from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP). Then we define reference
dry season NDVI by averaging the NDVI minimum in different areas that are known as not
having suffered deforestation. Afterwards, we compare the date and amplitude of the NDVI
minimum for 9 LBA target areas with that of the nearest reference area. We observe in some
cases large differences that permit to analyze the deforestation or the reforestation. This
approach gives both a spatial and a temporal vision of the evolution of the forest.
Experiments with legume mulch applications and its effects on
macrofauna and decomposition in a highly degraded plantation in
central Amazonia
Petra Schmidt (1), Hubert Höfer (2) and Terezinha Garcia (3)
Expecting, that the increased input of plant residues in combination with different
fertilizer input will increase the abundance and biomass of the soil macrofauna and in
consequence will further lead to an increase of soil organic matter by a more stable
decomposition process.
Therefore two field experiments were initiated in 2001. The experimental plots were
set up in a completely randomised block design in a degraded area of an abandoned
Cocos nucifera and Theobroma grandiflorum plantation. A mulch treatment with three
levels and a fertilizer treatment with two levels are combined in a factorial design with
2 replicates in each block.
In the first experiment grass and woody part of legume is used as low quality litter
material (nutrient poor). With the aim to raise the substrate quality, e.g.
decomposability, leaves of Flemingia macrophylla were introduced in the
experimental plots, while a mixture of both, grass and legume leaves, were taken as
a medium quality.
In the second experiment the influence of three different quantities of mulch material
is tested, using branches including leaves of the legume Tephrosia candida. The
treatments in both experiments will be repeated every 4-6 months.
During the two years of experimental period the nutrient content of the
autochthonous and added litter as well as of soil samples will be analysed.
Decomposition rates will be studied with litterbags, installed in each treatment plot
and retrieved every 3 months. Soil macrofauna will be sampled at the end of the
experiment using large soil cores extracted by Berlese. Soil samples will also give
information on litter and root biomass as well as on soil organic matter content. The
microclimate will be measured continuously by temperature and humidity loggers.
A Multivariate analysis of all measured variables will be used to get few integrating
variable of soil fertility, which will than be used in a Two-Way-MANOVA to test the
effect of the treatments on soil fertility.
Secondary forest recovery on degraded pastures in Central Amazonia: carbon,
nutrients, and light-capture
Large areas of the Amazon Basin have been cleared for pasture. Depending on region
and management, the pastures may degenerate be abandoned to invading secondary
vegetation. We examined post-pasture forest recovery in ten secondary forests (SF)
ranging in age from 0 to 14 years since abandonment to determine the dynamics of
nutrient and C accumulation and forest structure in redeveloping SF. Within the SF
chronosequence, we measured aboveground biomass and nutrient storage, soil C and
nutrients, leaf area index (LAI), and canopy cover by dominant genera and growth-form.
The savanna vegetation in Brazil, also known as Cerrado, has been estimated to cover 1.8
mil km2. This large ecosystem is dominated by fire and composed by a successional series
that varies in species composition and tree density. In this study, the effects of fire on the
rates of xylem flux density will be compared by measuring the flow of xylem water in
trees before and after fire occurrence at two cerrado vegetation types: campo sujo (tree
and/or shrub savanna) and cerrado (wooded savanna). The study is being conducted at the
Reserve of the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics located 34 Km south of the
city of Brasilia. Nine trees of the most common tree species are monitored at each site.
Sensors to measure xylem flux density and stem temperature were installed at all sites
during mid April. One Campo sujo site and one Cerrado site will be burned during mid
June 2002, following a bi-annual plan for prescribed fires managed by the University of
Brasilia. Xylem sensors will be removed just before the fire and reinstalled after the fire
in the two areas to be burned, while measurements will continue uninterrupted in two
controlled areas.
At the moment, the first results from the early dried season before fire are being
processed and these will be compared to the data to be collected in late June for the post-
fire period. It is expected that fire will reduce considerably the values of xylem flux
density. The data from this study will help to determine the degree of adaptation of
Cerrado tree species to fire, measured by the level and speed of recovery of the xylem
flux rates after the fire.
Title: VALIDATING, SCALING AND PARAMETERIZING A FOREST REGROWTH
MODEL FOR THE AMAZON REGION USING AIRCRAFT AND SPACEBORNE
SENSORS AND GIS
William Salas1, Diogenes Alves2, Dan Zarin3, Mark Ducey4, and Jiaguo Qi5
Abstract
1. production of preliminary forest regrowth potential maps for the region using an
empirical model of biomass accumulation in global secondary forests.
2. definition of a set of normalized spectral indices of forest regrowth optimized for
the Amazon region.
3. testing of the reliability of the preliminary maps (Step 1 product) and the remote
sensing indices of regrowth structure (Step 2 products).
4. refinement of the global model to enhance its regional applicability by including
known disturbance-specific parameters shown to explain a significant amount of
variance between measured and modeled regrowth biomass and structure.
Our poster will provide details on this project and preliminary results of our multi-
temporal Landsat analysis.
1
Applied Geosolutions, 10 Newmarket Road, Durham, NH, 03824, USA, email
wsalas@agsemail.com, ph; 603-868-2369.
2
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciail, Av dos Astronautas 1758
CEP 12227-010, Sao José dos Campos, SP, Brazil Ph: 55-12-345-6492, Email:
dalves@dpi.inpe.br
3
University of Florida, P.O. Box 110760, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA
Tel: 352 846 0859; Email: zarin@ufl.edu
4
Department of Natural Resources, James Hall, University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH 03824 USA, Ph: (603) 862-4429, Email: mjducey@cisunix.unh.edu
5
BSRSI/Department of Geography, Michigan State Univeristy
218 Manly Miles Bldg, 1405 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823 USA
Ph: (517)353-8736, Email: qi@msu.edu