SOIL AND STEM CO₂ EFFLUX IN Bertholletia excelsa WITHIN A PRIMARY AMAZONIAN FOREST: ENVIRONMENTAL DRIVERS AND SEASONAL DYNAMICS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/revgeov17n5-057Keywords:
Soil Respiration, Forest Carbon, Brazil Nut Tree, Trace Gas, AmazoniaAbstract
Quantifying carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from multiple forest compartments is essential for understanding ecosystem functioning in Amazonian landscapes. This study assessed CO₂ efflux from the soil and stems of Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl. in a mature native forest within the Tapajós National Forest, Pará, Brazil, during the transition from the dry to the early wet season. Fifteen adult trees were monitored, and CO₂ fluxes were measured with an infrared gas analyzer using adapted soil and stem chambers. Soil CO₂ efflux ranged from 4.2 to 6.8 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and represented the dominant source of emissions, largely regulated by moisture, organic matter, and temperature. Stem emissions ranged from 0.8 to 2.1 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and showed a positive relationship with trunk diameter, indicating the substantial respiratory role of large emergent trees and the influence of internal CO₂ transport processes. Seasonal dynamics strongly modulated fluxes, with a marked increase in soil respiration at the onset of the wet season, reflecting microbial reactivation following the first rainfall events. These results demonstrate that both soil and woody tissues contribute meaningfully to ecosystem-level carbon exchange and must be considered in carbon monitoring programs. The findings underscore the need to incorporate trunk respiration, hydrologically driven microbial pulses, and tree structural attributes into carbon models to reduce uncertainties in Amazonian carbon budget assessments. The study highlights the ecological importance of B. excelsa and provides empirical evidence to support improved forest conservation and climate-mitigation strategies.
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