A Look at Amazon Basin Seasonal Dynamics with the Biophysical ...

PATTERNS OF TREE MORTALITY IN FOREST FRAGMENTS IN CENTRALAMAZONIAD’Angelo, S. A. 1 ; Andrade, A.C.S. 1 ; Laurance, S.G. 2 ; Laurance, W.F. 2 ; Mesquita, R. 11Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, National Institute for AmazonianResearch (INPA), C.P. 478, Manaus, AM 69060-001, Brazil.sammya@inpa.gov.br2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 2072, Balboa, Republic of PanamáRainforests 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 todistinguish mechanisms leading to tree death. All trees (>10cm DBH) in 16 permanent (1ha) 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 byfour 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