Drought reduces the growth and health of tropical rainforest understory plants

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dc.contributor.authorTng, David Y.P.
dc.contributor.authorApgaua, Deborah M.G.
dc.contributor.authorPaz, Claudia P. [UNESP]
dc.contributor.authorDempsey, Raymond W.
dc.contributor.authorCernusak, Lucas A.
dc.contributor.authorLiddell, Michael J.
dc.contributor.authorLaurance, Susan G.W.
dc.contributor.institutionSchool for Field Studies
dc.contributor.institutionUniversidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)
dc.contributor.institutionJames Cook University
dc.date.accessioned2022-04-28T19:51:20Z
dc.date.available2022-04-28T19:51:20Z
dc.date.issued2022-05-01
dc.description.abstractTree saplings and shrubs are frequently overlooked components of tropical rainforest biodiversity, and it may be hypothesized that their small stature and shallow root systems predisposes them to be vulnerable to drought. However, these purported influences of drought on growth, physiological performance and plant traits on tree saplings and shrubs have yet to be studied in simulated drought conditions in the field. We simulated drought using a rainfall exclusion experiment in 0.4 ha of lowland tropical rainforest in northeast Australia in 2015. After six months, we compared the average change in aboveground biomass and plant health of drought-affected tree saplings and understory shrubs with control individuals. We also assessed photosynthetic function, plant health and leaf traits in eight target species. Both tree saplings and shrubs had significantly lower aboveground biomass in the drought treatment compared to the control. Drought-affected individuals of target species exhibited a significantly higher incidence of disease and insect attack, and reduced photosynthesis, leaf fresh mass and leaf toughness compared to control individuals. We conclude that reduced growth and photosynthetic capability, an increased susceptibility to insect attack, and leaf trait changes constitute a near immediate drought response in tropical rainforest tree saplings and shrubs. Our results show that these often-overlooked lifeforms are likely to be the most rapidly and negatively impacted component of tropical rainforest biodiversity under drought conditions.en
dc.description.affiliationCentre for Rainforest Studies School for Field Studies
dc.description.affiliationDepartment of Ecology Institute of Biosciences São Paulo State University, Av 24A 1515, SP
dc.description.affiliationCentre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences College of Science and Engineering James Cook University, 14-88 McGregor Rd, Smithfield
dc.description.affiliationUnespDepartment of Ecology Institute of Biosciences São Paulo State University, Av 24A 1515, SP
dc.identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120128
dc.identifier.citationForest Ecology and Management, v. 511.
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120128
dc.identifier.issn0378-1127
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-85125478127
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11449/223541
dc.language.isoeng
dc.relation.ispartofForest Ecology and Management
dc.sourceScopus
dc.subjectDrought
dc.subjectLeaf economic spectrum
dc.subjectPlant functional traits
dc.subjectThroughfall exclusion
dc.subjectTropical plant life forms
dc.subjectTropical rainforest
dc.titleDrought reduces the growth and health of tropical rainforest understory plantsen
dc.typeArtigo

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