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Mortandad de Arboles del Amazonas Durante la Sequía de El Niño de 1997
Author(s) -
Williamson G. Bruce,
Laurance William F.,
Oliveira Alexandre A.,
Delamônica Patricia,
Gascon Claude,
Lovejoy Thomas E.,
Pohl Luciano
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
conservation biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.2
H-Index - 222
eISSN - 1523-1739
pISSN - 0888-8892
DOI - 10.1046/j.1523-1739.2000.99298.x
Subject(s) - amazonian , rainforest , amazon rainforest , amazon basin , mortality rate , geography , forestry , biology , ecology , demography , sociology
In 1997, the Amazon Basin experienced an exceptionally severe El Niño drought. We assessed effects of this rare event on mortality rates of trees in intact rain forest based on data from permanent plots. Long‐term (5‐ to 13‐year) mortality rates averaged only 1.12% per year prior to the drought. During the drought year, annual mortality jumped to 1.91% but abruptly fell back to 1.23% in the year following El Niño. Trees dying during the drought did not differ significantly in size or species composition from those that died previously, and there was no detectable effect of soil texture on mortality rates. These results suggest that intact Amazonian rainforests are relatively resistant to severe El Niño events.