Landscape evolution and nutrient rejuvenation reflected in Amazon forest canopy chemistry

• DOI: 10.1111/ele.12963
• Publication Date: 2018-04-16T15:09:47Z
• Authors: K. Dana Chadwick; Gregory P. Asner
• Keywords: Rejuvenation

Terra firme forests make up more than three quarters of the western Amazon basin and are often considered functionally homogeneous in regional scale mapping modelling efforts. However, landforms underlying these systems subject to dynamic processes landscape evolution occurring within an otherwise geomorphically stable terrace formation. These may introduce systematic variability local nutrient status terra ecosystems. We utilised high-resolution airborne topographic imaging spectroscopy data, with directed field soil surveys, reveal that active stream incision patterns rock derived availability drive foliar canopy chemistry distributions across seven catchments a single results strongly suggest fine-scale geomorphic directly affect biogeochemical cycles throughout lowland Amazon. Furthermore, links between chemical indicate spatial organisation this tropical ecosystem, implications for functional assembly biogeography Amazonian forests.