Evaluation of tree growth in a gradient Atlantic Forest - Cerrado - Caatinga and its relations with climate change

Abstract

Tropical forests provide crucial ecosystem services as they work to maintain the balance of biogeochemical and hydrological cycles. Numerous researches have sought to understand how the tree growth of these forests has evolved in recent years, from the perspective of possible climate change. However, most of these efforts cover short periods of observation, which do not allow us to evaluate whether differences in tree growth are linked to acclimatization or variations of plant age and ontogeny. In view of these problems, the objective of this work is to perform a study of growth rings, functional attributes of wood, and ecological niche models of arboreal taxa in an Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Caatinga gradient, in order to answer the following questions: (1) What is the climate-growth relationship in the vegetation along the gradient? (2) Are there variations in hydraulic attributes along this gradient? (3) Are there trade-offs of resistance and plasticity in hydraulic attributes between species along the gradient? (4) Is there an increase in the efficiency of water use of species over time? (5) Niche models integrated with functional traits increase the accuracy of predictions about the potential niche of species in the future? In order to do this, wood samples and branches (leaves) will be made in the Ubajara National Park, the Aiuaba Ecological Station and the Araripe National Forest, in areas corresponding to the three evaluated gradient ecosystems. The collected samples will be analyzed by growth rings, functional, isotopic attributes of the wood and niche of each species. The aim of this paper is to solve problems regarding the understanding of climate-growth relationships of tropical forest taxa in the face of climate change. (AU)