Plant-soil and biotic interactions in tropical forests

• Main Author: Collins, Colton Lawrence Edward Iolani
• Other Authors: Patrick Martin
• Format: Thesis-Doctor of Philosophy
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2025
• Subjects: Earth and Environmental Sciences; Peatlands; Kerangas forest; Home-field advantage (HFA); Functional traits; Dipterocarps; Forest degradation
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/182423
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Tropical forests are vital for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration. This dissertation examines the ecological dynamics of Brunei’s waterlogged peat and kerangas forests and Panama’s lowland forests, focusing on aboveground and belowground properties. Field transplant experiments, paired plot experiments, and measurements across degradation gradients were employed to study soil nutrient dynamics, seedling performance, tree diversity, forest structure, and decomposition rates. Key findings include waterlogged conditions affecting soil nutrient availability without slowing leaf litter decomposition in peat forests, and plants showing species-specific responses to soil nutrient and water variations. These impacts, while not altering tree diversity or forest structure, lead to important community composition changes. Shifts in species like Shorea albida significantly impact ecosystem processes, notably aboveground carbon storage. These results highlight the necessity for further research into factors influencing the role of these ecosystems as carbon sinks and underscore the importance of conserving and restoring them.