Flood and Edge Effects on Leaf Breakdown in Wetlands of the Cerrado Savanna to Amazonia Ecotone

We studied the rates of leaf decomposition and loss of leaf constituents (lignin and cellulose) of a native plant species using the litterbag experiment during different seasonal periods (flood and drought) in periodically flooded ecosystems, locally known as “Ipucas”. The effects of flood, edge and fungal colonization on leaf degradation were evaluated. The results show that leaf decomposition is very slow, and influenced by seasonality, flooding and leaf chemical quality. Low moisture and leaf structural components contribute to the slow rate of decomposition. In addition, the fungal biomass was sensitive to the edge effect, with higher values in the center, probably due to the edge losing moisture earlier than the center after the end of rainy season. In addition, the positive correlation of fungal biomass with flooding demonstrates the importance of seasonality in these temporally flooded ecosystems, indicating that global changes in rainfall patterns may disrupt carbon cycling and probably nutrient cycling in periodically flooded environments.