Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity and potential association networks among African tropical forest trees.

Tropical forests represent one of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on Earth. High productivity is sustained by efficient and rapid cycling of nutrients, which is in large part made possible by symbiotic associations between plants and mycorrhizal fungi. In these associations, an individual plant typically associates simultaneously with multiple fungi and the fungi associate with multiple plants, creating complex networks among fungi and plants. However, there are few studies that have investigated mycorrhizal fungal composition and diversity in tropical forest trees, particularly in Africa, or that assessed the structure of the network of associations among fungi and trees. In this study, we collected root and soil samples from Ise Forest Reserve (Southwest Nigeria) and used a metabarcoding approach to identify the dominant arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal taxa in the soil and associating with ten co-occurring tree species to assess variation in AM communities. Network analysis was used to elucidate the architecture of the network of associations between fungi and tree species. A total of 194 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) belonging to six AM fungal families were identified, with 68% of all OTUs belonging to Glomeraceae. While AM fungal diversity did not differ among tree species, AM fungal community composition did. Network analyses showed that the network of associations was not significantly nested and showed a relatively low level of specialization (H2 = 0.43) and modularity (M = 0.44). We conclude that, although there were some differences in AM fungal community composition, the studied tree species associate with a large number of AM fungi. Similarly, most AM fungi had great host breadth and were detected in most tree species, thereby potentially working as interaction network hubs.

From waste to soil: Technosols made with construction and demolition waste as a nature-based solution for land reclamation.

Population growth has driven an increased demand for solid construction materials, leading to higher amounts of construction and demolition waste (C&DW). Efficient strategies to manage this waste include reduction, reuse, and recycling. Technosols-soils engineered from recycled waste-can potentially help with environmental challenges. However, there is a critical need to explore the potential of Technosols constructed with C&DW for land reclamation, through the growth of native vegetation. The objective of this study was to investigate this potential by studying two Brazilian native tree species (Guazuma ulmifolia and Piptadenia gonoacantha). Technosols were created using C&DW, with and without organic compost and a liquid biofertilizer. A soil health index (SHI) was applied to evaluate the soil quality regarding physical, chemical, and biological indicators of Technosols compared to a control soil (Ferralsol). The results showed that P. gonoacantha plants presented the same height and total biomass in all treatments, while G. ulmifolia plants exhibited greater height and total biomass when grown in Technosols. The enhanced plant development in the Technosols was primarily associated with higher cation exchangeable capacity and nutrients concentration in plant tissues. Technosols with added compost provided higher fertility and total organic carbon. Additionally, Technosols presented higher SHI (∼0.68) compared to control (∼0.38) for both studied species. Our experiment reveals that construction and demolition waste (C&DW) have significant potential to form healthy Technosols capable of supporting the growth of native Brazilian trees. This approach offers a promising alternative for addressing C&DW disposal challenges while serving as a nature-based solution for land reclamation.

Chronic anthropogenic disturbance mediates the bottom-up influence of plant diversity on arthropods in tropical forests.

Understanding how primary productivity and diversity affect secondary productivity is an important debate in ecology with implications for biodiversity conservation. Particularly, how plant diversity influences arthropod diversity contributes to our understanding of trophic cascades and species coexistence. Previous studies show a positive correlation between plant and arthropod diversity. The theory of associational resistance suggests that plant herbivory rate will decrease with increasing plant diversity indicating feedbacks between primary diversity, productivity, and secondary productivity rates. However, our understanding of how these relations are mediated by anthropogenic disturbance is still limited. We surveyed 10 forest sites, half of which are disturbed by fire, logging, and tree pruning, distributed in two climatic zones in Benin, West Africa. We established 100 transects to record plant species and sampled arthropods using pitfall traps, ceramic plates with bait, and sweeping nets. We developed a structural equation model to test the mediating effect of chronic anthropogenic disturbance on plant diversity and how it influences arthropod diversity and abundance. Arthropod diversity increased but arthropod abundance decreased with increasing intensity of disturbance. We found no significant bottom-up influence of the plant diversity on arthropod diversity but a significant plant diversity-arthropod abundance relationship. Some arthropod guilds were significantly affected by plant diversity. Finally, herbivory rates were positively associated with arthropod diversity. Synthesis. Our results highlight how chronic anthropogenic disturbance can mediate the functional links between trophic levels in terms of diversity and productivity. Our study demonstrated a decoupled response of arthropod diversity and abundance to disturbance. The direct positive influence of plant diversity on herbivory rates we found in our study provides counter-support for the theory of associational resistance.

Non-structural carbohydrate concentrations in tree organs vary across biomes and leaf habits, but are independent of the fast-slow plant economic spectrum.

Carbohydrate reserves play a vital role in plant survival during periods of negative carbon balance. Under a carbon-limited scenario, we expect a trade-offs between carbon allocation to growth, reserves, and defense. A resulting hypothesis is that carbon allocation to reserves exhibits a coordinated variation with functional traits associated with the 'fast-slow' plant economics spectrum. We tested the relationship between non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) of tree organs and functional traits using 61 angiosperm tree species from temperate and tropical forests with phylogenetic hierarchical Bayesian models. Our results provide evidence that NSC concentrations in stems and branches are decoupled from plant functional traits. while those in roots are weakly coupled with plant functional traits. In contrast, we found that variation between NSC concentrations in leaves and the fast-slow trait spectrum was coordinated, as species with higher leaf NSC had trait values associated with resource conservative species, such as lower SLA, leaf N, and leaf P. We also detected a small effect of leaf habit on the variation of NSC concentrations in branches and roots. Efforts to predict the response of ecosystems to global change will need to integrate a suite of plant traits, such as NSC concentrations in woody organs, that are independent of the 'fast-slow' plant economics spectrum and that capture how species respond to a broad range of global change drivers.

Root topological order drives variation of fine root vessel traits and hydraulic strategies in tropical trees.

Vessel traits contribute to plant water transport from roots to leaves and thereby influence how plants respond to soil water availability, but the sources of variation in fine root anatomical traits remain poorly understood. Here, we explore the variations of fine root vessel traits along topological orders within and across tropical tree species. Anatomical traits were measured along five root topological orders in 80 individual trees of 20 species from a tropical forest in southwestern China. We found large variations for most root anatomical traits across topological orders, and strong co-variations between vessel traits. Within species, theoretical specific xylem hydraulic conductivity (Kth) increased with topological order due to increased mean vessel diameter, size heterogeneity, and decreased vessel density. Across species, Kth was associated with vessel fraction in low-order roots and correlated with mean vessel diameter and vessel density in high-order roots, suggesting a shift in relative anatomical contributors to Kth from the second- to fifth-order roots. We found no clear relationship between Kth and stele: root diameter ratios. Our study shows strong variations in root vessel traits across topological orders and species, and highlights shifts in the anatomical underpinnings by varying vessel-related anatomical structures for an optimized water supply.

Influence of sample preparation methods on FTIR spectra for taxonomic identification of tropical trees in the Atlantic forest.

The Atlantic forest is one of the world's major tropical biomes due to its rich biodiversity. Its vast diversity of plant species poses challenges in floristic surveys. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) enables rapid and residue-free data collection, providing diverse applications in organic sample analysis. FTIR spectra quality depends on the sample preparation methodology. However, no research on FTIR spectroscopy methodology for taxonomy has been conducted with tropical tree species. Hence, this study addresses the sample preparation influence on FTIR spectra for the taxonomic classification of 12 tree species collected in the Serra do Mar State Park (PESM) - Cunha Nucleus - São Paulo State, Brazil. Spectra were obtained from intact fresh (FL), intact dried (DL), and heat-dried ground (GL) leaves. The spectra were evaluated through chemometrics using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) with validation by LDA-PCA. The results demonstrate that sample preparation directly influences tropical species FTIR spectra categorization capability. The best taxonomic classification result for all techniques, validated by LDA-PCA, was obtained from GL. FTIR spectra evaluation through PCA, HCA, and LDA allow for the observation of phylogenetic relationships among the species. FTIR spectroscopy proves to be a viable technique for taxonomic evaluation of tree species in floristic exploration of tropical biomes which can complement traditional tools used for taxonomic studies.

Temporal variation in tree diversity effects on birds and its implications for top-down control of insect herbivores in a tropical system.

Tree diversity promotes predator abundance and diversity, but evidence linking these effects to increased predation pressure on herbivores remains limited. In addition, tree diversity effects on predators can vary temporally as a function of environmental variation, or due to contrasting responses by different predator types. In a multi-year study, we assessed temporal variation in tree diversity effects on bird community abundance, diversity, and predation rates as a whole and by functional group based on feeding guild (omnivores vs. insectivores) and migratory status (migrant vs. resident). To this end, we conducted bird point counts in tree monocultures and polycultures and assessed attacks on clay caterpillars four times over a 2-year period in a tree diversity experiment in Yucatan, Mexico. Tree diversity effects on the bird community varied across surveys, with positive effects on bird abundance and diversity in most but not all surveys. Tree diversity had stronger and more consistent effects on omnivorous and resident birds than on insectivorous and migratory species. Tree diversity effects on attack rates also varied temporally but patterns did not align with variation in bird abundance or diversity. Thus, while we found support for predicted increases in bird abundance, diversity, and predation pressure with tree diversity, these responses exhibited substantial variation over time and the former two were uncoupled from patterns of predation pressure, as well as contingent on bird functional traits. These results underscore the need for long-term studies measuring responses by different predator functional groups to better understand tree diversity effects on top-down control.

The links between wood traits and species demography change during tree development in a lowland tropical rainforest.

One foundational assumption of trait-based ecology is that traits can predict species demography. However, the links between traits and demographic rates are, in general, not as strong as expected. These weak associations may be due to the use of traits that are distantly related to performance, and/or the lack of consideration of size-related variations in both traits and demographic rates. Here, we examined how wood traits were related to demographic rates in 19 tree species from a lowland forest in eastern Amazonia. We measured 11 wood traits (i.e. structural, anatomical and chemical traits) in sapling, juvenile and adult wood; and related them to growth and mortality rates (MR) at different ontogenetic stages. The links between wood traits and demographic rates changed during tree development. At the sapling stage, relative growth rates (RGR) were negatively related to wood specific gravity (WSG) and total parenchyma fractions, while MR decreased with radial parenchyma fractions, but increased with vessel lumen area (VA). Juvenile RGR were unrelated to wood traits, whereas juvenile MR were negatively related to WSG and axial parenchyma fractions. At the adult stage, RGR scaled with VA and wood potassium concentrations. Adult MR were not predicted by any trait. Overall, the strength of the trait-demography associations decreased at later ontogenetic stages. Our results indicate that the associations between traits and demographic rates can change as trees age. Also, wood chemical or anatomical traits may be better predictors of growth and MR than WSG. Our findings are important to expand our knowledge on tree life-history variations and community dynamics in tropical forests, by broadening our understanding on the links between wood traits and demography during tree development.

Herramientas de corte para optimizar parámetros de clasificación de especies maderables con redes neuronales convolucionales / Cutting tools to optimize classification parameters of timber species with convolutional neural networks

Introducción: La gran diversidad de especies maderables tropicales demanda el desarrollo de nuevas tecnologías de identificación con base en sus patrones o características anatómicas. La aplicación de redes neuronales convolucionales (CNN) para el reconocimiento de especies maderables tropicales se ha incrementado en los últimos años por sus resultados prometedores. Objetivo: Evaluamos la calidad de las imágenes macroscópicas con tres herramientas de corte para mejorar la visualización y distinción de las características anatómicas en el entrenamiento del modelo CNN. Métodos: Recolectamos las muestras entre el 2020 y 2021 en áreas de explotación forestal y aserraderos de Selva Central, Perú. Luego, las dimensionamos y, previo a la identificación botánica y anatómica, las cortamos en secciones transversales. Generamos una base de datos de imágenes macroscópicas de la sección transversal de la madera, a través del corte, con tres herramientas para ver su rendimiento en el laboratorio, campo y puesto de control. Resultados: Usamos tres herramientas de corte para obtener una alta calidad de imágenes transversales de la madera; obtuvimos 3 750 imágenes macroscópicas con un microscopio portátil que corresponden a 25 especies maderables. El cuchillo ''Tramontina'' es duradero, pero pierde el filo con facilidad y se necesita una herramienta para afilar, el cúter retráctil ''Pretul'' es adecuado para madera suave y dura en muestras pequeñas de laboratorio; el cuchillo ''Ubermann'' es apropiado para el campo, laboratorio y puesto de control, porque tiene una envoltura duradera y láminas intercambiables en caso de pérdida de filo. Conclusiones: La calidad de las imágenes es decisiva en la clasificación de especies maderables, porque permite una mejor visualización y distinción de las características anatómicas en el entrenamiento con los modelos de red neuronal convolucional EfficientNet B0 y Custom Vision, lo cual se evidenció en las métricas de precisión.

Introduction: The great diversity of tropical timber species demands the development of new technologies capable of identifying them based on their patterns or anatomical characteristics. The application of convolutional neural networks (CNN) for the recognition of tropical timber species has increased in recent years due to the promising results of CNNs. Objective: To evaluate the quality of macroscopic images with three cutting tools to improve the visualization and distinction of anatomical features in the CNN model training. Methods: Samples were collected from 2020 to 2021 in areas of logging and sawmills in the Central Jungle, Peru. They were later sized and, after botanical and anatomical identification, cut in cross sections. A database of macroscopic images of the cross-section of wood was generated through cutting with three different tools and observing its performance in the laboratory, field, and checkpoint. Results: Using three cutting tools, we obtained high quality images of the cross section of wood; 3 750 macroscopic images were obtained with a portable microscope and correspond to 25 timber species. We found the ''Tramontina'' knife to be durable, however, it loses its edge easily and requires a sharpening tool, the ''Pretul'' retractable cutter is suitable for cutting soft and hard wood in small laboratory samples and finally the ''Ubermann'' knife is suitable for use in the field, laboratory, and checkpoint, because it has a durable sheath and interchangeable blades in case of dullness. Conclusion: The quality of the images is decisive in the classification of timber species, because it allows a better visualization and distinction of the anatomical characteristics in training with the EfficientNet B0 and Custom Vision convolutional neural network models, which was evidenced in the precision metrics.

Re-evaluating the driving force behind mutations.

Experiments on tropical trees suggest that new mutations in plants are driven by age rather than number of cell divisions during growth.

Hydraulic variability of tropical forests is largely independent of water availability.

Tropical rainforest woody plants have been thought to have uniformly low resistance to hydraulic failure and to function near the edge of their hydraulic safety margin (HSM), making these ecosystems vulnerable to drought; however, this may not be the case. Using data collected at 30 tropical forest sites for three key traits associated with drought tolerance, we show that site-level hydraulic diversity of leaf turgor loss point, resistance to embolism (P50 ), and HSMs is high across tropical forests and largely independent of water availability. Species with high HSMs (>1 MPa) and low P50 values (< -2 MPa) are common across the wet and dry tropics. This high site-level hydraulic diversity, largely decoupled from water stress, could influence which species are favoured and become dominant under a drying climate. High hydraulic diversity could also make these ecosystems more resilient to variable rainfall regimes.

Influence of phylogenetic diversity of plant communities on tri-trophic interactions.

Phylogenetic diversity of plant communities can influence the interaction between plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies. Plant communities with phylogenetically distant species tend to present a wide variety of functional traits and ecological niches, which in turn can influence competitive interactions among plants as well as food and habitat quality for herbivores and their natural enemies. To assess some different mechanisms by which phylogenetic diversity of plant communities can influence herbivores and their natural enemies, we established 12 experimental plots of tropical trees with two treatments: high and low phylogenetic diversity. We measured plant growth and anti-herbivore defenses, herbivore foliar damage, and predator activity in seven species that were present in both treatments. We found significant differences in the expression of plant traits as a function of species identity and their life history, but also depending on the phylogenetic context in which they grew. Pioneer species had higher growth and produced more phenolics in plots with high phylogenetic diversity versus plants in plots with low phylogenetic diversity. Accordingly, herbivore damage in these species was greater in plots with low phylogenetic diversity. Finally, predator activity on caterpillar clay models placed on plants was greater within the low phylogenetic diversity treatment, but only for non-myrmecophytic species. These results suggest that plant phylogenetic diversity can influence the expression of growth and defensive traits and further modify the interaction between plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies. However, such effects depend on plant life history and the presence of mutualistic interaction with ants.

Contrasting warming responses of photosynthesis in early- and late-successional tropical trees.

The productivity and climate feedbacks of tropical forests depend on tree physiological responses to warmer and, over large areas, seasonally drier conditions. However, knowledge regarding such responses is limited due to data scarcity. We studied the impact of growth temperature on net photosynthesis (An), maximum rates of Rubisco carboxylation at 25 °C (Vcmax25), stomatal conductance (gs) and the slope parameter of the stomatal conductance-photosynthesis model (g1), in 10 early successional (ES) and 8 late-successional (LS) tropical tree species grown at three sites along an elevation gradient in Rwanda, differing by 6.8 °C in daytime ambient air temperature. The effect of seasonal drought on An was also investigated. We found that warm climate decreased wet-season An in LS species, but not in ES species. Values of Vcmax25 were lower at the warmest site across both successional groups, and An and Vcmax25 were higher in ES compared with LS species. Stomatal conductance exhibited no significant site differences and g1 was similar across both sites and successional groups. Drought strongly reduced An at warmer sites but not at the coolest montane site and this response was similar in both ES and LS species. Our results suggest that warming has negative effects on leaf-level photosynthesis in LS species, while both LS and ES species suffer photosynthesis declines in a warmer climate with more pronounced droughts. The contrasting responses of An between successional groups may lead to shifts in species' competitive balance in a warmer world, to the disadvantage of LS trees.

Root-associated fungal communities are influenced more by soils than by plant-host root traits in a Chinese tropical forest.

Forest fungal communities are shaped by the interactions between host tree root systems and the associated soil conditions. We investigated how the soil environment, root morphological traits, and root chemistry influence root-inhabiting fungal communities in three tropical forest sites of varying successional status in Xishuangbanna, China. For 150 trees of 66 species, we measured root morphology and tissue chemistry. Tree species identity was confirmed by sequencing rbcL, and root-associated fungal (RAF) communities were determined using high-throughput ITS2 sequencing. Using distance-based redundancy analysis and hierarchical variation partitioning, we quantified the relative importance of two soil variables (site average total phosphorus and available phosphorus), four root traits (dry matter content, tissue density, specific tip abundance, and forks), and three root tissue elemental concentrations (nitrogen, calcium, and manganese) on RAF community dissimilarity. The root and soil environment collectively explained 23% of RAF compositional variation. Soil phosphorus explained 76% of that variation. Twenty fungal taxa differentiated RAF communities among the three sites. Soil phosphorus most strongly affects RAF assemblages in this tropical forest. Variation in root calcium and manganese concentrations and root morphology among tree hosts, principally an architectural trade-off between dense, highly branched vs less-dense, herringbone-type root systems, are important secondary determinants.

Modeling the effects of size-dependent harvesting strategies on the population dynamics of tropical trees.

Several forest plant species are harvested both lethally for their timber and non-lethally for their non-timber forest products by the local people for cultural and economic reasons. To maximize yield, harvesters target various life stages of these species including both adults and juveniles particularly when the number of harvestable adults decline. The demographic consequences of harvesting various plant sizes differ based on what life stage is targeted. In this paper, we develop a size-structured, seasonal system of difference equations and corresponding matrix model with time-varying harvest to model the effects of size-dependent harvesting strategies on the population dynamics of tropical trees. We illustrate numerically our work specifically on African mahogany, Khaya senegalensis, a tropical tree in Benin. Novel applications and combinations of previously established matrix compression algorithms are presented to determine certain rates in our model, with other rates coming from the use of generalized linear modeling and ordinary least squares estimation incorporating observed population data. Harvesting rates for two types of populations are estimated, one with simulated harvest and the other experiencing natural harvest. Eigenvalue analysis suggests that for the populations in our study, harvesting may not have a drastic effect on the long-term persistence of the population. However, this should be taken with caution given that our model does not account for stochastic environmental variations that can interactively reduce population growth rates.

Natural annual transcriptome dynamics of Eucalyptus reveal seasonal adaptation of tropical/sub-tropical trees.

Seasonal environment cues are primary factors that influence a plant's growth and adaptation. The molecular basis of seasonal phenology has been well studied in trees growing in boreal and temperate ecosystems. However, little is known about the molecular phenology of trees belonging to tropical/sub-tropical regions. Here, we characterize the annual transcriptome dynamics of Eucalyptus dunnii, one of the world's most widely planted tropical/sub-tropical hardwoods, in natural environments. Our transcriptome analysis combined with the geographical distribution, environmental cues, microscopic observations and heterologous transformation analyses provides a molecular timetable of seasonal regulatory events of E. dunnii and its planting prospects in China. We further investigated the molecular mechanisms of the flowering phenology of E. dunnii. Our results suggest that low temperature is one of environment triggers for its seasonal flowering. In addition, a comparative transcriptome and cell ultrastructure analysis between Eucalyptus and Populus reveals the molecular bases of different shoot apex growth habits of trees originating from tropical/sub-tropical and boreal/temperate regions. Our study will provide cues for further investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the seasonal phenology of trees from tropical/sub-tropical regions.

Hurricanes increase tropical forest vulnerability to drought.

Rapid changes in climate and disturbance regimes, including droughts and hurricanes, are likely to influence tropical forests, but our understanding of the compound effects of disturbances on forest ecosystems is extremely limited. Filling this knowledge gap is necessary to elucidate the future of these ecosystems under a changing climate. We examined the relationship between hurricane response (damage, mortality, and resilience) and four hydraulic traits of 13 dominant woody species in a wet tropical forest subject to periodic hurricanes. Species with high resistance to embolisms (low P50 values) and higher safety margins ( SMP50 ) were more resistant to immediate hurricane mortality and breakage, whereas species with higher hurricane resilience (rapid post-hurricane growth) had high capacitance and P50 values and low SMP50 . During 26 yr of post-hurricane recovery, we found a decrease in community-weighted mean values for traits associated with greater drought resistance (leaf turgor loss point, P50 , SMP50 ) and an increase in capacitance, which has been linked with lower drought resistance. Hurricane damage favors slow-growing, drought-tolerant species, whereas post-hurricane high resource conditions favor acquisitive, fast-growing but drought-vulnerable species, increasing forest productivity at the expense of drought tolerance and leading to higher overall forest vulnerability to drought.

Patterns of Herbivory in Neotropical Forest Katydids as Revealed by DNA Barcoding of Digestive Tract Contents.

Many well-studied animal species use conspicuous, repetitive signals that attract both mates and predators. Orthopterans (crickets, katydids, and grasshoppers) are renowned for their acoustic signals. In Neotropical forests, however, many katydid species produce extremely short signals, totaling only a few seconds of sound per night, likely in response to predation by acoustically orienting predators. The rare signals of these katydid species raises the question of how they find conspecific mates in a structurally complex rainforest. While acoustic mechanisms, such as duetting, likely facilitate mate finding, we test the hypothesis that mate finding is further facilitated by colocalization on particular host plant species. DNA barcoding allows us to identify recently consumed plants from katydid stomach contents. We use DNA barcoding to test the prediction that katydids of the same species will have closely related plant species in their stomach. We do not find evidence for dietary specialization. Instead, katydids consumed a wide mix of plants within and across the flowering plants (27 species in 22 genera, 16 families, and 12 orders) with particular representation in the orders Fabales and Laurales. Some evidence indicates that katydids may gather on plants during a narrow window of rapid leaf out, but additional investigations are required to determine whether katydid mate finding is facilitated by gathering at transient food resources.

Dissecting the difference in tree species richness between Africa and South America.

SignificanceOur full-scale comparison of Africa and South America's lowland tropical tree floras shows that both Africa and South America's moist and dry tree floras are organized similarly: plant families that are rich in tree species on one continent are also rich in tree species on the other continent, and these patterns hold across moist and dry environments. Moreover, we confirm that there is an important difference in tree species richness between the two continents, which is linked to a few families that are exceptionally diverse in South American moist forests, although dry formations also contribute to this difference. Plant families only present on one of the two continents do not contribute substantially to differences in tree species richness.

Changes in leaf functional traits with leaf age: when do leaves decrease their photosynthetic capacity in Amazonian trees?

Most leaf functional trait studies in the Amazon basin do not consider ontogenetic variations (leaf age), which may influence ecosystem productivity throughout the year. When leaf age is taken into account, it is generally considered discontinuous, and leaves are classified into age categories based on qualitative observations. Here, we quantified age-dependent changes in leaf functional traits such as the maximum carboxylation rate of ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) (Vcmax), stomatal control (Cgs%), leaf dry mass per area and leaf macronutrient concentrations for nine naturally growing Amazon tropical trees with variable phenological strategies. Leaf ages were assessed by monthly censuses of branch-level leaf demography; we also performed leaf trait measurements accounting for leaf chronological age based on days elapsed since the first inclusion in the leaf demography, not predetermined age classes. At the tree community scale, a nonlinear relationship between Vcmax and leaf age existed: young, developing leaves showed the lowest mean photosynthetic capacity, increasing to a maximum at 45 days and then decreasing gradually with age in both continuous and categorical age group analyses. Maturation times among species and phenological habits differed substantially, from 8 ± 30 to 238 ± 30 days, and the rate of decline of Vcmax varied from -0.003 to -0.065 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1 day-1. Stomatal control increased significantly in young leaves but remained constant after peaking. Mass-based phosphorus and potassium concentrations displayed negative relationships with leaf age, whereas nitrogen did not vary temporally. Differences in life strategies, leaf nutrient concentrations and phenological types, not the leaf age effect alone, may thus be important factors for understanding observed photosynthesis seasonality in Amazonian forests. Furthermore, assigning leaf age categories in diverse tree communities may not be the recommended method for studying carbon uptake seasonality in the Amazon, since the relationship between Vcmax and leaf age could not be confirmed for all trees.