Hydrological processes and nitrogen and carbon transports in watersheds covered by sugarcane

Author(s)

Robson Willians da Costa Silva

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/STB)
• Defense date: 2014-07-11

Examining board members

Jorge Marcos de Moraes; Ricardo de Oliveira Figueiredo; Marcos Vinicius Folegatti; Aristides Ribeiro; José Teixeira Filho

• Advisor: Jorge Marcos de Moraes

Abstract

Hydrological processes affect biogeochemical processes, because the movement of water in many compartments of the agroecossystem promotes elements redistribution. The transport of nitrogen (N) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in streams occur generally through runoff bringing negative implications for their water quality. Annual crops, such as sugarcane, require large amounts of inorganic and organic fertilizers that present N and DOC in their composition. Riparian forests play important roles related to quickflow generation and nutrient retention. These forests might maintain water quality in watersheds. In the present study, we determined the water balance and the fluxes of N and DOC in two watersheds covered by sugarcane. The first watershed presented riparian forest next to the creek in accordance with Brazilian legislation (CCF), and other watershed presented no riparian Forest in these conditions (CSF). The watersheds were instrumented to measure and collect hydrological data simultaneously and rain samples (inputs), and the streams (outputs) for N and DOC analysis. Each slope of the watersheds was divided into three parts: downslope, middleslope and upslope. All slopes parts, except the downslope at CCF, were covered by sugarcane. Downslope part CCF was under riparian forest. The hydrological monitoring occurred on a weekly basis during the first year and biweekly in the second year. The biogeochemical monitoring occurred on a weekly basis. To accomplish the mass balance the inputs of inorganic and organic fertilizers in the plantation were also computed. In first year, the rainfall was 1200 mm and in the second was 1350 mm. Around 80% of such precipitation was low intensity (0-5 mm h-1). The interception loss was approximately 25% of the rainfall either by sugarcane as the riparian forest. The Ksat results in the area of sugarcane showed the existence of impeding layers near the surface and consequently the overland flow coefficients were higher than other land uses available in the literature as well as in relation to riparian forest area. Thus, quickflow represented about 40% of the streamflow. The watershed CCF was not more effective in reducing the quickflow as expected, possibly due to preferential channels caused by the punctual release of water from the terraces. The natural input of NID, NOD and DOC in the watersheds were relatively low, with the fertilizers as the main source (above 95%). The outputs of these elements and compounds were also low denoting that the main outputs occur potentially by sugarcane pre-harvest burning, occurred in the first year, biomass harvested and denitrification process. However, there is evidence of the role of riparian forest, present to a greater extent in the watershed CCF, decreasing the output of N and DOC dissolved in streams (AU)