Full text
| |
| Author(s): |
Adelaine Michela e Silva Figueira
Total Authors: 1
|
| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | Piracicaba. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC) |
| Defense date: | 2006-10-20 |
| Examining board members: |
Luiz Antonio Martinelli;
Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino Cerri;
Ricardo Ribeiro Rodrigues
|
| Advisor: | Luiz Antonio Martinelli |
| Abstract | |
The study of nutrient dynamics in disturbed areas of the Amazon region helps to provide understanding of how the current land-use models affect the forest ecosystem and its capacity to recover over time. The object of this study was to investigate the nitrogen dynamics along a chronosequence of secondary forests (6, 20 and 40 yearold), following slash-and-burn agriculture that occurred in the municipality of São Francisco do Pará, and along gaps in different stages of development (1,3 and 5 yearold) created by selective logging in the Tapajós National Forest, both in the state of Pará. In order to understand the effects of land cover changes in the nitrogen cycle, we investigated the ð15N, C and N concentrations in soil, litter, and vegetation in these areas. At the selective logging sites, mineralization and nitrification rates were measured. All sites showed an increase in ð15N values in the soil, correlated with depth, in the first 50 cm. There were significant increases in ð15 N and N concentrations in the vegetation along the chronosequence of secondary forests and a decrease in the C/N ratio. The litter ð15N measurements also increased with secondary forest age. These parameters suggest an increasing N availability with stand age. That is, nitrogen cycling is more closed due to N limitation during the first stages of secondary succession, and becomes more open as the secondary forest ages and as rates of N cycling accelerate. At the selective logging sites, mineralization and nitrification rates were lower in the oneyear gap. However, differences were not found within the other gap ages and between those gaps and the undisturbed forest. Significant differences in the foliar ð15N were not found among the various areas, including legume and non-legume groups that belong to a common area. Foliar N contents were greater in legume than in non-legume species and the C/N ratio was higher in the non-legume species in all areas. Nevertheless, these parameters did not differ among the overall areas. These results indicate an open nitrogen cycle occurring in these areas, suggesting that disturbances such as canopy opening in forests originally enriched in nitrogen, are not strong enough to alter significantly this nutrient cycling, as is the conversion of mature to secondary forest through slash and burn agriculture. (AU) | |