Litterfall dynamics and soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in the Brazilian palm swamp ecosystems

Background: This study aimed to determine the litterfall production, accumulation, decomposition rate and nutrient stocks, and to estimate the soil carbon(C) and nitrogen(N) stocks in three palm swamp ecosystems with different land use intensities in the Southeast of Brazil.Methods: Three palm swamp ecosystems with different land use intensities were evaluated: Agua Doce(AD),conserved area;Capivara(CV), area with small agricultural practices;and Buriti Grosso(BG), area with an intensive land use. Produced and accumulated litterfall from the Cerrado areas surrounding the palm swamps were collected from October 2014 to September 2015, and the Ca, Mg, K, and P concentrations were determined in the dry and rainy seasons. Soil samples were collected in the surrounding Cerrado and within the palm swamps until 100 cm soil depth to determine bulk density and soil C and N contents and stocks.Results: Annual litterfall production in the Cerrado surrounding palm swamps was similar in AD(3.58 Mg·ha^-1·year^-1) and CV(3.79 Mg·ha^-1·year^-1), and was lower in BG(2.84 Mg·ha^-1·year^-1), and was more intense during the dry season. Furthermore, litterfall accumulation was higher in CV(7.12 Mg·ha^-1·year^-1) and BG(6.75 Mg·ha^-1·year^-1), culminating in lower decomposition rates. AD showed the highest decomposition rate(0.60) due to its vegetation structure and conservation. The macronutrient contents from the production and accumulated litterfall had a low influence of the land use, decreasing in the following order: Ca > K > Mg > P. Soils in CV and BG palm swamp areas showed higher values of C and N contents, due to the use of land for agricultural crops and cattle raising in an extensive(rangeland) system. The BG palm swamp, showed the highest C(124.03 Mg·ha^-1) and N(10.54 Mg·ha^-1) stocks due to the land use history with different agricultural practices over time.Conclusions: The litterfall dynamics in the Cerrado surrounding palm swamps was more affected by climatic variables than the intensity of land use, but the litter decomposition was more accelerated in the conserved area.Anthropic interventions with soil organic matter(SOM) inputs contributed to an increase in soil C and N stocks in the palm swamp ecosystems.

Soil Attributes in Anthropized Hygrophilous Forest in Northern Minas Gerais State,Brazil

The soils of Brazilian Cerrado are characterized with high acidity and low fertility and productivity.However,these attributes are not homogeneously distributed through all phytophysiognomies of this biome,and wetland known as palm swamp or“veredas”are an exception.This study aimed to describe and compare the chemical and physical attributes of soil surface layers at six palm swamps areas under different anthropization processes in the northern region of Minas Gerais state,Brazil.Soil sampling of different hydromorphic soils were collected at 0-20 cm depth layer from 100 m2 plots in the studied areas.The variables were compared using the GLM procedure of ANOVA using Statistica 10 software.Soil chemical attributes and similarities between the six palm swamps areas were compared using the statistical software R.Soil chemical attributes were different and soil physical attributes were similar between the evaluated areas.The similarities among the attributes were classified into three groups according to the anthropic pressures,as well as with the origin of the soil material in the six palm swamps areas evaluated.It could be concluded that soil fertility can be reduced in palm swamps that suffered greater anthropic intervention.The three similarity groups might be associated not only to the anthropic pressures,but also to the raw material of soil at the six palm swamps areas evaluated.

Effect of sewage sludge and sugarcane bagasse biochar on soil properties and sugar beet production

Recently, biochar has shown to be an alternative to waste disposal and a source of nutrients, acting as a soil amendment. The effects of two types of biochar on soil properties and sugar beet production as well as potential for carbon(C) sequestration were evaluated: biochar produced from sewage sludge(SB) and biochar produced from a 1:1 mixture of sewage sludge and sugarcane bagasse(MB). A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted using a sandy loam soil from the Brazilian savanna under treatments of MB applications at 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, and 10.0%, SB application at 5.0%, and a conventional fertilization(CF) using lime and mineral fertilizers, with no fertilization as a control. After incubation for 45 d, seedlings were transplanted into each pot and cultivated for 55 d. Biochar characterization showed that pyrolysis reduced the biomass volume drastically, but concentrated the trace elements per unit of biochar weight. The MB treatments increased soil total C(by 27.8%) and pH(by 0.6), reduced the concentrations of nutrients, except for potassium(K), and chromium(Cr), and did not significantly alter lead(Pb) and cadmium(Cd) concentrations. Results of stable isotopes showed that all biochar treatments increased the total soil C stock and stability, suggesting a potential for application in C sequestration, and improved overall soil fertility. However, the biochar treatments also increased the concentrations of trace elements in the soil and plants. The sugar beet yields at 10.0% MB and 5.0% SB corresponded to 55%and 29% of the yield obtained in the CF treatment, respectively. These results may be due to biochar nutrients not being bioavailable when required by plants or to biochar nutrient adsorption.