Abstract
Background: Choosing the correct species and fertilization treatments is a determining factor in the success of forest restoration. Methods: A field study was conducted in a degraded area near the Balbina hydroelectric dam in Amazonas State (AM), Brazil, to evaluate two hypotheses: (i) leguminous tree species exhibit differences in growth, leaf nutrient content, and photosynthetic nutrient use efficiencies; and (ii) differences in these characteristics depend on the fertilization treatments to which the species have been subjected. Dipteryx odorata, Inga edulis and Schizolobium amazonicum were subjected to the following treatments: (T1) unfertilized control; (T2) post-planting chemical fertilization; (T3) post-planting organic fertilization and (T4) combined chemical and organic post-planting fertilization. Results: In general, I. edulis had the highest absolute growth rate of biomass under all of the fertilization treatments. I. edulis and S. amazonicum showed the highest growth rates under the T4 treatment. D. odorata showed the greatest responses under the T2 and T4 treatments. Native leguminous trees with higher photosynthetic performance and better nutrient use efficiency exhibited greater growth and biomass production. Conclusion: The results suggest that an adequate balance between leguminous species selection and fertilization will aid in the success of forest restoration in Amazonia.
Highlights
Years of deforestation in Amazonian forest ecosystems have resulted in a loss of 20% of their original area and 10 million hectares of degraded landscapes [1,2,3]
One of the main reasons for the higher absolute growth rates in the biomass under the post-planting organic fertilization treatments (AGRstems was 51 times higher in I. edulis and 10 times higher in S. amazonicum in the T4 treatment compared to T1) involves changes in the soil C
The native Amazonian leguminous tree species developed different reestablishment strategies when they grew under different soil fertility conditions in degraded areas
Summary
Years of deforestation in Amazonian forest ecosystems have resulted in a loss of 20% of their original area and 10 million hectares of degraded landscapes [1,2,3]. The environmental conditions in degraded areas are far from ideal; high solar irradiance, drought periods and low soil nutrient availability, which are common in Amazonian ecosystems, can compromise the initial establishment and biomass production and enhance the root/shoot ratio of tree species [9,10,11,12]. Of these stress factors, the easiest to modify is generally the soil conditions, which can be altered by applying chemical treatments and occasionally organic fertilizer. D. odorata showed the greatest responses under the T2 and T4 treatments
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