Abstract
BackgroundThis 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.MethodsThree 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.ResultsAnnual 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.ConclusionsThe 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.
Highlights
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
The highest values of temporal litterfall production (TLP) was observed in the dry season for the three evaluated study areas, which was double those obtained in the rainy season (Fig. 2b)
The values in the Cerrado surrounding the Agua Doce (AD) was significantly lower than the results observed in CV and Buriti Grosso (BG), showing that environmental conditions and the diversity of litter composition in the preserved ecosystem is more favorable for the decomposition process
Summary
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. Since the 1970s, this biome has passed through expressive changes in plant cover, with different systems of land use and occupation, leading to impacts on the environment and natural resources (Oliveira and Marquis 2002). This biome is the target in the advance of agrosilvopastoral frontiers, which have led to great losses in biodiversity but have compromised all ecosystem services (Scariot et al 2005). Palm swamps (riparian wetlands known as Veredas) are one of the phytophysiognomies of the Cerrado biome established in hydromorphic soils that play an important role in the maintenance of water resources. The intensive land use can promote changes in the dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM), which are reflected in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks (Liu et al 2006)
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