Jamili Silva Fialho

Does biomass production depend on plant community diversity

In order to ensure the sustainability of agroecosystems, biodiversity must be a priority. Agroforestry, which includes trees, is an example of such diverse systems. We evaluated plant diversity and aboveground biomass production to assess whether areas under fallow following traditional cultivation return to their initial condition. Also, plant diversity and aboveground biomass production were assessed in agroforestry systems (AFS) to determine if these were similar to unmanaged ecosystems. Another objective of the study was to observe the influence of plant diversity on aboveground biomass production in plant communities and also in the population of the dominant species, Cordia oncocalyx. Plant diversity was evaluated by assessing species richness, as well as using Shannon’s (H′) and Pielou’s (J′) indices. Aboveground plant biomass was evaluated in two AFS: agrosilvopastoral (ASP) and silvopastoral (SP), and also in a traditionally managed agricultural system (AG), areas that had been under fallow for six years (F6) and nine years (F9) and an area of unmanaged caatinga (CAT) vegetation. We observed that the ASP system had a lower diversity and number of species, especially tree species. However, it sustained the same total biomass production as CAT and fallow areas. The SP system, despite having lower H′ and J′ indices as well as lower total biomass production, had a similar number of species to CAT and cropped and fallow systems AG, F6 and F9. Plant biomass in F6 and F9 had recovered to productivity levels of unmanaged CAT vegetation; however the diversity indices were not restored to the same level. Plant diversity did not have an effect on the productivity of the agroecosystems. Likewise, annual biomass production by C. oncocalyx is not dependent upon diversity, but it is influenced by the growth stage of individuals.

CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND NUTRIENT RESERVES UNDER DIFFERENT LAND USE SYSTEMS 1

This study evaluated the contribution of agroforestry (AFS) and traditional systems to carbon sequestration and nutrient reserves in plants, litter and soil. The study was carried out in the semiarid region of Brazil in a long-term experiment on an experimental farm of the goat and sheep section of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). Two agroforestry systems were investigated: agrosilvopastoral (ASP) and forest-pasture areas (SP) as well as traditional agriculture management (TM), two areas left fallow after TM (six fallow years - F6 and nine fallow years - F9) and one area of preserved Caatinga vegetation (CAT). Soil, litter and plants were sampled from all areas and the contents of C, N, P, K, Ca and Mg per compartment determined. The AFS (ASP and SP) had higher nutrient stocks than the traditional and intermediate stocks compared to the preserved Caatinga. In the ASP, a relevant part of the nutrients extracted by crops is returned to the system by constant inputs of litter, weeding of herbaceous vegetation and cutting of the legume crops. After fallow periods of six and nine years, carbon and nutrient stocks in the compartments soil, litter and herbaceous plants were similar to those of the preserved Caatinga (CAT), but still lower than under natural conditions in the woody vegetation.