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Microclimate and nutrient dynamics in a silvopastoral system of semiarid northeastern Brazil

Microclimate and nutrient dynamics in a silvopastoral system of semiarid northeastern Brazil There is little available information on nutrient cycling and the controls of ecosystem processes in land use systems of dry neotropical regions. In this study, we conducted field and glasshouse experiments to investigate the influence of Ziziphus joazeiro and Prosopis juliflora trees on microclimate and nutrient dynamics in pastures of Cenchrus ciliaris in semiarid northeastern Brazil. We found that soil moisture was lower under the crowns of P. juliflora trees during early season in comparison to patches of C. ciliaris (grass patches), but the presence of Z. joazeiro had no effect on soil moisture. Soil and air temperatures were lower under Z. joazeiro in comparison to grass patches but P. juliflora had little effect on temperature. Losses of P from all litter types were lower under the crowns of Z. joazeiro trees, but losses of biomass and N from litter were not consistently affected by the presence of trees. Soil net N mineralized was greater under both tree species, in comparison to grass patches. However, net soil N mineralized per gram of total soil N was greater under the crowns of the potentially N 2 fixing P. juliflora , in comparison to grass patches, while there were no significant differences between Z. joazeiro crowns and grass patches. In the glasshouse study, plant biomass and nutrient uptake was greater in soil collected under the crowns of both tree species, in comparison to soil from grass patches. Our results indicate that the preservation of native trees or introduction of exotic tree species in C. ciliaris pastures in semiarid northeastern Brazil significantly affects microclimate and the dynamics of litter and soil nutrients, and may contribute to increases in the cycling rate of nutrients in these systems. Index terms: buffel grass, caatinga, nitrogen mineralization, Prosopis juliflora, Ziziphus joazeiro . http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Agroforestry Systems Springer Journals

Microclimate and nutrient dynamics in a silvopastoral system of semiarid northeastern Brazil

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References (29)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 by Kluwer Academic Publishers
Subject
Life Sciences; Agriculture; Forestry
ISSN
0167-4366
eISSN
1572-9680
DOI
10.1023/A:1021172530939
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

There is little available information on nutrient cycling and the controls of ecosystem processes in land use systems of dry neotropical regions. In this study, we conducted field and glasshouse experiments to investigate the influence of Ziziphus joazeiro and Prosopis juliflora trees on microclimate and nutrient dynamics in pastures of Cenchrus ciliaris in semiarid northeastern Brazil. We found that soil moisture was lower under the crowns of P. juliflora trees during early season in comparison to patches of C. ciliaris (grass patches), but the presence of Z. joazeiro had no effect on soil moisture. Soil and air temperatures were lower under Z. joazeiro in comparison to grass patches but P. juliflora had little effect on temperature. Losses of P from all litter types were lower under the crowns of Z. joazeiro trees, but losses of biomass and N from litter were not consistently affected by the presence of trees. Soil net N mineralized was greater under both tree species, in comparison to grass patches. However, net soil N mineralized per gram of total soil N was greater under the crowns of the potentially N 2 fixing P. juliflora , in comparison to grass patches, while there were no significant differences between Z. joazeiro crowns and grass patches. In the glasshouse study, plant biomass and nutrient uptake was greater in soil collected under the crowns of both tree species, in comparison to soil from grass patches. Our results indicate that the preservation of native trees or introduction of exotic tree species in C. ciliaris pastures in semiarid northeastern Brazil significantly affects microclimate and the dynamics of litter and soil nutrients, and may contribute to increases in the cycling rate of nutrients in these systems. Index terms: buffel grass, caatinga, nitrogen mineralization, Prosopis juliflora, Ziziphus joazeiro .

Journal

Agroforestry SystemsSpringer Journals

Published: Oct 1, 2002

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