Evaluation of the stock and isotopic composition of carbon in the soil of Acre. / Avaliação do estoque e composição isotópica do carbono do solo no Acre.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2004

RESUMO

The State of Acre is located in the extreme west of Brazil, occupying an area that had great geological influence from the mountain chain of Andes. The soils present pedologic characteristics very different from the ones found in the remaining of Brazilian Amazon, prevailing Inceptisols, Alfisols, and Ultisols, generally eutrophic, young and little weathered. Not much is known about the impact of the use of the earth on the organic matter in these soil conditions. This work had as objectives to estimate the stock of carbon of the main classes of soils of the State of Acre and to compare with studies carried out for the Amazon area. To evaluate the effect of the change in the use and covering of the earth on the stock of carbon and isotopic composition of the organic matter in two soil conditions in Acre. To reach the objectives the work was performed in two scales, local and regional. The first case estimated the stocks of carbon up to one meter deep, using a map of soils in the scale 1:1.000.000 and analytic data of pedologic profiles accomplished in the area. The second case determined the concentration of carbon, d13C and density of the soil of samples collected at 12-15, 20 year-old pasture lands, and forest in the depths 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 50-60, 70-80 e 90-100 cm, in Ultisols (well drained) and Alfisols (poorly drained). The soils of Acre store around 1 Pg of carbon in the first meter of depth, around 75% of this value is concentrated on the first 30 cm. The soils of Acre present smaller concentration of carbon (6.5 kg m-2, average) when compared with the average of the soils of the Amazon, although they present better fertility. The main reason for this result is the large rate of incident decomposition on these soils due to the constant drought cycles and moistening. These cycles are associated with the physical characteristics (mainly structure) incipient of these soils that impede the percolation of the pluvial waters saturating very quickly and favoring superficial flow off. As the water concentrates on the surface of the soil, it tends to evaporate easily. The effect of the change in the covering and land use on stock and dynamics of the organic matter of the soils happens differently in Ultisols (well drained) and Alfisols (poorly drained). In the two conditions of soils there was a tendency to decrease the total stock of carbon and increase carbon of C4 origin, however, in Ultisols it was very stressed. Pasture lands on Alfisols presented larger stock of carbon (average of 8.4 kg m-2 to 1 m), however, the data of d13C showed that most of carbon was remaining of the forest and a small proportion was introduced by the pasture land (<40 % to 0-5 cm in 20 yr old pasture). The inverse fact occurred with pasture lands on Ultisols that presented smaller stock (average of 6.4 kg m-2 to 1 m) and great proportion of carbon of the pasture land (>70 % to 0-5 cm in 20 yr old pasture). This result suggests two conclusions. 1) the rate of carbon decomposition in Alfisols is smaller than in Ultisols, and the time of residence of the organic matter is larger. Ultisols tend to lose carbon more readily with the change in the land use and covering of the land. 2) pasture productivity is low on Alfisols, indicating that besides soil fertility other characteristics, as structure, should be considered in order to establish the management practice to obtain the best output from the grass.

ASSUNTO(S)

soil organic matter forests (acre) matéria orgânica do solo pastagens pastures carbono isotopic composition composição isotópica florestas (acre) cobertura do solo carbon soil coverage

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