Litter input in cerrado, cerradão and forest environments in Amazon, Brazil

Abstract

Production and decomposition of litter is one of the most important entry sources of nutrients into the soil layers, especially in Amazonian environments, where the soils with low natural fertility are. The study aimed to quantify the litter-forming material intake in cerrado, cerradão and forest environments in the Amazon. Ten conical collectors were set up in each study environment. Collections were monthly held for one year. After each collection, the fractions of leaves, branches, reproductive material and barks were all screened. The total litter production was of 4.24; 11.48 and 12.58 Mg ha-1 year-1 in the cerrado, cerradão and forest areas, respectively. The monthly deposition in the cerrado ranged from 0.13 Mg ha-1 to 0.75 Mg ha-1, while in the cerradão the values were 0.52 and 2.18 Mg ha-1 and in the forest, they were between 0.70 Mg ha-1 and 1.97 Mg ha-1. The analysis and interpretation of the results allowed concluding that the litter deposition, for both the forest and cerradão areas, is higher than the one for the cerrado area, having a greater deposition in a period of water scarcity observed for all areas of this study, with the leaves fraction having contributed with the highest percentage.