Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY OF CARBON, NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS IN THE LEAF LITTER OF NATIONAL PARK SERRA DE ITABAIANA

ABSTRACT

Litter is a major route of return of nutrients in the system plant-soil -plant and its determination allows to analyze the restructuring of anthropogenic forest environments. Knowledge of litter production is a critical in determining the potential for regeneration of an area through the intake and nutrient cycling. This study aimed to quantify the litter production and the carbon contribution and leaf fraction nutrients in areas of occurrence of Quartzipsamments with vegetation at different stages of regeneration in National Park Serra de Itabaiana in Sergipe, state. In each of the areas of Areia Branca Aberta (ABA), Areia Branca Intermediaria (ABI) and Areia Branca Fechada (ABF), settled collectors where the litter was collected monthly from January to December 2011. In the litter subsamples amounts of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were determined. Along with the action of fire in the areas of Areias Brancas of Serra de Itabaiana Park, it became clear that it changes the state of dynamic equilibrium achieved by the ecosystem, so the nutritional soil conditions are modified. The accumulation of C, N and P showed no significant seasonal variation according to the production of litter in each area studied, and the ABF area provided the largest accumulations of these elements throughout the evaluation period.

Keywords:
Atlantic Forest; anthropogenic disturbance; organic matter; regeneration method

Universidade Federal de Santa Maria Av. Roraima, 1.000, 97105-900 Santa Maria RS Brasil, Tel. : (55 55)3220-8444 r.37, Fax: (55 55)3220-8444 r.22 - Santa Maria - RS - Brazil
E-mail: cienciaflorestal@ufsm.br