Relationships of biomass, nutrient pools and anthropogenic activities in Amazonian forests

Conference · Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States)

OSTI ID:6201564

Kauffman, J B; Cummings, D L; Rabbitt, R E; Ward, D E ^[1]

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1. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis (United States) Forest Service, Missoula, MT (United States)

There are two general patterns associated with deforestation in Amazonia: shifting cultivation where forests are felled and burned every 4-10 years; and pasture conversion where burning occurs every 1-3 years. The former results in a more rapid rate of nutrient loss due to fire frequency and the greater susceptibility of aboveground nutrient pools to volatilization. Along the gradient from primary forest to burned degraded pasture or third-growth forest, aboveground biomass decreased from 434 Mg ha[sup [minus]1] to <8 Mg ha[sup [minus]1]. However, tremendous variability exists in the biomass, nutrient pools, and fire effects in Terra Firme forests, second-growth forests (Capoiera) and pastures. For example, N losses from primary forests ranged from 500 to 1380 kg ha[sup [minus]1], losses from Capoiera ranged from 300 to 400 kg ha[sup [minus]1] and losses from pastures were 200 to >500 kg ha[sup [minus]1]. Clearly these land use practices result in a significant transfer of C to the atmosphere, are not sustainable for human uses and may exacerbate difficulties in forest restoration.

• OSTI ID: 6201564
• Report Number(s): CONF-930798-; CODEN: BECLAG
• Journal Information: Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States), Vol. 74:2; Conference: 78. annual Ecological Society of America (ESA) meeting, Madison, WI (United States), 31 Jul - 4 Aug 1993; ISSN 0012-9623
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
09 BIOMASS FUELS
BRAZIL
FORESTS
CARBON
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
DEFORESTATION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
NUTRIENTS
BIOMASS
CARBON SINKS
CULTIVATION
FIRES
HUMAN POPULATIONS
LAND USE
NITROGEN
PASTURES
REVEGETATION
TROPICAL REGIONS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
LATIN AMERICA
NONMETALS
POPULATIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SINKS
SOUTH AMERICA
560400* - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
095000 - Biomass Fuels- Environmental Aspects- (1990-)