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Variation of carbon and nitrogen cycling processes along a topographic gradient in a central Amazonian forest
Author(s) -
Luizão Regina C. C.,
Luizão Flávio J.,
Paiva Romilda Q.,
Monteiro Terezinha F.,
Sousa Lucinéia S.,
Kruijt Bart
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
global change biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.146
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1365-2486
pISSN - 1354-1013
DOI - 10.1111/j.1529-8817.2003.00757.x
Subject(s) - environmental science , plateau (mathematics) , plant litter , litter , biogeochemical cycle , soil carbon , vegetation (pathology) , cycling , temperate climate , hydrology (agriculture) , soil horizon , nutrient cycle , geology , nutrient , soil science , ecology , soil water , forestry , geography , biology , medicine , mathematical analysis , mathematics , geotechnical engineering , pathology
It is well recognized in the literature that topography can influence soil nutrient stocks and dynamics in temperate regions, but for tropical forests, this source of variation has sometimes been ignored. The nature of such variations may depend upon the soil type, which in turn, is closely linked to local or regional topography. This study characterizes the soil and describes the status of carbon and nitrogen in vegetation, litterfall, litter‐layer and soil upper layers along the main positions of a topographic gradient (plateau, slope and valley), 60 km north of Manaus, on Cuieiras Reserve watershed. Nitrogen concentrations in living leaves, fresh litterfall, litter‐layer and soil upper layers were lower in the valley than in both slope and plateau plots. Carbon concentrations in plant material were not significantly different among the three topographic positions, resulting in higher C : N ratios in valley plots. Local topography (plateau, slope and valley) clearly was an influential factor in the nutrient distribution along the study locations. Lower rates of N cycling processes in the valley are probably related to its sandy soil texture and seasonal flooding.