Nutrient stock and litter decomposition in riparian forests on Cerrado biome in Coxim municipality - MS, Brazil

Abstract

Litter is considered as one main key component in functioning process of forest ecosystems. Based on this, the objective of this study was to evaluate whether leaf litter decomposition dynamics correlate with environmental variables and can be used as an environmental indicator of nutrient cycling in two riparian forest sites (“Córrego Criminoso” site and “Rio Taquari” site), located in Cerrado biome, in Coxim municipality – MS, Brazil. For decomposition rates and nutrient content evaluation in litter, freshly fallen leaves were collected and submitted to weighed and stored in 30 litterbags (25 cm x 25 cm) for each site, which were later randomly distributed in soil surface. Nutrient chemical evaluation was performed from litter in sites to analyze Cu, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, K nutrients. The remaining leaf mass in both sites was equivalent at the end of 150 days of study, with a percentage of 74.4%. Leaf fraction decomposition showed higher correlations with air temperature than with pluviometric precipitation. The “Rio Taquari” site presented lower nutrient concentration for Cu, K and Fe when compared to “Córrego Criminoso” site. Litter correlated with climatic variable (air temperature) and was an environmental indicator of nutrient cycling in riparian areas in Cerrado.