We analyzed soils in Alder Bald, Grassy Bald, and Rhododendron Bald communities on Roan Mountain to infer the influence of vegetation on soil and to help guide management strategies. In all vegetation types, soils were acid (pH = 4–5) sandy loams. We found vegetation-associated differences for organic content, cation exchange capacity, acidity, two plant macronutrients (K, Mg), and three cations (Fe, Na, Zn). We predicted that nitrogen compounds would be highest in the Alder Bald because Alnus viridis ssp. crispa (Green Alder) can harbor nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Organic content was highest at the alder-bald sites, ammonium was similar among vegetation types, and nitrate was high at only some sample sites. The unique soil properties of the Alder Bald community, its likely role in primary succession, and its documentation as a long-standing community type on Roan Mountain suggest that management should be directed towards its conservation.

Submitted by (edna.saturno@ufrpe.br) on 2017-04-27T12:57:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Hiran Marcelo Siqueira da Silva.pdf: 681757 bytes, checksum: 615f7dc1968ee600a6eb6b2a3d54b5da (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-27T12:57:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Hiran Marcelo Siqueira da Silva.pdf: 681757 bytes, checksum: 615f7dc1968ee600a6eb6b2a3d54b5da (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-28 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / The physical properties of the soil can be affected by stocking rate. When stocking rates are applied correctly can provide favorable environment for root growth. Nitrogen fertilization can also stimulate growth and root activity. Thus, the replacement nitrogen ecosystem grazing results in higher biomass production and more efficient absorption of the nutrients in the soil. Manipulation in stocking and fertilization interfere in the processes of decomposition of plant tissue affecting nutrient cycling in pasture ecosystems. The study was conducted at the Experimental Station of the Agronomic Institute of Pernambuco in Itambé for two years (2009-2010). The experimental treatments consisted of three stocking rates (2.0, 3.9 and 5.8 AU ha-1, 1 AU = 450 kg BW) and three nitrogen levels (0, 150 and 300 kg ha-1 N year-1) grazing elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.). Treatments were replicated three times and used a randomized block design in a split plot arrangement. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization and stocking rate on physical and chemical attributes of the soil, the root distribution in depth and decomposition of roots grazing elephant grass. For part of soil and destruction of root was determined soil bulk density, particle density, porosity, aggregate stability, infiltration rate of the soil water, the light fraction of soil organic matter, soil fertility in depth, root length density and root biomass. For the decomposition analysis, we used the simple exponential model for percentage of disappearance of biomass remaining N (%). The two stage model ("plateau linear") was used to describe ON, NIDA, N and LIG: N throughout the incubation period. The increased stocking rate resulted in higher densities of soil ranging from 1.42 to 1.58 g cm-3. The light fraction of soil organic matter decreased with increasing stocking rate. The aggregation index increased with depth with values of 42.07, 47.75 and 51.04% for the soil layers 0-2.5, 2.5-7.5 and 7.5-15 cm, respectively . Soil fertility also varied at 0-20, 20-40, 40-60, 60-80 and 80-100 cm. The root length had an effect between depths. In the 0-20 cm layer was longest of all types of roots (thin, thick and full). The decomposition of biomass in the second period (10-11) was higher in the first period (9-10). After 512 days of incubation, the biomass remaining in the first period was 40% whereas in the second period was 30%. The C: N ratio dropped to two periods over the 512 days of incubation, however, as they were passing incubation times, the C: N ratio for the second period fell faster (k = 0.00168 g g-1 day-1) compared to the first period (k = 0.00113 g g-1 day-1). The lignin content increased during the incubation time. At time zero, the lignin content in the first period was higher (~ 17%) found for the second period (~ 10%). The stabilization of lignin in the first period was only achieved after 240 days of decomposition with final value of 22%, whereas in the second period, stabilization was reached after 118 days of incubation with final value of approximately 20%. At the end of two years experimental treatments, stocking rate and nitrogen fertilization did not affect Pt, VIB and EA nor influenced the fertility of the soil, the root distribution and root residue decomposition during the trial period. Moreover, the stocking rate modified the soil density and light fraction organic matter. Nitrogen rates interfered with mineralization of N from the root stock. / As propriedades físicas do solo podem ser afetadas pela taxa de lotação animal. Quando as taxas de lotação animal são aplicadas de forma correta podem proporcionar ambiente favorável ao crescimento do sistema radicular. A adubação nitrogenada também pode estimular o crescimento e a atividade radicular. Sendo assim, a reposição nitrogenada em ecossistema de pastagem resulta em maior biomassa produzida e absorção mais eficiente dos nutrientes no solo. A manipulação na lotação e a adubação interferem nos processos de decomposição do tecido vegetal, afetando a ciclagem dos nutrientes nos ecossistemas de pastagem. O estudo foi realizado na Estação Experimental do Instituto Agronômico de Pernambuco em Itambé por dois anos (2009-2010). Os tratamentos experimentais consistiram de três taxas de lotação animal (2, 3,9 e 5,8 UA ha-1; 1 UA = 450 kg PV) e três níveis de adubação nitrogenada (0, 150 e 300 kg N ha-1ano-1) em pastagens de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.). Os tratamentos foram repetidos três vezes, sendo utilizado o delineamento em blocos casualizados em arranjo de parcelas subdivididas. Sendo assim, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da adubação nitrogenada e da taxa de lotação nos atributos físicoquímicos do solo, na distribuição de raízes em profundidade e na decomposição das raízes em pastagens de capim-elefante. Para a parte de solo e distribuição de raiz em profundidade foram determinados: a densidade do solo, densidade das partículas, porosidade total, estabilidade de agregados, infiltração básica de água no solo, a fração leve da matéria orgânica do solo, fertilidade do solo em profundidade, a densidade de comprimento de raiz e a biomassa radicular. Para a análise de decomposição, foi utilizado o modelo exponencial simples para porcentagem de desaparecimento de biomassa, N remanescente (%). O modelo de dois estágios (“plateau linear”) foi utilizado para descrever LIG, NIDA, N e LIG:N ao longo do período de incubação. O aumento da taxa de lotação resultou em maiores densidades do solo que variou de 1,42 a 1,58 g cm-3. A fração leve da matéria orgânica do solo reduziu com o aumento da lotação animal. O índice de agregação aumentou com a profundidade, com valores de 42,07, 47,75 e 51,04% para as camadas de solo 0-2,5, 2,5-7,5 e 7,5-15 cm, respectivamente. A fertilidade do solo também variou nas camadas de 0-20, 20-40, 40-60, 60-80 e 80-100 cm. O comprimento de raiz apresentou efeito entre as profundidades. Na camada de 0-20 cm houve maior comprimento de todos os tipos de raízes (fina, grossa e total). A decomposição da biomassa no segundo período experimental (10-11) foi maior ao primeiro período (9-10). Após 512 dias de incubação, a biomassa remanescente no primeiro período foi de 40%, enquanto que no segundo período foi de 30%. A relação C:N caiu para os dois períodos experimentais no decorrer dos 512 dias de incubação, no entanto, à medida que foram passando os tempos de incubação, a relação C:N para o segundo período caiu mais rapidamente (k=0,00168 g g-1 dia-1), se comparado ao primeiro período (k=0,00113 g g-1 dia-1). O teor de lignina aumentou durante o tempo incubação. No tempo zero, o teor de lignina no primeiro período foi superior (~17%) ao encontrado para segundo período (~10%). A estabilização da lignina, no primeiro período, só foi alcançada aos 240 dias de decomposição com valor final de 22%, enquanto que no segundo período a estabilização foi alcançada aos 118 dias de incubação com valor final aproximado de 20%. Ao final de dois anos experimentais os tratamentos, taxa de lotação e adubação nitrogenada não alteraram a Pt, VIB e o EA, nem tão pouco influenciaram os parâmetros de fertilidade do solo, a distribuição do sistema radicular e na decomposição do resíduo radicular no período experimental. Por outro lado, a taxa de lotação modificou a densidade do solo e a fração leve da matéria orgânica. As doses de nitrogênio interferiram na mineralização do estoque de N da raiz.

Promouvoir le service de contrôle biologique des bio-agresseurs des cultures nécessite de comprendre le fonctionnement des populations d’ennemis naturels dans des mosaïques agricoles qui sont hétérogènes et dynamiques. Cette thèse porte sur l’étude des déterminants de l’abondance des carabes impliqués dans la régulation des adventices via la consommation de leurs graines. L’analyse des variations d’abondance des espèces à une échelle nationale nous a permis d’évaluer le rôle relatif des facteurs locaux et paysagers et de mettre en évidence le rôle important de la proportion de colza et de prairie dans le paysage sur l’abondance de carabes consommateurs de graines dans les parcelles cultivées. Le suivi expérimental de la composition des communautés de carabes ainsi que du statut nutritionnel et des mouvements de plusieurs espèces dans des dispositifs colza/blé et colza/bordure pérenne sur l’ensemble de la période d’activité des carabes nous a permis de mettre en évidence que (i) les carabes répondent l’hétérogénéité de cette mosaïque agricole (type de culture, qualité de l’habitat au sein d’un même type de culture), avec des réponses souvent spécifiques (ii) que le colza d’hiver joue un rôle important dans le fonctionnement des populations de carabes consommateurs de graines du fait de sa haute qualité d’habitat pour ces espèces, (iii) que la variation de la qualité d’habitat peut jouer sur le mouvement des carabes vers l’habitat adjacent et (iv) que la présence d’une bordure pérenne au voisinage d’une culture favorise le maintien et le fonctionnement de plusieurs espèces consommatrices de graines d’adventices dans la mosaïque agricole. / Promoting biological pest control in crops requires to understand the functioning of natural enemies in heterogeneous and dynamic agricultural mosaics. This thesis focuses on the study of the determinants that influence the abundance of ground beetles involved in the regulation of weeds via the consumption of their seeds. In an analysis of the variations of species abundance at a national scale we identified the respective role of local and landscape factors and showed that oilseed rape and grassland proportions in the landscape were key determinants of the abundance of carabid species in cultivated fields. We then studied carabid communities through combined measured of their abundance, nutritional status and between-habitat movements, during an entire cropping season, in pairs of habitats consisting in winter oilseed rape fields with either a crop (winter cereal fields) or a semi-natural habitat (grassy field margins) as adjacent habitat. We demonstrated that (i) ground beetles respond to the heterogeneity of arable mosaic (crop type, habitat quality within the same crop type), often with specific responses, (ii) winter oilseed rape plays an important role in the functioning of weed seed-eating carabid species due to its high habitat quality, (iii) variations in habitat quality can influence the movement of beetles to the adjacent habitat and (iv) the presence of a grassy field margin in the vicinity of a crop promotes the maintenance and functioning of several species in arable mosaics.