Orientador: Luiz Fernando Rolim de Almeida / Resumo: A implantação de sistemas de restauração possibilita o restabelecimento da estrutura e funcionamento de ecossistemas degradados. Além disso, alta diversidade taxonômica e funcional dos sistemas de restauração garante a performance e estabilidade de ecossistemas restaurados. A efetividade e monitoramento dos sistemas de restauração são quantificados por variáveis alométricas, porém, desconsideram-se variáveis relacionadas a aquisição de carbono e atividade fotoquímica. Dessa forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi o avaliar as respostas ecofisiológicas de plantas em diferentes sistemas de restauração florestal e avaliar se a capacidade de perda de água e reidratação de espécies de crescimento rápido e lento favorece o estabelecimento e desenvolvimento de sistemas de restauração com estrutura e diversidade de espécies contratantes. Portanto, avaliamos, durante um ano, variáveis relacionadas à disponibilidade de água no solo e ambiente, estrutura dos sistemas de plantio, relações hídricas, atividade fotoquímica e aquisição e acúmulo de carbono nas folhas, em 7 espécies (divididas em espécies de crescimento rápido e lento) pertencentes a três sistemas de restauração: plantio de alta diversidade, sistema agroflorestal e consórcio madeira e lenha, estes sistemas estão implantados em dois tipos de solo: Nitossolo Vermelho (Área 1 – solo argiloso) e Argissolo Vermelho Amarelo (Área 2 – solo arenoso). Os resultados indicaram que sistemas implantados na área 1 apresentaram maior eficiência ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The restoration systems implantation enables the restoration of degraded ecosystems structure and functioning. In addition, restoration systems high taxonomic and functional diversity guarantees restored ecosystems performance and stability. The restoration systems effective-ness and monitoring are quantified by allometric variables, however, variables related to carbon acquisition and photochemical activity are disregarded. Thus, the aim study was to evaluate the ecophysiological responses of plants in different forest restoration systems and to evaluate if the water loss and rehydration capacity of fast and slow growth species favors the establishment and development of systems with contracting structure and species diversity. Therefore, we evaluated, for one year, variables related to the soil and environment water availability, planting systems structure, water relations, photochemical activity and carbon acquisition in leaves, in 7 species (divided into fast and slow growth species). These systems are implanted in two soils types: fertile loamy Ultisol (Site 1) and sandy Alfisol soil (Site 2). The results indicated that systems implanted in site 1 showed higher photosynthetic efficiency and carbon accumulation during water deficiency periods. The wood and wood consortium presented lower complexity in the structure and higher photosynthetic efficiency in times with low water availability in the soil. The mixed plantation using commercial timber and firewood tree species o... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Background: Soil microbes are key drivers of carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, and their properties are influenced by the relationship between resource demand and availability. - Aims: Our objective was to investigate patterns of microbial properties and their controls to understand whether they differ between soils derived from geochemically contrasting parent material in tropical montane forests. - Methods: We measured microbial biomass C (MBC/Soil), potential extracellular enzyme activity (pEEA), and assessed microbial investments in C and nutrient acquisition at the beginning and end of a 120-day laboratory incubation experiment using soils developed from three geochemically contrasting parent material (i.e., mafic, mixed sediment, and felsic) and three soil depths (0–70 cm). - Results: We found that MBC/Soil and pEEA were highest in soils developed from the mafic parent material. Microbial investment in C acquisition was highest in soils developed from mixed sedimentary rocks and lowest in soils developed from the felsic parent material. We propose that our findings are related to the strength of contrasting mineral-related C stabilization mechanisms and varying C quality. No predominant microbial investment in nitrogen (N) acquisition was observed, whereas investment in phosphorus (P) acquisition was highest in subsoils. We found lower microbial investment in C acquisition in subsoils indicating relatively high C availability, and that microbes in subsoils can substantially participate in C cycling and limit C storage if moisture and oxygen conditions are suitable. Geochemical soil properties and substrate quality were important controls on MBC/Soil per unit soil organic C (MBC/SOC), particularly after the exhaustion of labile and fast cycling C, that is, at the end of the incubation. - Conclusion: Although a laboratory incubation experiment cannot reflect real-world conditions, it allowed us to understand how soil properties affect microbial properties. We conclude that parent material is an important driver of microbial properties in tropical montane forests despite the advanced weathering degree of soils.