The contribution of energy from biomass sources is projected to increase in Britain to assist in meeting renewable energy targets and reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions. With increasing concerns over the sustainability of food crop-based biofuels, purpose-grown lignocellulosic biomass crops such as Miscanthus and short rotation coppice (SRC) willow have been promoted as more sustainable feedstocks for the production of heat and electricity as well as for the future production of liquid biofuels. With the introduction of the Energy Crops Scheme, land-use change (LUC) for lignocellulosic biomass crop production has become increasingly common in Britain in recent decades. However, there is limited understanding of the impact this has on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and limited predictability concerning the overall trajectory, magnitude and rate of SOC changes under a range of different conditions. Using a chronosequence of 93 biomass crop plantations in England and Wales, mainly of 1 to 14 years age, empirical models were developed to determine the short term trajectory of SOC stocks following LUC from arable and grassland to SRC willow and Miscanthus production. SOC stocks were calculated for each site using a fixed sampling depth of 30 cm and estimated changes were inferred by comparing with typical pre-change SOC stocks. These results indicate that only LUC from arable crops to SRC willow demonstrated an overall increase in SOC stocks, by an estimated 15.3 ± 2.2 t C ha-1 (± 95% confidence intervals) after 14 years and 68.8 ± 49.4 t C ha-1 after 22 years. LUC from arable crops to Miscanthus and from both arable crops and grassland to SRC willow and Miscanthus demonstrated no overall net effect on SOC stocks. Soil texture and climate data were measured for each site and multivariable models were created to assess the influence of different environmental conditions on SOC trajectory. In most cases the addition of these explanatory variables improved the model fit, and the models provide some preliminary estimates of more region-specific changes in SOC following LUC. Since LUC to biomass crops often causes a loss of SOC, at least in the short term, the potential for pyrogenic carbon (PyC) to ameliorate this effect was investigated. Studies indicate that PyC can interact with and stabilise native SOC, a process termed negative priming, although the potential for PyC to reduce LUC-induced losses of SOC by negative priming has not yet been assessed. Although negative priming has been observed in many studies, most of these are long term incubation experiments which do not account for the impact of environmental weathering of PyC on interactions with native SOC. Here the aim was to assess the impact of environmentally weathered PyC on native SOC mineralisation at different points in LUC from arable crops to SRC willow. Soil was sampled to a 5 cm depth from multiple recently established SRC willow plantations approximately 2 years after amendment with PyC. Cumulative CO2 flux was measured weekly from incubated soil and soil-surface CO2 flux was also measured in the field. The results demonstrate a PyC-induced increase in CO2 flux for the surface 5 cm of soil. However, no net effect on soil-surface CO2 flux was observed in the field. Although the mechanisms for these contrasting effects remain unclear, they do not suggest that PyC can reduce LUC-induced SOC losses through negative priming.

Submitted by Natalia de Souza Gonçalves (natalia.goncalves@ufpe.br) on 2016-09-19T14:40:59Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) DESCRITORES DA QUALIDADE AMBIENTAL DO SISTEMA ESTUARINO DO RECIFE (PE) O PAPEL DO FITOPLÂNCTON.pdf: 2208267 bytes, checksum: c2b5f36208eafe2193b88e29c8e6fc13 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-19T14:40:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) DESCRITORES DA QUALIDADE AMBIENTAL DO SISTEMA ESTUARINO DO RECIFE (PE) O PAPEL DO FITOPLÂNCTON.pdf: 2208267 bytes, checksum: c2b5f36208eafe2193b88e29c8e6fc13 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-16 / CAPES / Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo caracterizar os descritores do fitoplâncton no Sistema Estuarino do Recife (PE) e determinar os fatores que contribuem para as flutuações sazonais e espaciais dos grupos funcionais. As amostragens foram feitas em três pontos fixos (P1, Bacia Portuária; P2, estuário do rio Beberibe; P3, estuário do rio Capibaribe) nos período chuvoso e de estiagem de 2010, 2011 e 2012, durante as baixa-mares e preamares. A temperatura, transparência da água e profundidade foram medidos in situ, enquanto a salinidade, potencial hidrogeniônico (pH), material particulado em suspensão (MPS), oxigênio dissolvido (OD), demanda bioquímica do oxigênio (DBO5) e sais nutrientes foram coletados com garrafa Kitahara e analisados no Laboratório de Oceanografia Química da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Para coleta do plâncton, foram utilizados dois tipos de amostradores (rede de plâncton com 45 e 64 μm de abertura de malha e garrafa Kitahara). As amostras para o estudo qualitativo foram fixadas com formol a 4%, enquanto para o estudo quantitativo foram fixadas com lugol a 2% e posteriormente analisadas no Laboratório de Fitoplâncton da UFPE. A partir destas amostras foram determinados a riqueza específica, clorofila a, biovolume celular, biomassa em carbono, densidade fitoplanctônica e os grupos funcionais foram determinados. A temperatura, salinidade, OD e fosfato apresentaram variação sazonal significativa. A variação sazonal indicou que a profundidade, MPS e os nutrientes foram elevados no período chuvoso enquanto transparência, temperatura, salinidade, OD e pH no período de estiagem. A clorofila a variou de 2,4 a 60,77 mg.m-3. Foram identificados 226 táxons fitoplanctônicos, tendo sido o período chuvoso quantitativamente e qualitativamente mais rico em decorrência da variabilidade hidroclimática. A densidade celular oscilou entre 46.667 e 723.333 cél.L-1, com maiores valores no período chuvoso. Os táxons descritores foram Planktothrix agardhii, Planktothrix isothrix, Bellerochea malleus, Cyclotella sp., Cylindrotheca closterium, Coscinodiscus sp. e Nitzschia longissima. O biovolume celular variou sazonalmente de 0,2 a 213,9 mm3 L-1, enquanto a biomassa em carbono de 0,07 a 93,62 pgC L-1. Os principais produtores nos estuários estudados foram Planktothrix isothrix, Oscillatoria sp. (período chuvoso) e Coscinodiscus sp. (período de estiagem). Foram registrados 17 grupos funcionais (A, C, D, P, MP, I, II, III, VI, J, TD, H1, LO, SN, S1, S2, F), dos quais, H1, S2, C e III caracterizaram o período chuvoso, enquanto I, II e F caracterizaram o período de estiagem, com o predomínio dos relacionados a ambientes eutróficos, rasos e de águas turvas. Os grupos H1 e I (P1), S2, II e III (P2) e C (P3) foram exclusivos para cada estuário. A precipitação pluviométrica e as marés influenciaram a abundância e a distribuição destes grupos e condicionaram as maiores densidades algais registradas. A utilização dos grupos funcionais, do biovolume e da biomassa em carbono demonstrou que são ferramentas válidas e eficientes para serem utilizadas em estuários tropicais. Com base na distribuição sazonal do fitoplâncton no presente estudo, sugere-se o monitoramento periódico do Sistema Estuarino do Recife, para constatar o efeito das variáveis ambientais sobre o fitoplâncton em longo prazo, bem como para o conhecimento da dinâmica das cianobactérias Planktotkrix agardhii e Planktothrix isothrix, devido ao potencial tóxico dessas espécies. / This study aimed to characterize phytoplankton descriptors in the Estuarine System of Recife (PE) and determine the factors that contribute to seasonal and spatial fluctuations of the functional groups. Samples were collected in three fixed points (P1, Port Basin; P2, Beberibe River estuary; P3, Capibaribe River estuary) in rainy and dry seasons 2010, 2011 and 2012, during the low and high tide. Temperature, water transparency and depth were measured in situ, while salinity, hydrogenionic potential (pH), suspended particulate matter (SMP), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen dissolved (BOD5) and nutrients were collected with a Kitahara bottle and analyzed at the Chemical Oceanography Laboratory of Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. To collect the plankton, two types of samplers were used (plankton net with 45 and 64 μm of mesh opening and Kitahara bottle). Samples for the qualitative study were fixed with 4% formaldehyde, while for the quantitative study were fixed with 2% lugol and posteriorly analyzed at the Phytoplankton Laboratory of UFPE. From these samples were determined the species richness, chlorophyll a, cell biovolume, carbon biomass, phytoplankton density and the functional groups were determined. The temperature, salinity, DO and phosphate showed significant seasonal variation. The seasonal variation indicated that the depth, SPM and nutrients were high in the rainy season and transparency, temperature, salinity, DO and pH in the dry season. The chlorophyll a varied between 2.4 to 60.77 mg.m-3. 226 phytoplankton taxa were identified, being the rainy season qualitatively and quantitatively richer as result of the hydroclimatic variability. The cell density varied between 46.667 and 723.333 cells.L-1, with highest values in rainy season The descriptors taxa were Planktothrix agardhii, Planktothrix isothrix, Bellerochea malleus, Cyclotella sp., Cylindrotheca closterium, Coscinodiscus sp. and Nitzschia longissima. The cell biovolume ranged from 0.2 to 213.9 mm3 L-1, while the carbon biomass from 0.07 to 93.62 pgC L-1. The main producers in the studied estuaries were Planktothrix isothrix, Oscillatoria sp. (rainy season) and Coscinodiscus sp. (dry season). 17 functional groups were recorded (A, C, D, P, MP, I, II, III, VI, J, TD, H1, LO, SN, S1, S2, F), of which, H1, S2, C and III characterized the rainy season, while I, II and F characterized the dry season, with the predominance of related to eutrophic, shallow and muddy water environments. The groups H1 and I (P1), S2, II and III (P2) and C (P3) were unique to each estuary. The rainfall and the tides influenced the abundance and distribution of these groups, hindered the establishment of blooms and conditioned the largest algal densities recorded. The use of functional associations, biovolume and biomass carbon showed that they are valid and efficient tools for use in tropical estuaries. Based on the seasonal distribution of phytoplankton in the present study, it is suggested the periodic monitoring of the Estuarine System of Recife to observe the effect of environmental variables on phytoplankton long-term, as well as for understanding the dynamics of cyanobacteria Planktotkrix agardhii and Planktothrix isothrix due to the toxic potential of these species.

Programa de Apoio aos Planos de Reestruturação e Expansão das Universidades Federais / This study analyzes simulations of Net Primary Production (NPP) from 15 different landsurface models (LSMs) and biomass pools from 6 different LSMs using meteorological conditions measured at 8 sites from Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) project as drivers. The models were not calibrated for the sites. The sites are divided into four biome types: Evergreen Broadleaf Forests (4 sites); Deciduous Broadleaf Forest (1 site); Savanna (1 site); Pasture/Agriculture (2 sites). The mean daily cycles, monthly and annual means of NPP were intercompared and evaluated. There were considerable differences among the NPP simulations, and some of these differences reached up to two orders of magnitude in nocturnal values. Seasonality in dry periods of the NPP could be observed in some models for all biome types. The annual mean NPP simulations from two Evergreen Broadleaf Forests (K34 and K67 sites) were compared with the observations. In general, the simulations by most models do not represent very well the observations; however, the mean value from all simulations is able to represent the observed data. In general, models that represented the Dynamic Vegetation Carbon Fluxes and Nitrogen Cycling Models (DVN) were those that better represented the observed values, suggesting that a more specific description of the vegetation dynamics capture, even without calibration, the carbon exchanges with enough accuracy. The simulated biomass is also divergent between the models, although the distribution of that biomass follows the expected patterns for each biome type. Therefore, we believe that a model calibration can improve the simulations results. / Este estudo analisa simulações de Produção Primária Líquida (NPP) de 15 diferentes modelos de superfície (LSMs) e reservatórios de biomassa de 6 diferentes LSMs usando condições meteorológicas medidas em 8 sítios do projeto Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazônia (LBA) como forçantes. Os modelos não foram calibrados para os sítios. Os sítios foram divididos em quatro tipos de biomas: Florestas de Folhas Largas Sempre-Verdes (4 sítios); Florestas de Folhas Largas Decídua (1 sítio); Savana (cerrado, 1 sítio); Pasto/Agricultura (2 sítios). Os ciclos de NPP médios diários, mensais e anuais foram intercomparados e avaliados. Existem diferenças consideráveis entre as simulações de NPP, e algumas destas diferenças alcançaram até duas ordens de magnitude em valores noturnos. Pôde ser observada sazonalidade de NPP em alguns modelos para todos os tipos de bioma. O NPP médio anual simulado em duas Florestas Sempre-Verdes (sítios K34 e K67) foi comparado com as observações. Em geral, as simulações da maior parte dos modelos não representam muito bem as observações; entretanto, o valor médio de todas as simulações consegue representar os dados observados. Em geral, modelos que representam a vegetação dinâmica, fluxos de carbono e ciclo do nitrogênio (DVN) foram aqueles que melhor representaram os valores observados, sugerindo que uma descrição mais específica da dinâmica da vegetação pode capturar, mesmo sem calibração, as trocas de carbono com suficiente precisão. A biomassa simulada é também divergente entre os modelos, embora a distribuição dessa biomassa segue os padrões esperados para cada tipo de bioma. Logo, acreditamos que uma calibração do modelo pode melhorar os resultados das simulações.