Aporte, transporte e decomposição de liteira em igarapés da bacia amazônica

Abstract

The allochthnous organic matter (OM) is the main energy source in aquatic forested ecosystems. When entering streams it can be retained and be kept stored. And it is in its retention and afterwards decomposition that it will occur the chain between primary consumers and its food source. The geological structure of the Amazon Basin results in a mosaic of distinct geochemical formations, which determines differences that allows the occurrence of soil fertility gradients and rainfall at the forest. But, these gradients will be also reflected into the contribution, transport and decomposition of the organic matter in headwater streams of Amazon Basin? Based on this it was formulated the following hypothesis: is the dynamics of organic matter in headwater streams of the Amazon Basin influenced by the soil fertility gradients and rainfall. To test the hypothesis there were collected samples from OM lateral contribution, experiments of leaf transportation and leaf decomposition and it was performed samples of storage organic matter and Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in transport, simultaneously there were collected soil and water samples to characterize the streams and their soil fertility. Experiments and samples were collected along 90 days, in 16 headwater streams distributed in a soil fertility gradient and rainfall. The thesis was formatted in 4 chapters. In each one, the following hypothesis were tested: chapter 1) Differences into the soil characteristics and rainfall reflect into differences in quantity and quality of the input litter the low order streams of Amazon Basin; chapter 2) Headwater streams of Amazon Basin present high retentiveness influenced by local factors as well as local rainfall and soil fertility; 3) The concentration of dissolved nutrients into the headwater streams water throughout Amazon Basin is distinct reflecting into the soil fertility gradients and rainfall, resulting in different decomposition times; and chapter 4) The fertility of the soil and rainfall of Amazon Basin promote distinction of the fractions distribution of organic matter coarse particulate, fine particulate and dissolved (DOC). The quality and quantity of litter that enter laterally into the low order streams of Amazon Basin showed been influenced by soil fertility, soil texture and rainfall. The streams presented high retentiveness that was explained by the channel characteristics as obstacles frequency and free water column, factors influenced by rainfall patterns. The decomposition time between the studied species was distinct, and it was due to the characteristics of the species and location; differences between locations were due to the soil fertility patterns and rainfall. It was observed a high stock of OM on the streambed and also that less than 50% of carbon has been really computed when considered only the fraction of fine particulate organic and DOC, and that studies that include the coarse particulate carbon storage into the streambed of the streams allow more accurate estimates of the carbon concentration in aquatic ecosystems, enabling the extrapolation of results obtained in terms of the global carbon balance. Therefore the rainfall and soil fertility gradients explain not only the dynamic diversity of arboreal species but also the dynamic of the dead organic matter in headwater streams at the Basin. However, it is important to highlight that these results are stillxiii preliminary, and more studies that provide even better verification of seasonality are needed in the region. Still, in view of the extensive drainage network and high input values of organic matter in headwaters streams, the high retention capacity of these streams, as well as the different stages of decomposition, promoting high concentrations of carbon stored in fractions streambed, we can say that the maintenance of the integrity of the water bodies of low-order has fundamental source importance to these ecosystems, allowing the maintenance of long food webs present in them.