Biomass and primary-production of herbaceous plant communities in the Amazon floodplain

Abstract

The increase in biomass of different aquatic and terrestrial herbaceous plant communities was measured during various growth periods in the Amazon floodplain near Manaus. Maximum biomass varied from 4-11.2 t ha-1 dry weight in mixed annual terrestrial communities to 6-23 t ha-1 in aquatic annual species (Paspalum repens, Oryza perennis, Luziola spruceana and Hymenachne amplexicaulis) and 15.6-57.6 t ha-1 in communities of the perennial species Paspalum fasciculatum. Cumulative biomass of 3 successively growing annual species reached 30 t ha-1 a-1. Net primary production is considerably higher than maximum biomass. Paspalum fasciculatum reached 70 t during a growth period of 8 months. If one considers for annual species a monthly loss of 10-25% of the biomass, then net primary production in areas with three successive macrophyte communities and a cumulative maximum biomass of 30 t ha-1 is estimated to reach up to 50 t ha-1 a-1. Annual P/B ratio may reach about 3. © 1993 Kluwer Academic Publishers.