Biomass, carbon stocks and nutrients in successional stages of the Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

The forest fragments inserted in the area of Atlantic Forest have great importance in relation to the stock of carbon and nutrient cycling.This study aimed to estimate the biomass and carbon stock in biomass, litter stocks and stocks of carbon and nutrients in litter fall in two forests, with different successional stages (25 and 65), classified as secondary forest in medium stage (SFMS) and secondary forest in an advanced stage (SFAS), located in the basin of the Paraíba do Sul River, Pinheiral, RJ. In each successional stage was enclosed a plot of 50 x 50 m, where the samples were performed. The estimated above-ground biomass was 44.3 Mg ha- 1 in FSEM and 131.6 Mg ha-1 in FSEA, with the totals, including root biomass, respectively 57.6 Mg ha-1 and 171.0 Mg ha-1. The carbon stock of aboveground biomass was 20.8 Mg ha-1 in FSEM and 61.8 Mg ha-1 in FSEA. With regard to litter, there were higher values of inventory levels and contents of organic carbon and nutrients in FSEA. The accumulated litter on the ground proved to be an important transfer of N, Ca and Mg, standing out the contents of N on FSEA and the contents of Ca on FSEM.