Riparian forest communities and their role in nutrient conservation in an agricultural watershed

Author:

Fail Joseph L.,Haines Bruce L.,Todd Robert L.

Abstract

AbstractRiparian forests situated adjacent to agricultural uplands were studied to test the hypothesis that riparian forests intercept and utilize nutrients lost from these uplands. Production rates, tissue nutrient concentrations, and nutrient accretion rates of woody plants were compared between sites that were contiguous to agricultural areas (test sites) and sites that were separated from agricultural areas by grass buffer zones (reference sites). Net primary production was 10,344 kg ha–1yr–1, but trees within a riparian forest that received runoff directly from a pigpen (test site) had production rates that were 2.5 times higher than the average for all other sites. Above ground forest nutrient accretion rates were also highest at the pigpen test site. Woody plants in test site forests had, on the average, higher branch wood and leaf nutrient concentrations than plants in reference site forests. The data provide evidence that riparian forest communities within agricultural environments absorb and retain nutrients lost from agricultural uplands. As such they are important components of agricultural ecosystems helping to maintain acceptable stream water quality. It is suggested that ecologically sound agricultural practice should include longterm maintenance of natural riparian vegetation zones within agricultural areas.

Publisher

Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Subject

Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3