U.S.-Brazil Dissertation Research: Biogeochemical Controls on the Loss of Dissolved Organic Nutrients from Tropical Ecosystems

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

9602949 Vitousek/Neff This Americas Program award will support dissertation research by Jason Neff of Stanford University, under the direction of Dr. Peter Vitousek. This project, entitled "Biogeochemical Controls on the Loss of Dissolved Organic Nutrients from Tropical Ecosystems" will take place at two sites, the Paragominas region of Eastern Brazil and at the Tapajos Forest Reserve. The goal of this project is to address mechanisms which control the source and fate of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in two tropical forest soil types (Tapajos) and also soils from primary and secondary forest at a second site (Paragominas) in Brazil. The biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen and phosphorus in tropical forests play key roles in both the global carbon cycle and in the sustainability of agriculture following land use change. This research will improve our understanding of these loss pathways, providing a basis from which to evaluate their role in the development and maintenance of fertility in natural and agricultural ecosystems. ***