Soil plant feedbacks in the Amazon Forest under agricultural systems in the state of Amazonas

Abstract

Physical, chemical and biological processes maintain constant interaction between plant and soil. The effects of these processes are named plant-soil feedbacks and are little known in the the Amazon soils, being critical for restoring plant biodiversity and the properties of ecosystems. The objective of this work is to evaluate plant-soil feedbacks in the forest and in agricultural systems in Amazonas. It is intended to consolidate knowledge about the microbial diversity of Amazonian soils as well as their chemical, physical and biological characteristics and the identification of key organisms for microbial restructuring their activities to recover degraded areas in Amazonian region, which programs are underway since 1977 by the research teams of INPA/EMBRAPA. In addition, there will be a strengthening of cooperation between INPA-EMBRAPA and CENA/ESALQ (USP) research groups, through the development of a microbiological enrichment strategy for degraded and impoverished soils, thus facilitating the establishment of new vegetation. The information from both forest areas in the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest support our hypotheses of applying "feedback" model could improve regeneration flora (and fauna) of different study areas of both research groups. And, in the same way, the project must establish the methodologies used by the FAPESP-NWO (Mata Atlântica) project, under development by the FAPESP-Biota, in collaboration with the teams of the "Project Tricomposta Rubber Tree as main component in successive plantations in the Amazon" (SEG Embrapa) financed by FAPEAM and the INPA team, involved in the restoration program of degraded areas via sustainable agroforestry and agricultural systems. (AU)