Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Islands of fertility: Soil improvement under indigenous homegardens in the savannas of Roraima, Brazil

  • Published:
Agroforestry Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Homegardens are a common feature of indigenous dwellings in the savannas of Roraima, northern Brazil. In order to evaluate the effect of homegardens on soils, samples were taken in 5 sites each in the categories new homegardens (0–10-years old), established homegardens (15–35-years old) and old homegardens (more than 40-years old) and in adjacent savanna in Araçá Indigenous Land, Roraima, Brazil. For comparison, samples were also taken in forest islands located nearby, on a different soil type, under 10-year-old forest fallows and high forest. P and K showed the greatest increases over time in homegarden soils, in comparison with levels found in adjacent savanna and under forest. Ca and Mg also increased in comparison to adjacent savanna, but levels were less than found in forest soils, most likely due to the different parent material. Zn and Fe also showed increases in homegarden soils over time. Cu and Mn levels showed little relation to homegarden age, suggesting greater effects of factors of soil formation than anthropogenic influences. Values for pH were slightly higher in homegardens than in adjacent savanna, while Al was lower, although these changes were poorly fit by regression models. Soil organic matter increased over time under homegardens, but still was lower than levels found under fallows and forest. Soil fertility improvement under indigenous homegardens can be attributed mainly to deposition of residues around dwellings, although further investigation is needed on the role of trees in accessing nutrient pools at greater depths in savanna soils.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Alfaia SS, Uguen K, Rodrigues MRL (2007) Manejo da fertilidade dos solos na Amazônia. In: Moreira FMS, Siqueira JO, Brussaard L (eds) Biodiversidade do solo em ecossistemas brasileiros. UFLA, Lavras, pp 117–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Alfaia SS, Neves AL, Ribeiro GA, Fajardo JDV, Uguen K, Ayres MIC (2008) Caracterização dos parâmetros químicos dos solos de várzea em diversos sistemas de uso da terra ao longo da calha dos rios Solimões/Amazonas. In: Noda SN (ed) Agricultura familiar na Amazônia das águas. EDUA, Manaus, pp 67–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbosa RI (1997) Distribuição das chuvas em Roraima. In: Barbosa RI, Ferreira EJG, Castellón EG (eds) Homem, Ambiente e Ecologia no Estado de Roraima. INPA, Manaus, pp 325–335

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbosa RI, Campos C, Pinto F, Fearnside PM (2007) The “Lavrados” of Roraima: biodiversity and conservation of Brazil′s amazonian savannas. Funct Ecosyst Commun 1(1):29–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Beer J, Harvey C, Ibrahim M, Harmand JM, Somarriba E, Jiménes F (2003) Servicios ambientales de los sistemas agroflorestales. Agroforesteria en las Américas 10(37–38):80–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Borlini MC, Sales HF, Vieira CMF, Conte RA, Pinatti DG, Monteiro SN (2005) Cinza da lenha para aplicação em cerâmica vermelha. Parte I: características da cinza. Cerâmica 51:192–196

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • BRASIL (1975) Projeto RADAMBRASIL–Levantamento dos Recursos Naturais, vol 8. Ministério das Minas e Energia, Rio de Janeiro, p 427

    Google Scholar 

  • Clement C (1999) 1492 and the loss of Amazonian crop genetic resources. I. The relation between domestication and human population decline. Econ Bot 53(2):188–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cochrane TT, Sánchez LG, Azevedo LG, Porras JA, Garver CL (1985) Land in tropical America, vol 3. CIAT

  • Coomes OT, Ban N (2004) Cultivated plant species diversity in a home garden of an Amazonian peasant village in northeastern Peru. Econ Bot 58:420–434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dematte JLI (2000) Solos. In: Salati E, Absy ML, Victoria RL (eds) Amazônia: Um ecossistema em transformação. INPA, Manaus, pp 119–162

    Google Scholar 

  • EMBRAPA (1997) Manual de métodos de análise de solo, 2nd edn. 212 p

  • EMBRAPA (2006) Sistema brasileiro de classificação de solos, 2nd edn

  • Freitas VMB (2008) Dinâmica do nitrogênio em capoeiras e florestas em savanas de Roraima. Dissertation, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus

  • Gajaseni J, Gajaseni N (1999) Ecological rationalities of the traditional homegarden system in the Chao Phraya Basin, Thailand. Agrofor Syst 46:3–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glaser B, Zech W, Woods WI (2004) History, current knowledge and future perspectives of geoecological research concerning the origin of Amazonian anthropogenic dark earths (Terra Preta). In: Glaser B, Woods WI (eds) Exploration in Amazonian Dark Earths. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 9–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Kämpf N, Woods WI, Sombroek W, Kern D, Cunha TJF (2003) Classification of Amazonian dark earths and other ancient anthropic soils. In: Lehmann J, Kern D, Glaser B (eds) Amazonian Dark Earths: origin, properties, management. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 77–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Kehlenbeck K, Maass BL (2004) Crop diversity and classification of homegardens in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Agrofor Syst 63:53–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar BM, Nair PKR (2004) The enigma of tropical homegardens. Agrofor Syst 61:135–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGrath DA, Duryea ML, Comeford NB, Cropper WP (2000) Nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in an Amazonian agroforest eight years following forest conversion. Ecol Appl 10(6):1633–1647

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melo VF, Gianluppi D, Uchoa SCP (2003) Características edafológicas dos solos do estado de roraima (Boletim de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento 1). Embrapa Roraima, Boa Vista, p 28p

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RP, Penn JW, Leeuwen J (2006) Amazonian homegardens: their ethnohistory and potential contribution to agroforestry development. In: Kumar BM, Nair PKR (eds) Tropical homegardens: a time-tested example of sustainable agroforestry. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 43–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller RP, Uguen K, Pedri MA, Creado ESJ, Martins LL, Trancoso R (2008) Levantamento Etnoambiental das Terras Indígenas do Complexo Macuxi-Wapixana, Roraima, v. 1. FUNAI/PPTAL/GTZ, Brasília, p 192

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyazawa M, Pavan MA, Calegari A (1993) Efeito de material vegetal na acidez do solo. Revista Bras Ciência Solo 17:411–416

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nair PKR (1993) An introduction to agroforestry. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, p 499

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinho RC (2008) Quintais agroflorestais indígenas em área de savana (Lavrado) na Terra Indígena Araçá, Roraima. Dissertation, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia

  • Plaster EJ (1997) Soil science & management, 3rd edn. Delmar Publishers, Albany, p 402

    Google Scholar 

  • Prasad R, Power JF (1997) Soil fertility management for sustainable agriculture. CRC Press, Boca Raton, p 356

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhoades CC (1997) Single-tree influences on soil properties in agroforestry: lessons from natural forest and savanna ecosystems. Agrofor Syst 35:71–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott DA, Proctor J, Thompson J (1992) Ecological studies on a lowland evergreen rain forest on Maraca Island, Roraima, Brazil. II—Litter and nutrient cycling. J Ecol 4:705–717

    Google Scholar 

  • Sousa DMG, Miranda LN, Oliveira SA (2007) Acidez do solo e sua correção. In: Novais RF, Alvarez VVH, Barros NF, Fontes RLF, Cantarutti RB, Neves JCL (eds) Fertilidade do Solo. SBCS, Viçosa, pp 205–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomé JB Jr (1997) Manual para interpretação de análise de solo. Agropecuária, Guaíba, p 247

    Google Scholar 

  • Vale JF Jr, Souza MIL (2005) Caracterização e distribuição dos solos das savanas de Roraima. In: Barbosa RI, Xaud HAM, Costa e Sousa JM (eds) Savanas de Roraima: etnoecologia, biodiversidade e potencialidades agrossilvipastoris. FEMACT, Boa Vista, pp 79–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Woods WI (2003) Development of anthrosol research. In: Lehmann J, Kern D, Glaser B (eds) Amazonian Dark Earths: origin, properties, management. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 3–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Yamada M, Osaqui HML (2006) The role of homegardens in agroforestry development: lessons from Tomé-Açú, a Japanese-Brazilian settlement in the Amazon. In: Kumar BM, Nair PKR (eds) Tropical homegardens: a time-tested example of sustainable agroforestry. Springer, New York, pp 299–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Zinke PJ (1962) The pattern of influence of individual forest trees on soil properties. Ecology 43:130–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was part of a broader project of research/extension with farming systems in Araçá Indigenous Land, funded by the European Union through the Guyagrofor Project—Development of Sustainable Agroforestry Systems Based on Indigenous and Maroon Knowledge in the Guyana Shield Region, coordinated by Alterra Institute, Wageninen University. Additional support was provided by the Instituto Olhar Etnográfico’s AGROFLORR Project, funded by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). Both projects were carried out in collaboration with the Conselho Indígena de Roraima (CIR) and with support of local leaders and community members. The first author was funded by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). We also thank INPA technicians João Bosco Cintrão and José Edivaldo Chaves for assistance in soil sampling.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INPA—Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia—AM/RR, Manaus, Brazil

    Rachel C. Pinho, Sonia S. Alfaia, Katell Uguen, Marta Ayres & Viviane Freitas

  2. FUNAI—Fundação Nacional do Índio, Brasilia, Brazil

    Robert Pritchard Miller, Leovone D. Magalhães & Ralph Trancoso

Authors
  1. Rachel C. Pinho
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sonia S. Alfaia
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Robert Pritchard Miller
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Katell Uguen
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Leovone D. Magalhães
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Marta Ayres
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Viviane Freitas
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Ralph Trancoso
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rachel C. Pinho.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pinho, R.C., Alfaia, S.S., Miller, R.P. et al. Islands of fertility: Soil improvement under indigenous homegardens in the savannas of Roraima, Brazil. Agroforest Syst 81, 235–247 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-010-9336-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-010-9336-5

Keywords