Abstract
Homegardens on Amazonian Dark Earths, Non-anthropogenic Upland, and Floodplain Soils along the Brazilian Middle Madeira River Exhibit Diverging Agrobiodiversity. We test the hypothesis that the agrobiodiversity associated with homegardens on three different soils—upland Amazonian Dark Earths (ADE) and Oxisols (OX), and Fluvent Entisols (FL)—commonly found along the middle Madeira River in the municipality of Manicoré, Amazonas State, Brazil, is different due to the contrasting biotic, abiotic, and cultural settings specific to each of these soils. Using data from interviews with 63 farmers about food and utility species, we compare structural and floristic characteristics of homegarden agrobiodiversity. The density of individuals is higher on ADE than on the other soils (mean ± standard deviation: 715 ± 363 on ADE, 474 ± 283 on OX, 642 ± 399 on FL). ADE and OX have higher species richness (28.2 ± 5.6 on ADE, 25 ± 3.7on OX, 23.6 ± 5 on FL), while ADE and FL have a greater degree of domestication (2 ± 0.6 on ADE, 1.3 ± 0.5 on OX, 2.3 ± 0.6 on FL). ADE and OX have greater proportions of richness, density, and coverage composed of South American species, while FL has greater proportions of richness and density composed of Old World species. ADE has higher proportions of density and coverage of Mesoamerican species. Floristic composition is also different between soils: ADE occupies an intermediate position, composed of species associated with each of the other soil types and species that are most common on ADE. These differences in agrobiodiversity emerge through the interaction of human agency, plant responses, and the unique properties of soils in relation to socioeconomic and historical trajectories over time.
Quintais agroflorestais em solos antrópicos, solos não-antrópicos na terra firme e em solos de várzea ao longo do médio Rio Madeira divergem quanto à agrobiodiversidade. Nós testamos a hipótese de que a agrobiodiversidade associada a quintais em três diferentes tipos de solo—solos antrópicos (ADE), latossolos (OX) na terra firme, e gleissolos de várzea (FL)—comumente encontrados ao longo do médio Rio Madeira no município de Manicoré, Amazonas, Brasil, é diferente devido às características bióticas, abióticas e culturais específicas de cada um desses solos. Utilizando dados de entrevistas com 63 agricultores sobre espécies comestíveis e úteis nós comparamos características florísticas e estruturais da agrobiodiversidade de quintais agroflorestais. A densidade de indivíduos é maior em ADE do que em outros tipos de solo (média ± desvio padrão: 715 ± 363 em ADE, 474 ± 283 em OX, 642 ± 399 em FL). ADE e OX possuem maior riqueza de espécies (28.2 ± 5.6 em ADE, 25 ± 3.7em OX, 23.6 ± 5 em FL), enquanto ADE e FL possuem um maior grau de domesticação (2 ± 0.6 em ADE, 1.3 ± 0.5 em OX, 2.3 ± 0.6 em FL). ADE e OX têm maiores proporções de riqueza, densidade e cobertura compostas de espécies Sul-Americanas, enquanto FL têm maiores proporções de riqueza e densidade compostas de espécies do Velho Mundo. ADE possui maiores proporções de densidade e cobertura de espécies Mesoamericanas. A composição florística também é diferente entre os tipos de solo: ADE ocupa uma posição intermediária, composta por espécies associadas a cada um dos outros tipos de solo e espécies que são mais comuns em ADE. Essas diferenças na agrobiodiversidade emergem a partir da interação entre ação humana, respostas das plantas e propriedades dos solos em relação às trajetórias sócio-econômicas e históricas ao longo do tempo.
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Acknowledgments
This paper draws on aspects of Fraser’s doctoral research, funded by the Leverhulme Trust (Grant F/00 230/W), under the auspices of a scientific expedition (EXC 022/05) granted by the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq). We thank Luke Parry for help with statistics.
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Received 30 March 2010; accepted 22 November 2010.
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Fraser, J.A., Junqueira, A.B. & Clement, C.R. Homegardens on Amazonian Dark Earths, Non-anthropogenic Upland, and Floodplain Soils along the Brazilian Middle Madeira River Exhibit Diverging Agrobiodiversity1 . Econ Bot 65, 1–12 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-010-9143-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-010-9143-y