Leaching of nitrogen, potassium, calcium and magnesium in a sandy soil cultivated with sugarcane Lixiviação de nitrogênio, potássio, cálcio e magnésio em solo arenoso cultivado com cana-de-açúcar

A lysimeter experiment was carried out with sugarcane aiming to evaluate the leaching of nitrogen derived from either urea (15N) or the soil/sugarcane crop residues. The leaching of K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ was also evaluated. The experiment was a factorial 2x4. The influencing factors were: firstly, the differential addition of two kinds of sugarcane remains to the soil, simulating conditions of cane- plantation renewal after the cane crop harvest, with and without previous straw removal by burning; secondly, four doses of N: 0, 30, 60, and 90 kg ha-1. During the experimental period the total volume of water received by the sugarcane-soil system was 2,015 mm, with 1,255 mm as precipitation and 760 mm as irrigation. The loss of N by leaching from the fertilizer (15N) was not detected. In the first three weeks the largest losses of N by leaching occurred, originating from the soil/sugarcane remains-N. The mean of leached N during the experimental period of 11 months was of 4.5 kg ha-1. The mean losses of K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ were of 13, 320 and 80 kg ha-1, respectively.<br>Realizou-se um experimento em lisímetro cultivado com cana-de-açúcar para avaliar a lixiviação do N, oriundo da uréia (15N) ou do solo e de restos culturais, bem como do K+, Ca2+e Mg2+. O experimento foi um fatorial 2x4. Os fatores foram: 1) adição diferenciada de dois tipos de restos culturais ao solo, simulando condições de reforma de canavial após a colheita da cana, com ou sem prévia despalha a fogo; 2) quatro doses de N: 0, 30, 60 e 90 kg ha-1. Durante o período experimental o volume total de água recebido pela cultura foi de 2.015 mm, sendo 1.255 mm de precipitações e 760 mm de irrigações. Não foi verificada perda por lixiviação do N derivado do fertilizante (15N). Nas três primeiras semanas ocorreram as maiores perdas de N por lixiviação que foram provenientes do solo ou dos restos culturais. O valor médio do N lixiviado durante o período experimental de 11 meses foi de 4,5 kg ha-1. Os valores médios de perdas de K+, Ca2+ e Mg2+ foram de 13, 320 e 80 kg ha-1, respectivamente

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora