This study analyzed soil ecosystem services in three land use systems - conventional extensive, silvopastoral, and agroforestry - in the Colombian Amazonian piedmont, which has experienced deforestation and degradation. Soil samples were taken from each system and analyzed for physical, chemical, and biological properties. Results showed soils in conventional and silvopastoral systems had higher compaction, lower carbon storage, nutrients, and infiltration than agroforestry systems, due to poorer structure and biological activity. To avoid further degradation, the study recommends designing landscape management that protects ecosystem services and contributes to climate change mitigation in the Colombian Amazonian piedmont.

1. Landscape Management and the Provision of Soil Ecosystem Services
in the Colombian Amazonian piedmont
Hurtado, M.P.1, Grimaldi, M.2, Mezú, H.1, Alvárez, A.1, Salamanca, J. 1, Ramírez, B.L.3, Rodriguez, G.3, Castañeda, E.R.3 and Lavelle, P.1,2
1International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) A.A. 6713 Cali, Colombia. 2 IRD/Universités de Paris VI et XII, UMR 137 BIOSOL, Bondy, France.
3Universidad de la Amazonía. Avenida Circunvalar, Florencia-Caquetá, Colombia.
RATIONALE
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES DEFORESTATION IN THE COLOMBIAN AMAZONIAN PIEDMONT
Ecosystem Services are the ecological processes that regulate life on earth and The Colombian Amazonian piedmont, one of the ecosystems with greatest biodiversity on Earth, has been affected by
contribute to human welfare at the local, regional and global scales1. colonization processes with serious environmental and cultural consequences. Forests have been destroyed and burned
These services were popularized and their definitions formalized by the Millennium to establish annual crops, pastures and livestock.
Ecosystem Assessment (MA), a four-year study involving more than 1,300 scientists
worldwide 2. The main economic activity is livestock production systems of dual purpose because of the income generated from sales
purpose,
Ecosystem services are grouped into four broad categories: provisioning, such as of milk and meat. However, this production has been declining due to continued deterioration of pastures, with soil erosion
the production of food and water; regulating, such as the control of climate and resulting from high precipitation rates, inadequate management of grasslands, soil compaction, high grazing pressures and
disease; supporting, such as nutrient cycles and crop pollination; and cultural, such use of areas unsuitable for livestock, among others 3.
as spiritual and recreational benefits.
OBJECTIVE RESULTS
Soils exhibited high degree of compaction in conventional system and sylvopastoral systems and lower
 Measure soil ecosystem services and assess their degradation in three land use levels of carbon storage, total nitrogen, bases, phosphorus and infiltration than in agroforestry systems
systems (Conventional extensive, Silvopastoral and Agroforestry) in Caquetá - Colombia (Figure 6a). This, as a result of poor soil porosity and low biological activity that reduce organic matter
and cause degradation. In contrast, soil in the Agroforestry System (Figure 6b) presented better physical
 Determine the effects of landscape heterogeneity on the production of ecosystem and chemical properties due to the shorter history of use and diversity in the types of vegetation. This is
services reflected in the highest values of carbon storage and infiltration which were 54.65 t C / ha and 27.44 mm
/ h respectively (Figure 7). As opposed to 49.07 t C / ha and 50.66 t C / ha and 23.96 mm / h and 24.81
mm / h respectively in conventional and sylvopastoral systems.
METHODOLOGY In order to avoid degradation of the Colombian Amazonian Piedmont, it is necessary to design eco-
Location: Caquetá is located in the south of the country (2º58’ N, 76º15’ W). This department has an area of efficient landscape that protect ecosystem services and contribute to climate change mitigation.
8.9 million hectares, representing 7.8% of national territory with annual mean rainfall: 3744mm and annual mean
temperature:28º C.
Exchangeable acidity
Sampling description: Three landscapes with differences (0 ‐ 10 cm)
in land use history and colonization – Figure 1
use, 1.
K CTCE
In each landscape we sampled 9 farms with 5 sampling
Bases (0 ‐ 10 cm)
points in each (points distant 200m on average) and 4 pits
Mg
by point (dug down to 40 cm): Ca
 Conventional – 80 years (native grasses, legumes and RT25
RT20 Dr10 Ve
RT15 P
weeds) - Figure 2 RT10
RV
Infiltration and P(0 ‐ 10 cm)
 S l
Sylvopastoral - 60 years (di
t l (diversity of f
it f forages) - Fi
) Figure 3 RT5
RT RT0
RT2
pH
H
SC30
 Agroforestry – 20 -30 years (rubber, copoazu, arazá) - Compaction(0 ‐ 30 cm)
N30
N20
SC20
Figure 4 N10
SC10
Figure 1: Amazonia Ecosystems: Windows Colombia SCA30
Stock C and %N (0 ‐ 10, 10 ‐ 20 and 20 ‐ 30 cm)
Variables-Correlation circle
Figure 6a: Correlations circle of physics and chemical variables
d=2
d=2
Figure 2: conventional System Figure 3: sylvopastoral System Figure 4: Agroforestry System Conventional Shrubs
11
System
CTR Agroforestry System
13
10
CAF
1 12
SOIL ANALYSIS: Sylvopastoral
CSP 4 6
9
System 3
Fallow, Agroforestry
 Physics variables: Bulk density (0 to 40 cm), Water infiltration, Water retention and Soil Native Pasture, System, Family garden
resistance (penetrometer and torvane) Grasses with woody,
Palm and Pasture
with trees
P < 0.01 P < 0.01
USO
SISTEMA
Figure 6b: Projection of landscapes and land uses in axes 1 and 2 of a PCA analysis of soil parameters
70 50.66 35 27.44
54.65 23.96 24.88
 Chemical Variables: pH, Al+3, Ca+2, Mg+2, K+1, Na+1, cation exchange capacity , P, 60
49.07
30
NH4+), organic matter, % C,% N and carbon storage (0 - 40 cm).
Stock C ( 0 to 30 cm)
50 25
Infiltration
(mm / h)
(t C / ha)
40 20
30 15
b ab a b b a
20 10
10 5
0 0
Conventional System Sylvopastoral System Agroforestry System Conventional System Sylvopastoral System Agroforestry System
Figure 7. Carbon storage and infiltration of conventional, sylvopastoral and agroforestry systems
Figure 5. Determination of nitrogen and carbon total by Dry combustion method 4(Mass
spectrometer with stable isotope analyzer (Europa Integra) and Near Infrared Spectroscopy PERSPECTIVES
(NIR-FOSS SYSTEM 6500).
Reconstruction of eco-efficient landscapes in the Amazon deforested areas in the context of the climatic
changes – AMAZ 2030
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:
The results were evaluated using a principal components analysis (PCA) using R software version 2.6.2 (2008) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
under th lib
d the library ADE 4
ADE-4. This work was supported by The French National Research Agency (ANR) (ADD and IFBANR programs)
REFERENCES
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2. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA). 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Synthesis. Island Press, Washington. 155pp
3. Castillo F., J.A.; Amézquita C., E.; Müeller-Sämann, K. 2000. La turbidimetría una metodología promisoria para caracterizar la estabilidad estructural del los suelos = Turbidimetry a promising method to characterize the structural stability of soils. Suelos Ecuatoriales. 30(2):152-156