Soil enzyme responses to land use change in the tropical rainforest of the Colombian Amazon region

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255669
• Publication Date: 2021-08-18T17:30:27Z
• Authors: Adriana M. Silva-...; Dúber A. Mora-Motta; Maurício R. Cherubin; Daniel Grados; Anil Somenahally; Fausto A. Ortiz-M...
• Keywords: Nutrient cycle; Cycling; Soil Quality; Litter

Soil enzymes mediate key processes and functions of the soils, such as organic matter decomposition nutrient cycling in both natural agricultural ecosystems. Here, we studied activity five extracellular soil involved C, N, P-mineralizing process litter surface layer rainforest northwest region Colombian Amazon response those to land use change. The experimental study design included six sites for comparing long-term pasture systems native forest regeneration practices after pasture, within main landscapes region, mountain hill separately. Results showed considerable enzymatic forest, highlighting vital role this compartment low fertility soils from tropical regions. With transition pastures, changes activities were driven by management with SOC N losses reduced absolute pastures under continuous grazing (25 years). However, enzyme expressed per unit did not show C N-acquiring enzymes, suggesting a higher mineralization potential pastures. Enzymatic stoichiometry analysis indicated microbial P limitation that could lead high catabolic increase communities search P, thus affecting sequestration, quality provision soil-related ecosystem services.