Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics in Natural and Agricultural Tropical Ecosystems

Soil fertility is one of the most important fundamental factors regulating yield and productivity in both the agricultural and natural ecosystems of the tropics and therefore its maintainence presents one of the most important challenges to their sustainable use. In particular, declining soil fertility on small-holdings is a serious and increasing problem in Africa and other parts of the world. The product of a symposium held at the University of Zimbabwe in May 1996, this book presents information on the ecological processes and management practices which affect soil fertility and examines methods by which these can be integrated, to obtain economically feasible solutions. It is partly the result of ten years research by the internationally funded Soil Biology and Fertility Project in Zimbabwe, and includes contributions by researchers from other countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. The chapters are grouped into five sections, examining nutrient dynamics in soil, decomposition of crop residues, tree-soil-crop interactions in agroforestry and ecosystem dynamics, and finally considering prospects for the future. This book is essential reading for agronomists, soil scientists and ecologists with an active interest in tropical regions and is an important reference for decision-makers in land use and development in tropical countries. It will also be of interest to students of agronomy, tropical biology and ecology.