Welington e Celeste companheiros nas escaladas da Serra do Mar dedico. Muito Obrigada Marli, Amariles, Seu Joaquim e Neuzete, pela companhia na subida escaldante da Ultrafértil, nas tardes maravilhosas do Pilões e nas dores de cabeça em Paranapiacaba; Professor Robert Mayer e Siegfried Liess, pelo trabalho conjunto; Professor Carlos Tadeu, da ESALQ, pelas análises estatísticas; Quirino e Mirian, pelas análises químicas; Welington, pelo convite ao doutorado e pela orientação; Regina e Marisa, pelo ombro amigo, pelas leituras e pelo incentivo constante; Yuri e Cileide, pelas imagens maravilhosas; Patricia, a "estagiária" preferida, pela correção incansável; Carlos Rosa, Valdenice, Dorival, Seu Victor e "Sebastian", pela colaboração amigável; estagiários Patricia, Carla, Vicente, João Roberto, Izabel, Cristiane e Greicilene, pelo apoio e troca de idéias; Denise, por oferecer a Seção de Sementes depois do dilúvio na Ecologia; Mana Margarida, pela capa magnífica; Instituto de Botânica, em especial à Seção de Ecologia, por todas as facilidades concedidas; GKSS e CNPq, pelo auxílio financeiro; Muitíssimo obrigada, também, a Roberto, Flávia e Roberta, Iraci e Ozila e, por fim, à minha cachorra Pituxa. M.I.M.S.L "Publiquei o primeiro livro em 1939 e o segundo precisamente vinte e cinco anos depois. Entre "Olha para o Céu, Frederico!" e "O Coronel e o Lobisomem" o mundo mudou de roupa e de penteado. Apareceu o imposto de renda, apareceu Adolf Hitler e o enfarte apareceu. Veio a bomba atômica, veio o transplante. E a lua deixou de ser dos namorados. Sobrevivi a todas essas catástrofes. E agora, não tendo mais o que inventar, inventaram a tal poluição, que é doença própria de máquinas e parafusos. Que mata os verdes da terra e o azul do céu. Esse tempo não foi feito para mim. Um dia não vai haver mais azul, não vai haver mais pássaros e rosas. Vão trocar o sabiá pelo computador. Estou certo que esse monstro, feito de mil astúcias e mil ferrinhos, não leva em consideração o canto do galo nem o brotar das madrugadas. Um mundo assim, primo, não está mais por conta de Deus. Já está agindo por conta própria".

© iForest -Biogeosciences and Forestry IntroductionThe Brazilian Atlantic biome is recognized as one of the hotspots for the conservation of biodiversity (Forzza et al. 2012), though it is severely affected by diverse human interferences, particularly in the State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil (Domingos et al. 2003). The semideciduous Atlantic Forest is highly fragmented in central-eastern São Paulo because of the expansion of agriculture and urban and industrial growth (Nalon et al. 2008). Besides the reduction of forest cover, human activities bring about a variety of pollutants from combustion of fuels, waste disposal, long-term sewage sludge and fertilizer application and other sources, which may be toxic to the plant community and modify the chemical status of soil, depending on its original chemical and physical conditions (Nriagu 1990, Sharpley 1995, Schaaf et al. 2004, Pouyat et al. 2008, Lucas et al. 2011. Soil nutrients are among the main factors that regulate plant growth and play an important role in the sustainable use of soils; however, their excess due to pollution from human sources may damage the soils and affect the soil-plant relationships. Air pollution may also disrupt other nutrient cycling processes in natural ecosystems, such as the decomposition of litter (Cotrufo et al. 1995).Most anthropogenic pollutants deposited in forest ecosystems accumulate in the soil surface layers (Ruan et al. 2008), where pollutants are typically immobilized for long periods (Hawkins et al. 1995, Verstraeten et al. 2012. However, these accumulations are considered a "chemical time bomb" (Kabala & Szerszen 2002, Hovmand et al. 2008, because pollutants will eventually be leached into waterways (Miller & Friedland 1994).Increased deposition of sulfur and nitrogen compounds (SO2, NOx and NH3) in natural communities induces soil acidification (Falkengren-Grerup & Tyler 1993, Akselsson et al. 2013, Gao et al. 2013. Soil acidification depletes the basic nutrient cations, causes a decrease of pH, lowers the quality of humus, and accelerates the mobilization of aluminum (Boruvka et al. 2005, Miller & Watmough 2009). The depletion of basic cations from the forest floor alters the mineral nutrition of trees, modifies tree growth patterns (Klumpp et al. 2002, Högberg et al. 2006, Sebesta et al. 2011) and affects the distribution of roots (Joslin & Wolfe 1992). As a consequence, biodiversity, vegetation productivity and dynamics of the soil carbon pool are affected (Binkley et al. 2000).Altogether, such negative effects contribute to the forest decline observed in the Atlantic Rain Forest on the coastal mountain range named Serra do Mar (region of Cubatão, São Paulo State, Brazil). This forest is affected by air pollution from an industrial complex that caused destabilization of the land surface, disturbance of soil processes and landslides (Leitão Filho et al. 1993, Mayer et al. 2000a, 2000b. Furthermore, the large metropolitan regions of the São Paulo State (SE Brazil) are responsible for the intense fragmentation of...

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Aim of study: We compared the decomposition rate of the accumulated litter, the stock, and the return of nutrients to the soil, between an area dominated by bamboos in the understory and an area where this dominance does not occur. Area of study: Fontes do Ipiranga State Park, an Urban Fragment of Atlantic Forest at the Municipality of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil. Materials and methods: The decomposition rates were measured over one year (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months), avoiding litter addition through nylon nets over the soil. The collected material was separated into the following fractions: bamboo leaves and branches (bamboo material); other leaves and branches (other material); very decomposed material not identifiable (unidentifiable). The content of macro (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S) and micronutrients (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) were determined. Main results: The litter accumulated was significantly higher in the mature area than in the bamboo area. The decomposition rates did not differ significantly between the two areas. Except for K and Mn, the concentrations of macro and micronutrients were equal to or greater in the mature forest. Research highlights: Unlike reported in other areas, there is no greater litter accumulation in the bamboo-dominated understory nor a slower decomposition rate. The nutrient content is lower in the bamboo-dominated disturbed area.

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