Spatial carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus budget in a village of the West African savanna - II. Element flows and functioning of a mixed-farming system

Manlay, R. J.; Ickowicz, A.; Masse, D.; Feller, C.; Richard, D.

Abstract:

Management of organic resources plays a decisive role in the viability of mixed-farming systems in West African savannas. For this reason in this study carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) flows initiated by the different uses of organic resources were quantified in the different land-use systems of a village in southern Senegal. Livestock, crop harvest, and wood and straw collecting were responsible for, respectively, 59, 27 and 14% of the C outflows from the area exploited by the village. Livestock accounted for nearly 80% of C, N and P returns to the soil. As a result of these transfers and of on-site recycling of herbaceous biomass, high C inputs were brought to staple crops in the compound ring. Nitrogen and P depletion of the system amounted to -4 kg N and -1 kg P ha(-1) year(-1) only when other abiotic flows were included. This study also suggests that population growth is likely to rapidly alter the sustainability of this mixed-farming system at least due to a modification in the balance between the supply of and demand for organic resources. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Year:

2004

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

plant biomasscarbon fertility transferflux manure mixed farming systemnitrogen phosphorus Savanna SenegalSemi permanent cultivationorganic matternutrient balancessouthern malifodder weedsburkina fasomanure agroecosystems

Journal:

Agricultural Systems

Volume:

79

Number:

1

Pages:

83-107

Note:

Ex ORSTOM, Inst Res {{{&}}} Dev, Dakar, Senegal; ENGREF, Inst Forestry Agr {{{&}}} Environm Engn, F 34033 Montpellier 5, France; ISRA, LNERV, EMVT, CIRAD,ECONAP, Dakar, Senegal; USP, Inst Res {{{&}}} Dev, Ex ORSTOM, CENA, BR 13400970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil; Projet Concerte Rech {{{&}}} Dev Elevage Afrique Ouest, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso