‘Without bamboo, the land dies’: A conceptual model of the biogeochemical role of bamboo in an Indonesian agroforestry system

摘要: Abstract The ‘talun-kebun’ system consists of a 6–7 year management cycle in which 4–5 fallow period perennial clump bamboo is alternated with 2 years food crop production. Clearcutting, raking the forest floor and slash into piles for burning, hoeing soil to depth 25 cm reduces vigour point at it poses no competitive threat first planted crops. These crops are (typically) cucumber, bitter solanum hyacinth (pole) beans. Ash from burned piles, plus some animal mamure application NPK fertiliser (only recently), used increase production these vegetables. In spite nutrient additions, fertility upper layers declines during year, field cassava (a less nutrient-demanding root crop) second after clearcutting. After cultivation, regrowth declining prevent continued cropping. abandoned permitted revert an unmanaged stand years. historical success appears be based largely on ‘nutrient pumping’ action bamboo, slow decomposition its silica-rich litter, extremely high biomass fine roots. Studies reported earlier subsequent papers support interpretation that recovers much nutrients leached deeper profile cropping deposits them or near surface as above-ground litter dead biogeochemical role sustaining productivity this agroforestry reflects rural farmer's saying: ‘without land dies’.