The Nutrient Balance of an Amazonian Rain Forest

Nutrient balance studies of mature ecosystems have shown that in many cases leaching losses are greater than atmospheric inputs. If the systems are not degrading, this means this means that the net losses must be compensated for by weathering of parent material. In contrast to ecosystems with rates of nutrient leaching that are higher than rates of atmospheric input, leaching of nutrients from an Amazonian rain forest ecosystem was less than or equal to input from the atmosphere every year between 1975 and 1980. If this forest is not aggrading this means that weathering of parent materials does not play an important role in the nutrient economy of the ecosystem. The forest apparently maintains itself on nutrients derived from the atmosphere.