Abstract
ABSTRACT A challenge for the environmental recovery of degraded areas is the search for soil data. In this process, the microbiological parameters and soil chemicals are potential indicators of soil quality. This study aimed to evaluate soil quality based on microbiological and chemical soil attributes in different areas involving environmental recovery, sugarcane cultivation and remnants of native vegetation located in a rural private property farm in State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, in Hapludox Eutrophic soil. The microbiological (microbial biomass carbon, basal respiration, microbial quotient and metabolic quotient) and chemical parameters (organic matter, carbon, pH, cationic exchange capacity, sum of bases, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, saturation base and potential acidity) were assessed. Data were assessed by variance and multivariate analysis (Principal Component Analysis and cluster analysis). Overall, the results showed highest alteration in the chemical and microbiological characteristics of the soil in sugarcane cultivation area in comparison with other areas. Considering the studied recovery areas, REC1, REC5 and REC7 show chemical and microbiological conditions with most similarity to native vegetation. Despite the short period of the resilience enhancement of environmental recovery areas, the development of vegetation cover and establishment of the microbial community were determined to be important factors for improving soil quality and environmental recovery in several of the areas studied.
Highlights
The balance of chemical-physical properties of soils in natural ecosystems depends on the complex interactions with the biotic component
The study areas consisted of two sites with remnants of native vegetation, consisting of a transition zone between Brazilian Savanna (Cerrado) and Atlantic Forest, which were adopted as reference areas, seven adjacent areas in environmental recovery and a sugarcane cultivation area (CN)
The lowest values of pH, Ca2+, Mg2+, sum of base (SB), base saturation (V%), cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic matter (OM) and C were measured in the sugarcane cultivation area (CN), in both layers analyzed
Summary
The balance of chemical-physical properties of soils in natural ecosystems depends on the complex interactions with the biotic component. The removal of native vegetation and the implementation of agricultural activities, when not supported by nutrient management (CARDOSO et al, 2011) and appropriate soil conservation practices (GOMIERO et al, 2011), are usually associated with loss of environmental stability with consequent reduction of soil quality. Before adopting any mitigating measures, it is of utmost importance to evaluate the soil attributes. Soil diagnosis help to understand the degradation factors, and to define adequate methods to deal with different conditions, resulting in better planning for environmental recovery. The success of environmental recovery programs cannot be evaluated by the rate of vegetation growth. Important are the assessment and monitoring of different chemical, physical and microbiological soil properties that are used as indicators of quality and/or environmental degradation
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