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Abstract
The semiarid region of northeastern Brazil has more than 53 million inhabitants who depend, directly or indirectly, on the resources that the region offers. Among these resources, the soil is highlighted as one of the most important. Due to the importance attributed to the knowledge on the pedological and morphological characteristics of the soils of the Brazilian northeastern semiarid region, the aim of this study was to identify and characterize the different soil classes on the Lavoura Seca Experimental Farm, in the municipality of Quixada, Ceara, Brazil, through the traditional method of soil mapping. The selected site is located in the municipality of Quixada, Ceara, with a total extension of approximately 190 hectares. A regular grid of 200 m x 200 m was established to determine the sampling sites, totaling 47 collection points. The soil samples were collected with an auger at depths of 0-20, 40-60 and 80-100 cm, and the chemical and granulometric analyses were then carried out to select the pit opening sites and classify the units according to the Brazilian Soil Classification System (SIBCS). The predominant soil classes in the study area were: Neossolos Litolicos Eutroficos tipicos (59.4%), Planossolos Haplicos Eutroficos tipicos (20.4%), Argissolos Vermelhos Eutroficos tipicos and abrupticos (15.9%) and Luvissolos Cromicos Orticos tipicos (4.3%). Differences in parent material, relief and climate were the main influencing factors for the occurrence of a diversity of soil classes in the studied area, which shows large extensions of young and shallow soils, as well as evolved and deep soils.
Highlights
The semiarid climate is characterized by low rainfall, low relative humidity and high potential for evaporation (ALVARES et al, 2014)
Given the importance of the knowledge on the pedological and morphological characteristics of the soils of the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil, with a view to giving them correct use and management, the present study aimed to identify and characterize the different types of soil existing on the Lavoura Seca Experimental Farm, in the municipality of Quixadá, Ceará, Brazil, through the traditional method of soil mapping
The 47 sampling points were divided into four distinct groups according to their physical, chemical and morphological characteristics, corresponding to four soil classes of Sistema Brasileiro de Classificação de Solos (SIBCS) (SANTOS et al, 2018) and, defining the mapping units present on the farm
Summary
The semiarid climate is characterized by low rainfall, low relative humidity and high potential for evaporation (ALVARES et al, 2014). The advance of desertification combined with the intensive use of soil favors the exhaustion of environmental resources, giving this region a high vulnerability (INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE, 2014) It is increasingly evident the importance of soil and its role in nature, being necessary for the proper functioning of ecosystems, as well as to guarantee the planet’s food and environmental security (TEN CATEN et al, 2012), since it acts from the compartmentalization and regulation of water flow and nutrient cycling to the promotion of support to plants. The use of pedological surveys and soil mapping is indispensable to obtain information related to the soils existing in a given area of interest because knowing the properties of soils and their distribution is fundamental for their correct use, management and conservation (DALMOLIN et al, 2004), as well as to improve the economic return with its exploitation (GIASSON; INDA JUNIOR; NASCIMENTO, 2006)
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