Abstract
Veredas are humid tropical ecosystems, generally associated to hydromorphic soils and a shallow water table. The soils of these ecosystems are affected by the use of the areas around these veredas. The objective of this study was to determine soil organic matter (SOM) fractions in veredas adjacent to preserved (native savanna) and disturbed environments (agricultural areas and pastures) in the Cerrado biome. Soil samples were collected from the 0-10 and 10-20 cm layers along reference lines drawn along the relief following the upper, middle and lower positions of one of the slopes, in the direction of the draining line of the vereda. The soil analysis determined: total soil OC, total nitrogen and C:N ratio; C and N contents and C:N ratio in particulate and mineral-associated fractions (of SOM); fulvic acids, humic acids and humin fractions and ratio between humic and fulvic acids. The agricultural use around the veredas induced changes in the SOM fractions, more pronounced in the lower part of the slope. In the soil surface of this part, the OC levels in the humic substances and the particulate fraction of SOM, as well as total soil OC were reduced in the vereda next to crop fields.
Highlights
The Cerrado biome covers an area of around 2 million km2, encompassing a vast section of South America, and approximately 22 % of the Brazilian territory
For 0-10 cm layer, in the lower slope positions, total organic carbon (TOC) contents were lowest in the vereda adjacent to agricultural areas, and no differences were detected between the preserved and the pasture environments (Table 2)
In the preserved area and in the area surrounded by pastures, in the 0-10 cm layer, there was a progressive increase in TOC contents from the upper border to the bottom of the slopes (Table 2)
Summary
The Cerrado biome covers an area of around 2 million km, encompassing a vast section of South America, and approximately 22 % of the Brazilian territory. Veredas are humid tropical ecosystems, generally associated to hydromorphic soils and a shallow water table, occurring frequently near water springs or gallery forests along watercourses in the Cerrado region (Ribeiro and Walter, 1998). They play a key role in the balance of the biogeochemical processes that regulate the availability and quality of water resources. Following the occupation of the Cerrado, many areas located near the veredas were converted to pasture or agricultural crops, often disregarding the regulations of the current Brazilian legislation (Forest Code), which establishes a radius of 50 m around water resources as permanent preservation areas (PPA) for the protection of the water bodies and soil
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