Visual Evaluation of the Soil Structure under Different Management Systems in Lowlands in Southern Brazil

Adilson Luís Bamberg,Ivana Kruger Tuchtenhagen,Rachel Muylaert Locks Guimarães,Pulido-Moncada Mansonia,Cláudia Liane Rodrigues de Lima

doi:10.1590/18069657rbcs20170270

Abstract

ABSTRACT The “Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure” (VESS) is a method used primarily to evaluate the soil structural quality of Oxisols in Brazil and secondly for more specific research, consultancy, and teaching purposes. Since the methodology was never applied and compared with laboratory evaluations of physical properties of hydromorphic soils of the Pampa biome in the south of Brazil, this study evaluated the use of VESS as a visual indicator of the structure quality of a typic eutrophic Albaqualf soil [...]

Highlights

The Rio Grande do Sul State has 5.4 million hectares of lowlands, corresponding to 20 % of its total area
Since the methodology was never applied and compared with laboratory evaluations of physical properties of hydromorphic soils of the Pampa biome in the south of Brazil, this study evaluated the use of VESS as a visual indicator of the structure quality of a typic eutrophic Albaqualf soil under native grassland, crop-livestock integration, no-tillage, and conventional management systems
The quality of a typic eutrophic Albaqualf was benefitted by organic matter in the surface layer

Summary

Introduction

The Rio Grande do Sul State has 5.4 million hectares of lowlands, corresponding to 20 % of its total area. Hydromorphic soils are predominant in these areas and normally found on plains of rivers and lakes, established under conditions of drainage deficiency (hydromorphism) and usually plain topography (Parfitt et al, 2014). They have a naturally high bulk density, high micro∕macropore ratio, drainage limitations, and an impermeable sub-surface layer (Pauletto et al, 2004). These properties confer adverse soil hydric conditions (saturation and aeration deficiency) (Ribeiro et al, 2016) when compared to other Brazilian soils. According to Reis et al (2016), management systems including vegetation cover and control of soil disturbance and machinery traffic, such as the no-tillage system, can benefit soil physical properties in lowlands

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