Hydric Potential Research Articles

Evaluation of the superficial hydric potential of the Guantanamo-Guaso basin, Cuba

En la cuenca Guantánamo-Guaso, ubicada en la región oriental de Cuba, los recursos hídricos están sometidos a fuertes presiones debido al desarrollo poblacional, agropecuario e industrial, constatándose el deterioro del ecosistema con la consiguiente afectación de sus bienes y servicios, e implicaciones en el abasto de agua. El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar el potencial hídrico superficial de la cuenca Guantánamo-Guaso a partir de la evaluación de la cantidad y calidad de sus recursos hídricos superficiales. Se utilizaron los datos de precipitaciones de 60 equipos pluviométricos localizados en el área, obteniéndose el mapa isoyético para determinar el escurrimiento medio hiperanual, considerando que la cuenca no posee estaciones hidrométricas. El potencial hídrico superficial total (232.521 hm3) resultó ser reducido en un 28 % por requerimientos ambientales y en un 19 % por la calidad del agua. Los problemas asociados con la calidad de agua se relacionan con la existencia de fuentes contaminantes; mientras que la disponibilidad está influenciada, en el último decenio, por intensas sequías, cuyos efectos se han agravado en la última década como consecuencia de los efectos del cambio climático. Esta investigación constituye un punto de partida para la toma de decisiones en la gestión hídrica de la cuenca Guantánamo-Guaso, a fin de garantizar el abasto de agua para diferentes propósitos.

An Application of the RegCM4 System to Quantify the Effects of Climate Change on the Hydric Potential of the Angostura-Bolivia Basin

An Application of the RegCM4 System to Quantify the Effects of Climate Change on the Hydric Potential of the Angostura-Bolivia Basin

Are we losing water storage capacity mostly due to climate change – Analysis of the landscape hydric potential in selected catchments in East-Central Europe

Are we losing water mostly due to climate change? This study delves into that question. The main innovation of this research lies in developing a methodology that forecasts future shifts in water resources through the use of nondimensional indicators, such as Landscape Hydric Potential (LHP), caused by climate change scenarios, land use and land cover (LULC) projections, and a combination of both factors. The LHP method draws upon a range of indicators that shape the geosphere at the catchment scale, namely: hydrogeological conditions, soil conditions, climatic conditions, geomorphological conditions, and LULC. The analysis was carried out for 33 catchments located in the Upper Vistula River Basin in East-Central Europe. The study was conducted in the following stages. First, LHP values were calculated for the present conditions. Subsequently, an analysis of anticipated changes in LULC and in climate were conducted for the near and far future. Lastly, simulations were performed to project how LHP might evolve, considering potential changes in climate and LULC over time. The results have shown that under current climatic conditions, mountainous catchments are characterized by higher LHP values than catchments located in highlands or plains. Agricultural areas are projected to experience the largest changes in LULC. Climatic water balance indicate minimal changes, irrespective of time horizon. Our studies conclude that changes in predicted LULC could have a more significant impact on LHP values than the projected climate change.

Evaluation of the superficial hydric potential of the Guantanamo-Guaso basin, Cuba

En la cuenca Guantánamo-Guaso ubicada en la región oriental de Cuba, los recursos hídricos están sometidos a fuertes presiones debido al desarrollo poblacional, agropecuario e industrial, constatándose el deterioro del ecosistema con la consiguiente afectación de sus bienes y servicios, e implicaciones en el abasto de agua. El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar el potencial hídrico superficial de la cuenca Guantánamo-Guaso a partir de la evaluación de la cantidad y calidad de sus recursos hídricos superficiales. Se utilizaron los datos de precipitaciones de 60 equipos pluviométricos localizados en el área obteniéndose el mapa isoyético para determinar el escurrimiento medio hiperanual, considerando que la cuenca no posee estaciones hidrométricas. El potencial hídrico superficial total (232.521 hm3) resultó ser reducido en un 28 % por requerimientos ambientales y en un 19% por la calidad del agua. Los problemas asociados a la calidad de agua se relacionan con la existencia de fuentes contaminantes; mientras que la disponibilidad está influenciada, en el último decenio, por intensas sequías, cuyos efectos se han agravado en el último decenio como consecuencia de los efectos del cambio climático. Esta investigación constituye un punto de partida para la toma de decisiones en la gestión hídrica de la cuenca Guantánamo-Guaso a fin de garantizar el abasto de agua para diferentes propósitos.

Quantifying the Soil Water Storage Capacity of Flysh Catchments Surrounded by Mixed Forests in Outer Carpathians

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the retention capacity of catchments situated in the Beskid Wyspowy region of southern Poland. To accomplish this, we employed the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT+), a newly developed hydrological model. The large heterogeneity of the catchment area and the limitations of measurement techniques necessitated the use of hydrological models. The study found that forested and pasture areas had higher soil water retention potential than agricultural areas. Furthermore, surface runoff of both catchments correlated negatively with soil water retention potential and evapotranspiration, however, positively with mean annual precipitation. Soil moisture was directly related to mean annual precipitation and electrical conductivity. The research also advocates incorporating the Landscape Hydric Potential (LHP) index into existing hydrologic models, in line with the physical-based SWAT+. Future watershed models based on water balance should be developed to increase resilience to climate change manifestations in the flysh Carpathian Mountains.

Evaluation of the physiological parameters in Lavandula latifolia Medik. under water deficit for preselection of elite drought-resistant plants

Lavandula latifolia Medik. is an aromatic-medicinal plant, native to the Mediterranean region, for which economic interest is mainly focused on the production of essential oil. In the Mediterranean area, the negative effects of climate change, with increasingly frequent extreme heatwaves and drought episodes, have led to the need to select plants with greater tolerance of such scenarios for the future development of this rainfed crop. In the current study, young plants of spike lavender were subjected to a first episode of water deprivation. Subsequently, clones from the surviving ecotypes (SL1 to SL8) were assigned randomly to two homogeneous groups. One group was irrigated to field capacity (as a control) and the other was subjected to water stress for two months. In the leaves of control and stressed plants, physiological parameters including relative water content (%RWC), hydric potential (ΨWP), proline, and abscisic acid were measured. The plant antioxidant defense system was also explored, through analysis of non-enzymatic antioxidants (α-tocopherol, plastochromanol-8), lipid peroxidation (MDA), and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls a and b, and carotenoids). The polyphenolic profile was determined and its corresponding antioxidant activity was analyzed for the first time in the early growth stages of this species. Under the drought treatment, the values of the physiological parameters were similar in all ecotypes and changed as the dehydration advanced. However, the response of the antioxidant defense to drought was variable depending on the ecotype under study. As a general pattern, there was a reduction in the concentration of photosynthetic pigments. Although, no statistical differences were detected in α-tocopherol and PC-8, in most cases, the MDA values increased significantly after the drought episode. In the polyphenolic profile identified, p-coumaric acid glycoside and rosmarinic acid-3–O-glucoside were the major components quantified, salvianic acid and O-coumaric acid being described for the first time in this species. Regarding the response of these chemical components to water stress, the concentrations of most polyphenols decreased, with the exception of rosmarinic acid, whose concentration after the stress was higher in three of the eight ecotypes under study. This increment was reflected in a higher in vitro antioxidant capacity. These findings suggest that L. latifolia was affected by drought, even though it showed some strategies to counteract the negative effects of dehydration. The intraspecific variation in the response to dehydration can be considered a useful tool for the preselection of ecotypes with greater resistance to this stress.

The influence of land cover changes on landscape hydric potential and river flows: Upper Vistula, Western Carpathians

This paper presents an approach for mitigating water-related problems, that relates the retention of precipitation and use of ecosystems, as a tool for improving the quality, quantity and availability of water resources throughout the region. One approach is the determination of the landscape’s hydric potential (LHP). Land cover changes can influence ecosystems in different ways depending on crucial factors that depend on water resources. Thus-far, many studies describe the influence of land cover changes on individual features of catchments and hydrological regime, but few have made an attempt to analysis how changes in land cover can holistically influence processes in catchments. In this context the innovative aspect of this work presents the consequence of land cover changes on water retention expressed by LHP — a general descriptor that is linked with many composite influence factors on water retention. A study was carried out on 33 catchments located in central Europe. Results show increased forest cover having a positive trend in the context of LHP. Conversely, increased urban and industrial areas negatively impact LHP. The presented analysis reveals that a few land cover changes had direct and clearly positive effects on LHP. The LHP had decreased in 21 catchments and increased in 12 catchments. Decreased LHP was generally observed in catchments located on the left side of the Vistula basin where there are more advantageous conditions for agriculture, rising industry and urban areas. The study showed that during the analyzed period, obtained changes of LHP values did not strongly affect hydrological regimes in studied catchments. Our results show that LHP is a very good and useful descriptor that includes many characteristics of catchment and could be used for river catchment management purposes. The landscape’s hydric potential can be used in any catchment in the world.

Distinctive Traits for Drought and Salt Stress Tolerance in Melon (Cucumis melo L.).

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a crop with important agronomic interest worldwide. Because of the increase of drought and salinity in many cultivation areas as a result of anthropogenic global warming, the obtention of varieties tolerant to these conditions is a major objective for agronomical improvement. The identification of the limiting factors for stress tolerance could help to define the objectives and the traits which could be improved by classical breeding or other techniques. With this objective, we have characterized, at the physiological and biochemical levels, two different cultivars (sensitive or tolerant) of two different melon varieties (Galia and Piel de Sapo) under controlled drought or salt stress. We have performed physiological measurements, a complete amino acid profile and we have determined the sodium, potassium and hormone concentrations. This has allowed us to determine that the distinctive general trait for salt tolerance in melon are the levels of phenylalanine, histidine, proline and the Na+/K+ ratio, while the distinctive traits for drought tolerance are the hydric potential, isoleucine, glycine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, serine, and asparagine. These could be useful markers for breeding strategies or to predict which varieties are likely perform better under drought or salt stress. Our study has also allowed us to identify which metabolites and physiological traits are differentially regulated upon salt and drought stress between different varieties.

Technical aspects of water supply and sewerage in Shkodër

Water is a natural resource, with limited quantities and unevenly distributed in space and time. All forms of human life and activity are dependent on water. As is known today, one of the main challenges in the region and the world is the preservation and development of water resources as a basic element for life to cover the basic requirements for drinking, then for agriculture and industry. Shkodra has a hydrographic system “Shkodra Lake – Drin River – Buna River”, which collects the waters of a basin with a total area of 19,582 km2. This considerable catchment area, with high and rugged mountainous relief and abundant intense rainfall, with special lithological construction of the terrain, in the presence of permeable limestone formations makes it possible for the hydrographic network of this basin to stand out for high and quiet diverse hydric potential. This network includes Shkodra Lake, Drin, Bune, Kir, and Gjadër rivers. The study aims to improve water supply and increase the effectiveness and sustainability of services to the citizens who are included in the intervention areas, the provision of clean drinking water and the creation of a sanitary clean environment through the administration of polluted waters, against acceptable fees which cover, at least, the operating expenses. The expected results are a good performance of the CUs, ensuring the proper service and operation of the CUs, efficient water supply, and sewerage systems. Knowledge of the technical aspects of the CU Shkodër is necessary for citizens as it is directly related to the agent and the future of our children.

The Influence of Land Cover Changes on Landscape Hydric Potential and River Flows: Upper Vistula, Western Carpathians

The Influence of Land Cover Changes on Landscape Hydric Potential and River Flows: Upper Vistula, Western Carpathians

Strategies for applying gray water effluent on ornamental sunflower crops.

In a context of scarcity of good quality water, reuse is a mandatory practice to increase water availability, thus allowing the exploitation of more cropland. Although several studies have evaluated the hydric potential of domestic gray water to promote the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, the focus of this study was to evaluate the application of this effluent on an ornamental plant, the sunflower. The experiment was conducted in a protected environment using a completely randomized block design with split plots and four replicates. Irrigation solutions containing different mixtures of treated gray water effluent (TGW) and drinking water (DW) (100% DW, 25% TGW + 75% DW, 50% TGW + 50% DW, 75% TGW + 25% DW, and 100% TGW) were arranged in the plots, while the ornamental sunflower cultivars (Bonito de Outono Sortido and Sol Vermelho) were arranged in the split plots. Irrigation with treated gray water did not affect the growth of the plants and the quality of the flowers until the dilution of 55% in drinking water. The cultivar Sol Vermelho showed better plant growth and flower quality when fertigated with dilutions of treated gray water. The principle of mixing fresh with gray water, applied to the production of ornamental sunflowers, allows obtaining flowers of good quality while saving drinking water and decreasing the deposition of effluents in the environment.

New Empirical Model Using Landscape Hydric Potential Method to Estimate Median Peak Discharges in Mountain Ungauged Catchments

Designing hydraulic structures, such as culverts, bridges, weirs, and check dams, while planning new flood inundation areas, needs correct assessment of design discharges. In gauged catchments with long time series of discharges, statistical methods are commonly used based on fixed theoretical distributions and on empirical distributions. However, in ungauged catchments, this approach is not possible. In addition to more advanced methods, which are used today, e.g., rainfall–runoff models, much more simple approaches are still needed based on regionalization and empirical models. Thus, the objective of this work is to develop a new empirical model for calculating peak discharge expressed as the median of annual peak discharge (QMED). The innovative aspect of this paper is the use of a new parameter, named landscape hydric potential (LHP), as a descriptor of water storage in catchments. LHP has a crucial role as the descriptor of water storage in catchment and, thus, it has an influence on forming discharges. The work was done in the Upper Vistula basin in the Polish Carpathians. This study was carried out in mountain catchments located in the Upper Vistula basin, in the south part of Poland in in the Polish Carpathians. Results show that the proposed model could provide appropriate calculations in changing climate conditions, as well as when land use is changed. The proposed model is simple and effective; for calculating QMED, it needs only two parameters: catchment area and LHP. Since the model has a significant and high correlation coefficient, it could be used for assessing of QMED in ungauged mountain catchments. The determined form of the empirical equation finds application in the entire Upper Vistula basin, for catchments with a surface area from 24 km2 up to 660 km2.

Soil temperature and hydric potential influences the monthly variations of soil Tuber aestivum DNA in a highly productive orchard

Tuber aestivum, also known as the summer or Burgundy truffle, is an ectomycorrhizal Ascomycete associated with numerous trees and shrubs. Its life cycle occurs in the soil, and thus soil parameters such as temperature and water availability could influence it. T. aestivum cultivation has started in several countries, but ecological and agronomic requirements for the establishment and management of orchards are largely unknown. The aims of this work were: 1) to design a specific qPCR protocol using genomic data to trace and quantify T. aestivum DNA in the soil; and 2) to assess the monthly soil DNA dynamic according to soil parameters (i.e. soil hydric potential and temperature) in this orchard. The study was conducted in a highly productive T. aestivum orchard (hazels, oaks, pines, lime and hornbeam). The production started five years after the plantation and then increased exponentially to reach a maximum of 320 kg/ha in 2017. The soil hydric potential and temperature partially explained the monthly T. aestivum soil DNA variability. The data presented here offer new insights into T. aestivum ecology and cultivation.

Link between hydric potential and predictability of maximum flow for selected catchments in Western Carpathians

This study aimed to determine the link between a hydric potential of catchments (LHP) and the predictability (P) of maximum flow of selected rivers in southern Poland (within the Upper Vistula basin) and Slovakia. The LHP method refers to the ability of ecosystems to slow down runoff and retain water. The LHP method is focused on the analysis of the following indicators, shaping the geosphere at the catchment scale: hydrogeological conditions, soil conditions, meteorological conditions, geomorphological conditions, and land use. The predictability of river flows, calculated as one of the Colwell's indices, represents a measure of confidence with regard to the state of a flood event at a given point. To determine links between the LHP and P, a cluster analysis was used with the Ward method of agglomeration. The mean LHP varied between 1.2 for the Skawa River and 20.1 for the Vistula River. Only the Vistula River has very high LHP. The rest of the investigated rivers had medium and low values of LHP. The mean predictability of maximum flows for all rivers was relatively high (0.54), with the highest value obtained for the Wisłok River (0.69) and the lowest one for the Białka River (0.40). Cluster analysis showed that the studied catchments may be aggregated into four homogeneity clusters: first - catchments with high P and limited LHP, second - catchments with mean P and low LHP, third - with low P and average LHP and fourth - with very high P and medium and excellent LHP. The results are important for the management of catchments, especially for planning of any land use changes and investment projects related to water retention.

Transmission of Colletotrichum truncatum and Macrophomina phaseolina by lima bean seeds

ABSTRACT The fungi Colletotrichum truncatum and Macrophomina phaseolina are among the main pathogens associated with lima bean seeds in Brazil, and they are the causal agents of anthracnose and charcoal rot, respectively. The aim of this study was to verify the seed-seedling transmission of C. truncatum and M. phaseolina in artificially inoculated lima bean seeds. Potato-dextrose-agar (PDA) media with different hydric potentials were obtained after the addition of mannitol. Isolates of C. truncatum and M. phaseolina were peaked to these media. Forty grams of seeds were distributed over the fungal mycelium, remaining there for different exposure periods, as a function of each treatment: T1: 0.0 MPa without inoculum for 48 h; T2: 0.0 MPa for 48 h; T3: -0.2 MPa for 48 h; T4: -0.4 MPa for 48 h; T5: -0.6 MPa for 72 h; T6: -0.8 MPa for 96 h and T7: -1.0 MPa for 120 h. The seeds were incubated at 25 ºC under a 12-hour photoperiod. Germination in a paper roll, emergence of seedlings in sand and seed health in PDA were evaluated. T4 provided the best conditions to temporarily prevent seed germination, promoting a greater incidence of seeds infected by C. truncatum and a greater percentage of diseased plants. M. phaseolina reduced seed germination, independently of the inoculated treatment. Both fungi were transmitted from the seeds to the seedlings of lima bean, causing symptoms in various aerial parts. C. truncatum and M. phaseolina transmission rate was 83.1% and 76.46%, respectively.

Proteomic and Metabolomic Analysis of a Drought Tolerant Soybean Cultivar from Brazilian Savanna

Drought is the major abiotic stress which contributes to the reduction in the productivity of soybeans in Brazil, especially in the savanna regions. Two parental genotypes contrasting in drought tolerance (Embrapa 48–tolerant and BR 16–sensitive) were used to study the molecular mechanism underlying this process in soybeans. The hydric potential of the BR 16 reached values of −1.0 and −1.5 MPa, three days before the Embrapa 48, confirming the contrasting drought tolerance. The proteomic, phosphoproteomic and metabolomic profiles were evaluated to detect the metabolic pathways, which were affected by the drought stress. An integrative overview showed that the tolerant plants maintain cell homeostasis and the photosynthetic metabolism was unchanged under the stress condition in contrast to the sensitive genotype that showed several dysregulated pathways. These findings were confirmed by the protein expression and protein regulation by phosphorylation. Furthermore, just small deviations in the metabolic pathways were observed for drought-tolerant plants in comparison to the sensitive genotype. Complex post-translational modification patterns by phosphorylation were detected in some key enzymes, such as carbonic anhydrase, rubisco activase, transketolase and RNA binding proteins during water deficiency. Osmoprotection does not appear to be the major mechanism for tolerance, as indicated by the accumulation of the metabolite and the phytohormone profiles from tolerant and sensitive soybean plants. Thus, regulatory cascades of the metabolic activities, mediated by protein phosphorylation, may cause a higher water use efficiency in the leaves as well as the translocation from the root to the shoot system.

Physical characterization to estimate the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer case study: wadi Izerzi (Tamanrasset-Algeria)

The groundwater exploitation requires the evaluation of groundwater potentiality of the aquifer, particularly from the various studies such as the study of its physical characteristics. A complete hydrodynamic study requires knowledge of the properties of the aquifer system: its characterizing configuration and structure, functions of the reservoir, and its behavior. The aquifer is a complex interaction of two main functions: the storativity function and the conductivity function. This research is an integral part of a long-term research development and of a short-term operation, typically for medium- and long-term exploration of groundwater resources. In order to achieve this target, a substantial number of well-developed methods of evaluating the hydric potential and statistic calculations are currently being established. It is generally accepted that the method of estimating hydraulic parameters such as hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer is a very effective way, in case it is correlated to the results of the physical properties characterizing this aquifer. The laboratory study has been realized on an adequate sample of the soil from the aquifer by using appropriate techniques, to define its properties such as particle size, porosity, and measurements. For this case study, the physical properties of the aquifer materials are based on analysis of the test results obtained from 18 samples of the soil aquifer material, weighing from 2500 to 3000 g each, with the total mass of about 50 kg. Resulting values of the hydraulic conductivity are quite similar; all of them meet the range of the hydraulic conductivity from medium to coarse sand (8.8 E-05 to 3.27 E-03 m/s), an average value of (1.5 E-3 m/s). Nevertheless, it is possible to show the linear relationship between hydraulic conductivity and other physical properties such as void ratio (e) and the effective diameter (d10) of the aquifer material which its mean values are respectively 52% and 0.52 mm. The hydraulic conductivity of soil depends on a variety of physical factors, including porosity, particle size and distribution, shape of particles, and arrangement of particles. Thus, it is complicated to identify a method to estimate values of hydraulic conductivity yielding a priori reliable ranges of results, when they are compared with results obtained by other methods of in situ measurement and laboratory. However, this method of empirical expression based on the particle size we have used provides satisfactory results.

Hydric potential of the river basin: Prądnik, Polish Highlands

Human society deals with floods, drought and water pollution. Facing those problems, the question how to prevent or at least to minimalize the adverse effects of water-related issues is asked of the landscape managers. In this way, any help given to landscape managers seems to be an additional useful tool. Within this paper, an approach leading to mitigation of water-related problems is presented that relates the retention of precipitation and the use of ecosystems as a tool for improving the quality, quantity of water resources and availability throughout the region. One approach is the determination of the landscape’s hydric potential (LHP). This study examines one example of using this method within the conditions of Poland. The results of the research show that national data are entirely appropriate for implementation of the LHP method. Further, this approach revealed the classes of the hydric potential of the Prądnik river basin which was selected as the experimental territory. LHP results reflect the ecosystem attributes of the model river basin; areas of average LHP cover 63.26%, areas of high and limited hydric potential cover approximately 18.3% each. The spatial distribution of LHP means the results of this study provide a baseline for management of the river basin.

Las aguas de São Paulo: reconexión de la ciudad y los ciudadanos con sus ríos


 A pesar de que la ciudad de São Paulo, Brasil, contiene una extensa red hidrográfica, su desarrollo urbano desde el inicio del siglo XX hasta la actualidad es realizado sin considerar el potencial y la necesidad de su integración con el agua en su cauce natural. En efecto, la urbanización explotó el potencial hídrico de la ciudad y a través de obras públicas, como la creación de vías expresas en las márgenes de los ríos Pinheiros y Tietê a partir de 1968, transformó drásticamente las dimensiones, el curso y hasta el flujo original de los ríos. La ciudad que resultó de este proceso generó insatisfacción en diversos frentes y, como respuesta a esto, tanto en el siglo XX como en el inicio del siglo XXI, surgieron variadas iniciativas de aproximación entre el agua, la ciudad y los ciudadanos. Con la intención de destacar algunos movimientos de reconexión entre la ciudad y los ríos urbanos como una manifestación de la ciudadanía subversiva y de la lucha por el derecho a la ciudad, este texto contiene tres partes. Primero, un sucinto marco teórico. Segundo, una breve contextualización de la hidrografía y de la urbanización de São Paulo. Tercero, la presentación de una serie de proyectos realizados con la intención de reconectar las personas y la ciudad con los ríos, organizados por áreas de actuación, seguida de las conclusiones.

Utilização de água residuária de suinocultura como fonte de nitrogênio para o solo

The disposal of residuary water from swine production in soil is a recycling activity that makes possible the use of the hydric potential and the nutrients present in these effluents. The swine dejections have great fertilizing potential, being able to favor the producer that will reduce the costs with fertilizer application, as the environment, since these dejections are highly pollutant when launched directly in rivers and lakes. The pollutant potential of the swine dejections is very superior to other animal species and its use as organic fertilizing can also contribute for the contamination of the hydric resources and the soil if were applied amounts superior to the capacity of soil and plants in absorbing the nutrients present in these residues. The nitrogen is one of the main nutrients present in swine dejections. The mineralization of nitrogen is influenced, among others factors, for the temperature and the water content in the medium. Although many attempts for the development of indices that make possible to esteem as a simple and efficient form the capacity of organic nitrogen mineralization in soil, success due has not been gotten by the complexity of factors that affect the dynamics of this element. Although advantages of the use of swine dejections as fertilizing are evidenced, is reduce the knowledge about the mineralization of organic nitrogen present in this dejection. In this context, this work deals with the use of swine dejections as an alternative for fertilization in soil with emphasis in the mineralization of organic nitrogen.