ABSTRACT There is a need for greater knowledge about the medium- and long-term effects of prescribed fire management on soil in ecosystems prone to wildfires and more vulnerable to climate change. This study examined the short- and medium-term effects of prescribed fire on soil chemical properties and chemical fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) in two positions of the landscape in a high-elevation grassland environment. The ecosystem is located in the mountain peaks of southeastern Brazil associated with the Atlantic […]

ABSTRACT Brazilian palm swamps (veredas) are fundamentals in the hydrological balance of watercourses in the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado). The “sponge effect” of their soils is the main factor controlling local hydrology, storing rainwater, and functioning as headwaters. The restricted knowledge of these tropical ecosystems has led to increased losses, poor preservation, and reduction in their ecosystem services. Veredas have become refuges surrounded by croplands, often drained and inappropriately managed. This study shows the impacts of anthropization on soil processes and […]

ABSTRACT Histosols provide several ecosystem services, related mainly to their reserves of carbon and nitrogen. Management practices in these soils can increase the mineralization of organic matter and contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases. This study aimed to investigate the effect of tillage with plowing and drainage on Histosol properties in three land use systems located in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Three areas subjected to different land use systems over the last twenty years were chosen: […]

ABSTRACT: Records of changes in the phytosociological structure of vegetation can be observed more clearly in soils that have more significant accumulation of organic matter, like those occurring in high-mountain environments. The aim of this study was to characterize soils formed in high-mountain environments in the Itatiaia National Park (INP), state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil, and to discuss the potential of preserved phytoliths as markers of vegetative history and environmental factors. Four profiles were selected, which were morphologically […]

Peatlands are soil environments that store carbon and large amounts of water, due to their composition (90 % water), low hydraulic conductivity and a sponge-like behavior. It is estimated that peat bogs cover approximately 4.2 % of the Earth’s surface and stock 28.4 % of the soil carbon of the planet. Approximately 612 000 ha of peatlands have been mapped in Brazil, but the peat bogs in the Serra do Espinhaço Meridional (SdEM) were not included. The objective of this […]

Much of the organic matter of a typical peat consists of humic substances, mainly formed via humification of organic residues, decomposed by soil microorganisms, and by the polymerization of organic compounds to functional macromolecules, which are normally more resistant to degradation. The fundamental pathways governing the humification of soil organic matter (SOM) are not well understood so far, and most available data about the identified chemical precursors of humic substances and the main chemical routes by which they are transformed […]

Soil organic matter (SOM) is one of the major reservoirs of carbon on Earth and is one of the key contributors to the carbon cycle. Peatlands are natural accumulators of organic matter commonly derived from decomposing plant residues in water-saturated environments, and represent an initial stage of a much longer pedogenic pathway leading to carbonification. The soil biomass markedly influences the global carbon cycle, accounting for approximately 85 % of all carbon on the Earth’s surface. Plant tissues are mainly […]

Peatlands form in areas where net primary of organic matter production exceeds losses due to the decomposition, leaching or disturbance. Due to their chemical and physical characteristics, bogs can influence water dynamics because they can store large volumes of water in the rainy season and gradually release this water during the other months of the year. In Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil, a peatland in the environmental protection area of Pau-de-Fruta ensures the water supply of 40,000 inhabitants. The hypothesis of […]

Although in Paraná some upper montane ecosystems are still in excellent conditions, imminent anthropogenic threats and the vulnerability of these environments have raised concern. The objectives of this study were: (1) to characterize representative soils of high altitude grasslands and upper montane rain forests in the Serra da Igreja; (2) identify the possible pedological factors underlying the different vegetation types and; (3) describe some of the environmental roles of the soils of these areas (carbon stock and water retention). The […]

Exchangeable Al has been used as a criterion for the calculation of lime requirement in several Brazilian States. However, the laboratory method with extraction by a 1 mol L-1 KCl solution followed by indirect alkaline titration is not accurate for some Brazilian soils, mainly in the case of soils with high organic matter content. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the stoichiometry of H+/Al3+ in KCl soil extracts. The results suggested that organically complexed Al is the […]