Leaf-cutting ants (Atta spp.) are widely distributed in South America, and are considered to be important components of the neotropical ecosystems. Several studies have demonstrated the effect of ant-nesting in soil enrichment, thus facilitating vegetation succession. Possibly, this enrichment is due to decomposed organic matter concentration after disposal of nest refuse in the deep soil by the colonies. However, little is known about the chemical composition of refuse material produced by leaf-cutting ants. The present work aimed to compare the […]

Sediments carried away by the muddy waters of the Guamá River and the heterogeneity of these substances are responsible for the soil formation and diversity of chemical characteristics in the periodically flooded areas. This study aimed at determining the physical and chemical attributes of a low floodplain (varzea) soil of the Guamá river, in different periods, cultivated with Paramaribo canarana (Echinochloa polystachya H.B.K) or canarana erecta lisa (Echinochloa pyramidales Lam). The experimental design was entirely randomized, in a 4 x […]

The objective of this paper is to study selected components of the nutrient cycle of pure and mixed stands of native forest species of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. Tree diameter, height, above-ground biomass, and nutrient content were determined in 22-year-old stands. Litterfall, litter decomposition, and nutrient concentration were evaluated from August 1994 to July 1995. The following species were studied: Peltogyne angustiflora, Centrolobium robustum, Arapatiella psilophylla, Sclerolobium chrysophyllum, Cordia trichotoma, Macrolobium latifolium. The litter of a natural forest and […]

The presence of straw on soil surface affects K cycling in the production system and can affect soil chemistry by modifying K leaching rate and intensity. An experiment was conducted to evaluate K leaching as affected by 30 mm of simulated rain over pearl millet straw receiving several broadcasted K rates. Pearl millet was grown for 55 days in a green house and then cut at soil level into pieces of 3 to 5 cm. Then it was distributed over the […]

The 13C natural abundance technique was applied to study C dynamics after land-use change from native savanna to Brachiaria, Pinus, and Eucalyptus in differently textured Cerrado Oxisols. But due to differences in the d13C signatures of subsoils under native savanna and under introduced species, C substitution could only be calculated based on results of cultivated soils nearby. It was estimated that after 20 years, Pinus C had replaced only 5 % of the native C in the 0-1.2 m layer, in which substitution […]

Productivity in subsistence or low-input agriculture depends on the release of nutrients through mineralization of soil organic matter (SOM). For this reason, SOM quantity and quality are two important variables related to the sustainability of subsistence family farming. The objective of this work was to study the interrelationships among soil use, texture and relief, at basin scale, on the concentration of total soil C (Ct) and N (Nt), the oxidizable C fraction with 16.5 mol L-1 KMnO4 (Cox) and the amino-sugars fraction […]

Nutrient cycling in eucalypt plantation systems allows for an evaluation of eventual differences due to the applied management methods and inferences on the sustainability of plantations. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible differences in nutrient cycling and balance in eucalypt plantation systems according to the species. Stands of Eucalyptus grandis, E. camaldulensis, and E. pellita were evaluated at the age of six years, in the Coastal Plains in the north of Rio de Janeiro State (Yellow Oxisol and Argisol) […]

The effect of physical, chemical and biological soil attributes on the stability of wet aggregates of two Oxisols cultivated with annual crops under no tillage for over four years was evaluated. Soils samples were collected in the 0-10 cm layer of two areas in a 100 m square grid marked with a DGPS. One of the areas is located in Campos Novos Paulista county, SP, Brazil (22 º36 ‘ 11 ” latitude and 50 º00 ‘ 09 ” longitude) on […]

Knowledge on spatial dependence characterization of plant and soil properties can help plan and optimize research studies, and be used for commercial agricultural cultivation aiming at precision agriculture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial variability and dependence of several chemical soil properties and of corn yield on a sandy loam Paleudalf. The area was treated with lime and phosphorus by plowing the fertilizers into the soil along with oat residues two months prior to soil sampling. […]

Different tillage systems cause changes in the chemical, physical and biological attributes of a soil, requiring modifications in the requirements of fertilization and liming. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of tillage systems on chemical and physical attributes of a soil, in a long-term experiment installed in 1985. Since then, the soil has been cultivated with annual cultures and submitted to six tillage systems: no-tillage (SD), disc plow (AD), moldboard plow (AA), heavy disc harrow (GP), […]