ABSTRACT Coconut palm cultivation is associated with the generation of a large amount of residues, mainly from coconut shells, and their utilization in agriculture can represent an opportunity in the context of circular economy and climate change. This study aimed to determine the effect of coconut shell deposition on carbon (C) stocks, organic matter quality, and soil water retention in coconut palm cultivation in the Brazilian semi-arid region. The study was conducted in a commercial coconut palm cultivation area in […]

ABSTRACT No-tillage (NT) has been largely adopted in Brazil as a strategy for soil conservation, but for the last decade, there have been governmental incentives for its adoption arising from its potential for soil C accumulation. Notwithstanding, the soil mulch formed from crop residues favors the maintenance of soil moisture and nutrients in the upper soil layers, which stimulates soil microbial activity and may increase the potential for nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. In addition, double-cropping systems in the same year […]

ABSTRACT Soil moisture (SM) plays an important role in regulating the global water cycle, especially in arid areas, and is one of the main indicators of ecological environmental health. Although traditional methods can accurately measure SM at a single sample site, they are limited in large-scale and dynamic SM monitoring. Therefore, we used the Landsat images as the data source and the soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI) to build the adjusted SAVI (aSAVI) index by modifying the soil adjustment parameter […]

ABSTRACT Soil CO2 emissions are formed from biotic and abiotic processes related to organic carbon (SOC) and inorganic carbon (SIC), respectively. Calcareous soil has a high amount of SIC and occurs mainly in arid areas, and little is known about CO2 emissions from aggregates of this soil. This study aims to evaluate the emission of CO2 of aggregates from calcareous soil in the Comarca Lagunera, Mexico. Soil samples were taken from the layers of 0.00-0.15 and 0.15-0.30 m, and soil […]

ABSTRACT Soil respiration represents the largest flux of CO2 emission from terrestrial ecosystems, being affected by land-use changes and soil properties. There are few studies investigating the response of soil respiration to land-use changes in the Caatinga biome. This study aimed to measure soil respiration from Caatinga vegetation and degraded pasture, to verify the effect of land-use changes on soil respiration. Measurements of soil respiration were performed using the infrared gas analyzer method over nine months (in rainy and dry […]

ABSTRACT Resistance to penetration allows evaluation of soil behavior in relation to the management practices adopted. The aim of the present study was to analyze the behavior of resistance to penetration in the dry and rainy season by spatial variability in a degraded area in Gilbués, PI, Brazil. The study was conducted in a 4-ha experimental area, belonging to Embrapa Meio Norte, in 2010/2011. Soil in the area is a Neossolo Litólico Eutrófico (Udorthent) with exposure of the C horizon. […]

A toposequence has soils with distinct structural and morphological properties that may affect soil susceptibility to structural deformation in short spatial distances. The objective of this study was to evaluate soil load-bearing capacity and susceptibility to compaction, and quantify the effects that loads above and below preconsolidation pressure cause on soil permeability to air in a toposequence of the Central Lowlands of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from horizons of soil profiles of three Alfisols […]

Least Limiting Water Range (LLWR) integrates soil physical properties related to crop growth and corresponds to the interval between the upper and lower limits of water content in the soil within which limitations to root growth are minimal. In agricultural areas, soil management can lead to changes in its structure, mainly due to compaction and, subsequently, bulk density can reach values outside the limits in which conditions are ideal for plant growth. Therefore, the aim of this study was to […]

Due to the difficulty of estimating water percolation in unsaturated soils, the purpose of this study was to estimate water percolation based on time-domain reflectometry (TDR). In two drainage lysimeters with different soil textures TDR probes were installed, forming a water monitoring system consisting of different numbers of probes. The soils were saturated and covered with plastic to prevent evaporation. Tests of internal drainage were carried out using a TDR 100 unit with constant dielectric readings (every 15 min). To […]

The cohesive nature of horizons of certain soils interferes directly with plant growth, by reducing the effective soil depth, plant root volume and seedling emergence, due to the decreased availability of water and air in the soil. This paper aimed to use soil physical characteristics to describe the cohesive character and the influence of the soil landscape position on two slopesof soils developed from sediments of the Macacu Formation in Itaboraí, RJ, Brazil. The soils of both slopes were classified […]