The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the vegetation type and the sampling time on urease activity in two different tropical soils (Rhodic Oxisols). The experiment was installed in a typic alumino-ferric Red Latossol and a typic distrophic Red Latosol under five different vegetations: pinus, eucalypt, citrus, soybean and corn. The soil samples were collected from April 1990 to March 1991 and the urease activity, total nitrogen and organic carbon were determined. The urease activity changed according to […]

The structure, consistence, porosity, clay films, hydraulic conductivity, and water retention of soils with Nitic horizons and soils with both Nitic and Ferralic horizons were studied in-depth with the objective of contributing to the ongoing discussion on problems with the classification of “Nitossolos” (Nitisols) in Brazil. The hydrophysical performance of the studied horizons is intimately related to the soil structure type and grade and to the amount and distinctness of the clay films. Horizons characterized as nitic (“B nítico”) presented […]

The agricultural use of soils usually relies on the use of heavy machinery that cause soil compaction, affecting the amount of air and water available for plants. The present study was carried out in the year 2000 and aimed at studying the performance of aggregates of an Amazon Oxisol under mechanical compression and that were subjected to varying degrees of matric potential. Humid and undisturbed tropical forest soil samples were collected from the A horizon (10 cm deep) and B horizon […]

The use of pre-mixed nitric and hydrofluoric acids for the decomposition of samples containing high amounts of Si can cause the precipitation of Al(III), Ca(II), Fe(III), and Mg(II) fluorides during digestion, reducing the total recovery of these elements. Four procedures were applied to certified soil samples in an attempt to circumvent this problem. The most efficient procedure was based on microwave-assisted acid digestion decomposition of the samples, followed by separation of the residual silicate compounds. This fraction was solubilized using […]

Studies on the kinetics of K and Mg release improve our understanding of nutrient dynamics in soils and can provide information to adjust fertilization recommendations and increase plant yields. The selected soils represented different parent materials (sandstone – Bauru Group, Granite – Araxá Group, basalt – São Bento Group and sediments – Detritic-Lateritic-Tertiary Cover) and weathering degrees. The total K content in soil and its fractions were determined by HF, HNO3 and H2SO4 digestion. To estimate the potential of clay […]

The critical potassium level for fertilizer recommendation for soils in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and Santa Catarina (SC) with CEC from 5.1 to 15 cmolc dm-3 is 60 mg dm-3. However, until 2002 concentrations of 80 mg dm-3 had been used. Two experiments were carried out on an experimental area of the Department of Soil Science of the Federal University of Santa Maria (RS-Brazil) on a Sandy Typic Hapludalf under no-tillage. The objective of the study was to evaluate critical potassium levels […]

As the time of adoption of no-tillage systems lengthens thee occur modification in soil physical attributes; however, these effects are not well quantified yet. The present study had the objective to evaluate the effect of time of adoption of a no-tillage system, compared to native forest and a conventional tillage system using physical attributes of a Dystroferric Red Nitosol. The evaluated systems were: PD1 (one year of adoption of no-tillage), PD4 (no-tillage for four years), PD5 (no-tillage for five years), […]

The high spatial variability of the soil hydraulic conductivity as a function of soil water content (or soil-water matric potential) makes the sampling planning and the use or extrapolation of mean values obtained in field studies of soil-water dynamics difficult. In this context, the objective of this study was to verify the temporal stability of soil-water content and soil-water matric potential and to show how the temporal stability methodology can be used as a tool to rationalize the sampling strategy […]

Rill erosion is characterized by concentrated surface water flow, with enough shear stress and detachment capacity to deform the rill and alter flow hydraulics, responsible for rill formation dynamics. The objective of this study was to evaluate flow hydraulic conditions that can provide important information on erosion relationships, soil erodibility and sediment transport in furrows of a recently-tilled Palleudult. Rills were pre-formed in a sandy clay loam soil with an average slope of 0.067 m m-1. Simulated rainfall with an intensity of […]

Adsorption and desorption reactions of metals in soils are influenced by the surface of the soil colloid attributes and solution composition. This study evaluated the effect of the pH on Cd adsorption (Cdads) and desorption (Cddes) in l7 Brazilian Oxisol samples that differed in their chemical, physical and mineralogical attributes. Samples of each soil, suspended in 5 mmol L-1 Ca(NO3)2 (pH adjusted to 4.5; 5.5, and 6.5; ratio soil:solution 1:67) were placed to react with 0.20 mmol L-1 Cd(NO3)2 (final […]