ABSTRACT Plantation forests can be efficient C sinks in biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC), but the latter depends on many factors, including climate. Tropical humid, mountain areas have cooler temperatures, slowing microbial decomposition, and thus can store considerable SOC. However, the effects of forest plantations on SOC of these montane areas are still poorly studied. Here, we aimed to assess changes in SOC, and related soil properties, after conversion of native rainforest to plantations of five tree species, with […]

ABSTRACT Soil education plays an important role in preventing soil degradation processes by raising awareness among the population about the importance of this non-renewable resource. Using new educational technologies in teaching, such as educational videos and social media, can speed up communication and information. This article aimed to develop educational videos on the topic of erosion, posted on social networks, as a way of popularizing science. Four videos of a maximum of 7 minutes were produced, which were shown in […]

ABSTRACT Macaw palm (Acrocomia aculeata) is a widespread tree in Brazil, and the oil industry has been increasing interest in this tree due to its high oil concentrations, rusticity, and adaptability to different environments. Currently, macaw palms are being domesticated and are in an early rational cultivation process. Foliar diagnosis can contribute to managing fertilization, but there is no protocol for leaf sampling. This study aimed to evaluate the seasonal variation of leaf nutrient contents and indicate an adequate period […]

ABSTRACT The term toposequence, proposed to designate a lateral succession of soils on a slope due to the influence of topography, began to be used differently over time, distancing itself from its original concept. Here, we discuss how this concept has been used since its inception. We carried out bibliometric analyses of publications in the database available on the Web of Science since 1900. Three main approaches and related concepts, explicit or not, one at a regional scale and two […]

ABSTRACT Since the industrial revolution, human activities have emitted approximately 2,500 Gt of CO2, increasing the concentration of atmospheric CO2 by 50 % compared to pre-industrial levels. To better understand the potential for mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through proper management of degraded pasture areas, we conducted a systematic literature review and identified 23 publications reporting carbon sequestration values for pastures managed under different conditions in the south and southeast regions of Brazil. From this dataset, 17 publications considered to […]

ABSTRACT Garlic (Allium sativum) is normally grown under conventional tillage (CT) with soil being excessively mixed by plowing and harrowing operations that degrade soil structure, increase production costs, and increase environmental contamination. Alternatively, cover crops can be grown and their residues placed on soil surface, enabling garlic to be grown under no-tillage (NT) system. However, for subtropical climate there is little information on the impacts of tillage systems and cover crop species, particularly of their decomposition process and nutrients release, […]

ABSTRACT The performance of colorimetric methods for P quantification has been overlooked by researchers for decades. We investigated the performance of two blue colorimetric methods for P quantification, Braga and Defelipo (B&D) and Murphy and Riley (M&R), using two commonly soil P extractants, Mehlich-1 (M1) and Mehlich-3 (M3). Specifically, we evaluated the color development time and its stability in different soil extractant solution proportions (1:1 or 1:4 v/v), the optimum wavelength, limits of detection, and element quantification. Our results indicate […]

ABSTRACT In hydrological modeling and for the development of projects related to soil and water conservation and civil engineering, determination of water infiltration variables into the soil plays a key role. However, measuring infiltration with manual infiltrometers is work-intensive and requires several people, which casts doubts on the consistency of the process description. Our objective was to develop automated and compact systems for data acquisition by double-concentric-ring and Cornell infiltrometers. The systems are based on air differential pressure sensors and […]

ABSTRACT From 1913 onwards, the global situation changed from a scenario of nitrogen (N) scarcity to an abundance of ammonia (NH3) produced synthetically via the Haber-Bosch process. Several N compounds have been synthesized since then, with urea becoming the main source of N, accounting for 55 % of current N consumption. However, N efficiency in agroecosystems is low and, normally, N recovery in cultivated plants is less than 50 %. This occurs because a large amount of reactive N is […]

ABSTRACT One of the challenges in the peach palm production system is the interpretation of leaf analyses and the adaptation of fertilization recommendations. Tools that enhance fertilizer use efficiency are therefore needed. This study aimed to establish norms for evaluating the nutrient status of peach palms using the Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) and to determine the adequate number of palm heart samples necessary for a more accurate assessment of productivity. Production, leaf nutrient content, and soil fertility data […]