Volume 36, Number 3, 2012

Studies on soil characterization in unexplored regions, besides the generation of data banks for the soil classes of the country, also produce scientific information about soil properties, important for the development of good management practices and sustainable land use. One of the main soil classes in the semiarid region of Pernambuco State, the Regosols, cover about 27 % of the state area, and are used mainly for family agriculture. Due to different geological and climatic aspects Regosols with different chemical, physical […]

Among the soils in the Mato Grosso do Sul, stand out in the Pantanal biome, the Spodosols. Despite being recorded in considerable extensions, few studies aiming to characterize and classify these soils were performed. The purpose of this study was to characterize and classify soils in three areas of two physiographic types in the Taquari river basin: bay and flooded fields. Two trenches were opened in the bay area (P1 and P2) and two in the flooded field (P3 and […]

The soil distribution model of the landscape of the Distrito Federal (DF) is influenced by the geomorphological partitioning and geological substrate. The in-depth understanding of pedoforms helps in detailed or semi-detailed soil surveys and mapping of a region. The available pedological mapping of the DF, established in 1978, scale 1:100.00, is still the main source of pedological information of the DF, however, often it cannot meet the needs of the various soil studies, due to the low scale. Thus, the […]

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 […]

The arbuscular mycorrhizal association established between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF-phylum Glomeromycota) and plant roots plays an essential role in plant survival and nutrition. In this review, the idea is outlined that the triad “riparian forest-carbon sequestration-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi” should be taken into consideration as an environmentally compatible strategy for the recovery of areas formerly covered by riparian forests. We briefly discuss the soil classes found in riparian areas and the C input in terrestrial ecosystems. AMF play an important role […]

Water is vital for plants. A reduction in water availability may affect crops transpiration and leaf growth. The objective of this study was to determine the response of transpiration and leaf growth to the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW) in two potato clones (an old and a new) adapted to Southern Brazil. Three experiments were carried out under a plastic shelter in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, using two potato clones, an old (‘Macaca’) and a new (‘SMINIA793101-3’). Two of […]

Soil resistance to penetration is frequently used as an indicator of soil compaction in management systems and can be directly related to crop growth and yields in general. It is important to use geostatistical methods in the assessment of soil resistance to penetration by considering the data heterogeneity of the area. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the spatial variability of soil penetration resistance (PR) in a Vertisol with mango trees. Data collection was performed in the Project […]

The Technologies setting at Agricultural production system have the main characteristics the vertical productivity, reduced costs, soil physical, chemical and biological improvement to promote production sustainable growth. Thus, the study aimed to determine the variability and the linear and special correlations between the plant and soil attributes in order to select and indicate good representation of soil physical quality for forage productivity. In the growing season of 2006, on the Fazenda Bonança in Pereira Barreto (SP), the productivity of autumn […]

The nuclear analytical technique of neutron activation is a multielemental, accurate and precise technique. Aside from other characteristics, the method is particularly suitable for element determination, mainly in soil. However, in the case of irradiation, samples can be influenced by primary nuclear interferences. The contribution of these interferences depends on the characteristics of the neutron flux, irradiation site, etc. These reactions occur during irradiation, when the sample is exposed to the neutron flux in the reactor with contribution of neutrons […]

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a worldwide environmental problem. It is caused by the chemical oxidation process of materials containing sulfide minerals exposed to atmospheric conditions mediated by bacteria. Acidic waters generated in these environments can affect the quality of water bodies. Prevention and remediation methodologies are applied in order to contain AMD. As an alternative for prevention, dry covers have been studied, because remediation usually means very high costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness […]