Volume 49, 2025

ABSTRACT Sustainable agricultural systems, such as integrated crop-livestock systems under no-tillage, represent effective strategies for improving the soil microbiota, promoting nutrient cycling, and leading to gains in crop yield. Despite that, little is known about maintaining yield only through microbiological pathways for accessing nutrient reserves (without mineral fertilization) in established systems. This study aimed to evaluate whether the absence of mineral fertilization for two consecutive years and grazing activity affect soil microbial activity. An additional aim was to evaluate whether […]

ABSTRACT Wetlands provide important ecosystem services, including climate regulation through carbon sequestration and water storage. Identifying and protecting wetlands is a potentially significant opportunity for current global mitigation efforts. Cerrado wetlands commonly contain carbon-rich soils (peat); however, these environments have been neglected due to lack of knowledge on their characteristics and behaviors. Obtaining data in remote regions using a detailed sampling approach to characterize the organic carbon accumulation in these environments is extremely necessary. In this study, soil samples from […]

ABSTRACT Globally, soils with gypsic horizons cover approximately 1 million km², predominantly in arid climates. The formation of pedogenic gypsum in soils has been a topic of discussion in pedological studies for some time, with gypsification representing the process responsible for secondary gypsum accumulation. Even though international classification systems acknowledge the existence of gypsic horizons, there is a paucity of documented evidence concerning their occurrence in Brazilian soils. This study aimed to identify and describe a soil with secondary gypsum […]

ABSTRACT Lime applications are used in acid soils to correct pH and eliminate Al3+ toxicity in crops. The lime rates are determined based on the estimated soil potential acidity (H+Al), using soil incubations with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) for 180 days, being a time-consuming and laborious process. An alternative method with calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] for 96 h incubation may efficiently estimate H+Al, but it needs further studies. Also, soils from specific regions in southern Brazil have high organic matter (SOM) contents […]

ABSTRACT Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health concern that requires an integrated approach including human, animal and environmental health. Agricultural environments, such as soil, animal waste and irrigation water, play crucial roles in the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance, as they act as reservoirs and pathways for disseminating resistance determinants. However, these agricultural environments are still often underestimated or neglected in many studies. This study aimed to address antimicrobial resistance in agricultural environments in Brazil and summarize the current state […]

ABSTRACT Soils polluted by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) pose a high risk to human health and must be remediated. Applying biochar to such soils can reduce metal bioavailability and phytotoxicity, improving phytoremediation techniques. This study aimed to assess the effects of rice straw biochar (RSB) on mitigating metal stress and accumulation of Si, Cd, Pb, and Zn in corn plants grown in soil contaminated by metallurgy slag. Soil in pots was amended with RSB rates equivalent to 0, 5, 10, […]

ABSTRACT The influence of organic inputs, such as manure and compost, on the 15N values of growing plants suggests it may be possible to use of 15N natural abundance (NA) as a nitrogen (N) tracer. This study aimed to verify the feasibility of using the TM15N values to estimate compost-N recovery by plants. A field experiment was carried out by growing head lettuce, carrots and broccoli in sequence under increasing levels of compost (randomized complete blocks, six doses, four replicates). […]

ABSTRACT Agricultural yield depends on a series of ecosystem services provided by soil biota, among other factors. Soil management systems that are more sustainable than conventional tillage mitigate harmful effects to soil, improving the structure and function of the soil biota and facilitating ecosystem services. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of soil management practices on epigeic soil fauna and soil physical, chemical and microbiological properties. The experimental design was completely randomized, with the following treatments: NT – no-tillage; […]

ABSTRACT Soils preserve numerous proxies for paleoenvironmental reconstruction, including phytoliths, which are highly resistant to weathering and can be preserved over long periods. This study investigates the environmental history and soil formation processes in the highlands of southern Brazil through the analysis of organic soils and phytolith records. Our research focuses on the Serra Geral formation, where soils are deeply influenced by environmental factors such as climate, vegetation, and human activities. Four soil profiles in the states of Santa Catarina […]

ABSTRACT Available phosphorus (P) content on bare soil surface and in runoff varies with the variation in the dose and form of P application and soil management. Phosphorus applied to recently cultivated, bare soil with minimal roughness remains on the surface, increasing the element content in the runoff. This study was carried out under simulated rainfall in a recently cultivated, bare, and minimally rough Cambissolo Húmico Alumínico, or Aluminum Humic Distrudept. Efect of phosphorus dosage on the element content in […]