Volume 38, Number 3, 2014

The hypothesis of this study was that the absence of soil tillage in long-term no-tillage (NT) systems can be detrimental to soil aeration. The objective was to assess the aeration condition of an Oxisol (Rhodic Ferrasol), very clayey texture (750 g kg-1 of clay; 200 g kg-1 of sand), after 30 years of cultivation under NT. The physical property soil air permeability (Ka) is sensitive to changes in the soil pore system. Aside from Ka, the air-filled porosity (ε a) […]

Heavy machinery traffic on cropped soils applies different tensions that, combined with high values of soil moisture, can result in soil compaction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the variation in some physical properties of an Argissolo Amarelo (Ultisol) due to farm tractor traffic with different numbers of passes. The study was conducted at UNIVASF in Petrolina, State of Pernambuco PE, Brazil, in an experiment in strips with two factors: tractors of 2,650, 2,795, and 3,540 kg; and […]

Knowledge of the erosive potential of rainfall and its distribution throughout the year contribute to planning management and soil conservation practices that aim to reduce water erosion, decreasing soil loss and increasing crop yields. The goal of this study is to characterize rainfall in the region of Urussanga, SC, Brazil, in relation to its erosive potential, determining monthly and annual Erosivity Indices (EI30), thus establishing the R factor to use in the Universal Soil Loss Equation. In addition, the goal […]

The study of temporal distribution of rainfall is carried out to characterize the most frequent rainfall patterns. Knowledge of the physical characteristics of rainfall in relation to rainfall patterns allows mathematical modeling to be performed in regard to hydrologic events more nearly approaching real conditions. The objective of this study was to characterize the erosive rains from the municipality of Urussanga, SC, Brazil in regard to hydrological patterns of temporal distribution. Rainfall records from the meteorological station of Urussanga (28.31° […]

Industrial development and population growth have increased heavy metal concentrations in soils and impacted soil quality. In this scenario, environmental protection agencies have been concerned with establishing heavy metal quality reference values (QRV) that may identify contaminated sites. The study was carried out to provide soil reference values for the metals Ag, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb, V, and Zn in soils of the State of Rio Grande do Norte according to Brazilian legislation. The study analyzed […]