ABSTRACT Coleopterans (Coleoptera) are major ecosystem service providers. However ecomorphological features that are comparable in a wide range of invertebrates within this group and in various environments must be found, to be able to study regions with different species, contributing to overcome difficulties of the taxonomic approach and understand the functioning of ecosystems. This research addressed the diversity of Coleoptera, using a methodology of ecomorphological traits, as well as their relation with the land use systems (LUS) and the soil […]

ABSTRACT Forest-to-agriculture conversion and soil management practices for soybean cropping are frequently performed in the Cerrado (Brazilian tropical savanna). However, the effects of these practices on the soil microbial communities are still unknown. We evaluated and compared the fungal community structure in soil from soybean cropland with soil under native Cerrado vegetation at different times of the year in the Tocantins State. Soil samples were collected in two periods after planting (December) and in two periods during the soybean reproductive […]

ABSTRACT In Southern Brazil, agricultural soils are often treated over long periods with annual pig slurry (PS) applications, and their influence on soil nutrient dynamics should be monitored. This study aimed to evaluate the P forms accumulated in the soil and some biological and biochemical parameters of the P cycle after 19 successive PS applications over eight years, in a no-tillage (NT) system. Pig slurry was applied at rates of 0, 20, 40, and 80 m3 ha-1 per crop. Several […]

ABSTRACT The Caatinga biome features an exclusive endemic biodiversity, and is characterized by the presence of xerophytic, deciduous vegetation, high temperatures, and low rainfall. This important park has undergone anthropization, especially through extraction of firewood and timber and growing plants for raising goats. The objectives of this study were to compare the communities of filamentous fungi present in the preserved area and in the anthropized soil of the Catimbau National Park in Buíque, PE, Brazil, and to evaluate the impacts […]

ABSTRACT Mining is an important economic activity. However, its impact on environment must be accessed, mainly on relevant processes for their sustainability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diversity and efficiency of symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacterial communities in soils under different types of vegetation in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero: ironstone outcrops, Atlantic Forest, neotropical savanna, and a rehabilitated area revegetated with grass. Suspensions of soil samples collected under each type of vegetation were made in a saline solution […]

ABSTRACT Currently, agricultural productivity and sustainable development are the desired bases for the creation of production systems. Farming for greater production and the efficient use of soil resources are at the core of modern systems. However, the way in which agricultural management and practices can change soil quality has become increasingly important. The aim of this study was to detect changes in soil biological properties caused by implementation of the integrated crop-livestock-forest system (iCLF) and to identify the properties suitable […]

ABSTRACT Mining activities generally affect soil quality, degrading it and creating the need for consistent environmental recovery efforts. This study evaluates the influence of monospecific and mixed stands of Sesbania virgata (S) and Eucalyptus camaldulensis (E) on the chemical properties and microbial activity of the soil in a degraded area by clay extraction in the northern part of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Four treatments (100S:100 % Sesbania , 100E: 00 % Eucalyptus , 50S:50E: 50 % Sesbania […]

ABSTRACT Studies on the survival of pathogenic microorganisms in the soil after use of wastewater for fertilization of agricultural crops report the effects of moisture, pH, organic matter, and soil temperature on microorganisms. There are few studies that assess the survival of these microorganisms in the rhizosphere of plants fertilized with wastewater. Thus, the aim of this study was to quantify the number of fecal coliforms and rhizobacteria (fluorescent Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp,) in the rhizosphere of winter and summer […]

ABSTRACT Knowing the biodiversity of dung beetles in agricultural and livestock environments is the basis for understanding the contribution that these organisms make in nutrient cycling and ecosystem functions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the structure of copronecrophagous dung beetle communities inhabiting the main agroecosystems in southern Brazil and correlate the presence of these organisms with soil properties. From December 2012 to April 2013, samples of dung beetles were taken in the municipality of Tubarão, Santa […]

ABSTRACT Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a strategy to improve the efficiency of forest plantations, reducing costs and increasing the survival of plant species. The objective of this study was to assess the response and mycorrhizal dependency of seedlings of the forest species Apuleia leiocarpa (Vogel) J.F. Macbr to inoculation with AMF. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design using a 5 × 5 factorial arrangement with six replications. The treatments consisted of combinations of five […]