The pedogenesis and micropedology of seven selected soils from the mid-Jequitinhonha Valley werecharacterized, aiming to identify properties associated with the distribution of soils in the landscape. Podzolswere found on the top of the upper planation surface, closely associated with quartzite and its weatheringproducts. In the bottom of the tectonic depression which forms the mid-valley, soils with low cation exchangecapacity (CEC), low clay activity and presence of stony pavement are found, suggesting a change frompast, humid climate to present-day semi-arid climate. Kaolinitic soils with low Fe-oxides content undersuch regime are thought to represent relicts of former humid climates, being correlatable to the typicalYellow Latosols from the coastal tablelands (tabuleiros). In the ill-drained Quaternary plains, soils withhigher sodium contents are found, indicating the imperfect leaching under the present climatic condition.On the top of the regional, late Tertiary surface, deep Latosols occur, associated with saprolites of variouslithologies and Tertiary sediments derived from the erosion of these paleoweathering profiles. In all soils,some micropedological features confirm the polygenetic nature of the soils and landscape of the mid-Jequitinhonha, where either morphogenesis or pedogenesis have dominated, depending on climate,lithological control and tectonic activity .
This paper presents an outline of the historical background of the Brazilian Pedology, from its infancy,soon after the Portuguese occupation, to the early days of the 20th century, when it emerges as a separatebranch of agriculture and earth sciences in Brazil. In order to achieve a broader vista over the BrazilianPedology, a considerable amount of papers, books, reports and bulletins has been consulted and dealtwith, thenceforth a provisional review is presented and discussed. The slow evolution of analyticalobservations of soils in the field is the overall characteristic of this science as a whole. Some little knownnaturalists/scientists, like the Brazilian Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira and the italian Father Antonil, deserve to be considered as prominent beginners of Brazilian pre-Pedology, whilst more traditional naturalists likeAgassiz and Hartt have poor contributions to the understanding of pedology. Others, like Saint-Hilaireand Burton, have made detailed descriptions of soils in Brazil, but both lack the necessary basic knowledgeto explain many aspects of these soils, in terms of chemical, physical and mineralogical atributes. Theindigenous knowledge is also considered, and some examples illutrate the vast empirical view of soils thatwere entirely lost by their extinction, and can never be traced back. We consider that the Brazilian pedologyneeds a closer interplay between earth and agriculture scientists, in order to achieve a higher stand andanswer the many demands that it now faces.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.