Physical, Chemical, and Biological Soil Attributes Under Analog Agroforestry System and Pasture Sites

Abstract

Analog agroforestry system uses native tree species to improve soil conditions and the microclimate of degraded areas. This study aimed to assess the impact of analog agroforestry on physical, chemical, and biological soil attributes. We tested the hypothesis that some of these attributes can be used as indicators of soil quality improvement compared to a managed pasture area. Two experimental sites were selected, an analog agroforestry site and a pasture site. In October 2016 (end of the dry season), soil samples were collected from the 0–5 and 5–10 cm depths and the soil fauna community was sampled using pitfall traps. The analog agroforestry system led to increased total abundance, total richness, mean richness, evenness, and diversity of the soil fauna community as well as higher gravimetric soil moisture, sand content, pH, calcium, magnesium, and sum of exchangeable bases, which are good indicators of soil quality. Adults of Coleoptera, Diptera, Gastropoda, Hymenoptera, Isopoda, Lepidoptera, Poduromorpha, Symphypleona, Pseudoscorpionida, Lepidoptera and larvae of Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Neuroptera were the most abundant taxonomic groups in the analog agroforestry system.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities and soil organic matter in pasture and analog agroforestry systems

“…Data on soil physical and chemical properties and microclimate (gravimetric moisture content and soil temperature) in the 0-5 cm depth layer (Table 1) were previously published by the authors (Camara et al, 2020). Correlations between these parameters and the results of the present study were investigated.…”

“…Ambispora leptoticha was common and exclusive to the analog agroforest (Table 2). Its occurrence was significantly (p < 0.05) and positively correlated with soil moisture content (r = 0.51), pH (r = 0.51), Ca 2+ (r = 0.66), and sum of bases (r = 0.46); these parameters were highest in the agroforestry site (Camara et al, 2020). On the other hand, A. leptoticha was negatively correlated with soil temperature (r = −0.49) and K + (r = −0.49), which were lowest in the analog agroforestry site (Camara et al, 2020).…”

“…Its occurrence was significantly (p < 0.05) and positively correlated with soil moisture content (r = 0.51), pH (r = 0.51), Ca 2+ (r = 0.66), and sum of bases (r = 0.46); these parameters were highest in the agroforestry site (Camara et al, 2020). On the other hand, A. leptoticha was negatively correlated with soil temperature (r = −0.49) and K + (r = −0.49), which were lowest in the analog agroforestry site (Camara et al, 2020). A. leptoticha seems to occur more frequently in environments occupied by plant communities with a forestlike structure (such as secondary Atlantic Forest fragments and Eucalyptus plantations) and in areas with low disturbance levels (such as Cerrado regions) (Teixeira et al, 2017).…”

“…were planted in April 2010. Spontaneous occurrence of Eriotheca candolleana, Erythroxylum pulchrum, Anadenanthera sp., Mimosa bimucronata, and Eugenia brasiliensis was observed between April 2008 and May 2010 (Camara et al, 2020).…”

“…These systems aim to restore environmental functions and increase biodiversity and agricultural and forest productivity (Souza et al, 2016). A recent investigation showed that, in comparison with pasture systems, analog agroforests not only enhance soil fertility, but also the complexity of the soil faunal community, as evidenced by an increase in the total abundance, mean and total richness, evenness, and diversity of soil taxa (Camara et al, 2020). However, few studies have examined the influence of natural succession in analog agroforestry systems on soil organic matter fractions, aggregate stability, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (Martins et al, 2019), and easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (EE-GRSP).…”