Soil attributes as indicators of the stabilization process of erosion in gullies at different formation stages in the southeast region of Brazil

Abstract

Water erosion is one of the main forms of soil degradation, causing economic, environmental, and social damage. This study evaluated the effects of different formation stages of gullies (initial - IG; juvenile- JG; mature - MG; and senile - SG) on the chemical, organic carbon and microbiological attributes of soil, using a secondary forest (SF) and two areas of pasture as references in the “Mar de Morros” environment of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome. Soil samples (depth 0–0.05 m) were collected at the end of the rainy and dry seasons. Gullies in different stages of formation promote a decrease in soil fertility and modification of microbiological attributes, particularly when compared with secondary forest areas. Reductions of over 60% in total organic carbon (TOC), oxidizable organic carbon (POXC), FDA activity, β-glycosidase, acid phosphatase, C and N from microbial biomass, basal soil respiration (BSR) and glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) were observed in gullies in early (IG) and intermediate (JG and MG) stages when compared to SF. It was found that the effect of erosion on soil chemical and microbiological attributes is more intense in gullies in the initial and intermediate stages compared with those in the senile stage (SG). Using multivariate PCA, the microbiological and chemical attributes of the soil are discriminated between gullies with distinct formation stages. Chemical attributes, TOC, POXC, FDA activity, β-glycosidase, acid phosphatase, MBC and MBN, BSR, and GRSP are good indicators for evaluating the process of erosion stabilization in gullies.

Ciências Agrárias: limites e potencialidades em pesquisa - Volume 2

“…The climate of the Ribeirão Cachimbal sub-basin is mild temperate with dry winters and rainy summers (Cwa), according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification (Alvares et al, 2014), with accumulated annual precipitation varies between 1,300 to 1,500 mm yr -1 (Gaia-Gomes et al, 2021). The sub-basin has a 360 m elevation range, extending from 360 m at the mouth of the Cachimbal River to 720 m at the Arrozal mountain range (Silva et al, 2021). The predominant soils in the Ribeirão Cachimbal sub-basin are Ultisol (Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo) on the hillside, Inceptisol (Cambissolo Háplico) on the summit, and Oxisol (Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo) on the backslope (Santos et al, 2017).…”

“…In the region of the Middle Valley of the Paraíba do Sul River, the first type of use was extractivism, later replaced by coffee growing in the colonial period, and then gradually replaced by livestock. Currently, the region's landscape is mostly covered by pastures that are in various stages of degradation, level of use and/or abandonment (Silva et al, 2021).…”

Atividade microbiana no solo em sistema de produção consorciado

“…Os atributos microbianos do solo, tais como a diversidade, atividade enzimática, taxa de respiração e biomassa microbiana, são indicadores sensíveis que podem ser utilizados no monitoramento de alterações ambientais decorrentes do uso agrícola, (Epelde et al, 2014;Silva et al, 2021). Os mesmos podem servir para orientar o planejamento e a avaliação das práticas de manejo utilizadas.…”