La calidad del suelo: conceptos, indicadores y evaluación

En las últimas décadas, motivado por los estudios en países de clima templado, el tema calidad del suelo (CS) en los ecosistemas tropicales ha aumentado considerablemente, especialmente en Brasil. En este sentido, este trabajo es una revisión bibliográfica de los aspectos conceptuales de CS, los indicadores de los métodos físicos, químicos y biológicos y los procedimientos utilizados para medir los índices cuantitativos de la calidad del suelo en sistemas agrícolas, ganadería y forestal. En última instancia no se debe negar el aspecto positivo que representan los mecanismos y procedimientos (frameworks) utilizados para medir la calidad del suelo, siempre que integren una serie de propiedades relacionadas con las funciones vitales del suelo. En este caso, se puede tener una visión más integrada de los ecosistemas, aún que sabiendo que difícilmente se puede evaluar plenamente la calidad del suelo.Nas últimas décadas, motivado por estudos realizados em países de clima temperado, o tema qualidade do solo (QS) em ecossistemas tropicais tem crescido consideravelmente, principalmente no Brasil. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho de revisão literária trata dos aspectos conceituais da QS, dos indicadores físicos, químicos e biológicos e dos métodos e procedimentos utilizados para mensurar índices quantitativos de qualidade do solo em sistemas agrícola, pecuário e florestal. Em última análise, não se deve negar o aspecto positivo que representam os mecanismos e procedimentos (frameworks) utilizados para a mensuração da qualidade do solo, desde que integrem uma série de propriedades relacionadas às funções vitais do solo. Neste caso, pode-se ter uma visão mais integrada dos ecossistemas, mesmo sabendo que dificilmente se conseguirá avaliar integralmente a qualidade do solo

Mineralogical, chemical and electrochemical attributes of soils

A set of attributes endows the soils with distinctive characteristics and astute understanding is required in order to formulate suitable strategies for soil management. The aim of this study was to physically, chemically and mineralogically characterize samples of the main soil classes in Minas Gerais, Brazil, determine the point of zero salt effect (PZSE) and the point of zero charge (PZC), and ascertain the correlation between these factors and soil attributes. The soils evaluated presented different textural classes ranging from loamy sand (Entisol) to very clayey (some Oxisols and Ultisols). The soils differed substantially in terms of fertility, presenting a range from dystrophic (low fertility, base saturation < 50 %) to eutrophic character (fertility, base saturation ≥ 50 %), even within the same soil class, such as the Oxisols, which suggests the concurrence of the parent material. Highly weathered soils are predominant in Minas Gerais and these soils are composed predominantly of kaolinite, gibbsite, goethite and hematite. Traces of hydroxy-Al interlayered vermiculite and illite were also found in the Oxisols, Ultisols and Inceptisols. A correlation between the PZSE and the PZC in the A horizon was observed. A high degree of correlation was observed between the PZC and the exchangeable aluminum and the ratio of iron obtained by ammonium oxalate and dithionite-citrate (Feo/Fed) in both the A and B horizons of soil classes. The results obtained reinforce the importance of knowledge of soil attributes to the adoption of practices such as the management of phosphate fertilization in clayey soils and liming in soils rich in aluminum

Adsorption and desorption of arsenic and its immobilization in soils

Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring chemical element considered toxic and carcinogenic by health and environmental protection agencies. Studies of As adsorption/ desorption behavior in soils are important to predictions of As’ potential mobility in natural systems. The aim of this study was to assess the adsorption of As(V) in soils from Minas Gerais, Brazil, and determine its immobilization rate in order to identify soils with characteristics more favorable to its deployment as an As geochemical barrier. The adsorption experiment was performed using different As concentrations and the data pertaining to the maximum adsorption capacity of As(V) (MACAs) were determined by Langmuir and Freundlich isoterms. The Oxisols, due to their more oxidic mineralogy, especially more gibbsitic, and clayey texture, showed the highest MACAs, followed by Ultisols, Inceptisols, and Entisols. In terms of the desorption of As the Inceptisols were the soils that showed the most As desorption. Both As desorption and mobility was lower in the more oxidic and clayey soils. In all soils, the total amount of As was desorbed in due course, but the As release ratio tended to decrease with the passage of time. In general, soils with higher MACAs did not necessarily show less As desorption. For use as a geochemical barrier, as important as a high adsorption capacity of As by the soil is a low As desorption rate. The increase in As mobility may increase the risks of contaminating the supplies of water. To be a good As geochemical barrier the soil has to be a clayey Oxisol, with relatively high amounts of Fe and Al oxides, especially gibbsite

TRANSFORMAÇÕES SÓCIO-REGIONAIS DECORRENTES DA CONSOLIDAÇÃO E MODERNIZAÇÃO DA CULTURA DO CAFÉ NO CERRADO MINEIRO

The trends and regional implications of the spatial changes in the coffee plantations in the macro and micro-regions of Minas Gerais State, in the context of the Cerrado development programs are important to explain the socio-regional transformations in the State. Such programs have generated several inter-regional differentiations provoking substantial changes in the spatial distribution of the state agriculture as a whole, which was and still is being driven towards to the Minas Gerais Cerrado, based on a high technology philosophy. At the same time, the land property and income concentration increased, the importance of the labor factor decreased and the dislocation of small producers occurred. Under the agricultural policy view, the major challenge for the promotion of a more equalized socio-spatial development in the rural space will be the strengthening of the small producers of the macro-regions which are outside the agricultural modernization axis. Key words: Agricultural Modernization, Minas Gerais State Cerrado, Coffee Plantation.As tendências e implicações regionais das mudanças espaciais da cultura do café, nas mesorregiões e microrregiões de Minas Gerais, no contexto dos programas de desenvolvimento do cerrado, são importantes para explicar as transformações sócio-regionais no Estado. Tais programas geraram inúmeras diferenças inter-regionais, provocando grandes mudanças espaciais na agricultura mineira como um todo, que se dirigiu e ainda se dirige, no âmbito de uma filosofia de alta tecnologia, rumo ao Cerrado Mineiro. Paralelamente, acentuou-se a concentração da propriedade da terra e da renda, a perda da importância do fator trabalho e o deslocamento de pequenos produtores. Sobre a ótica das políticas agrícolas, o maior desafio para promoção de um desenvolvimento sócio-espacial mais igualitário no espaço rural mineiro será o fortalecimento dos pequenos produtores das mesorregiões que estão fora dos eixos de modernização agrícola. Palavras-chave: Modernização Agrícola; Cerrado Mineiro; Café

Dynamic of the structural alteration of biochar in ancient Anthrosol over a long timescale by Raman spectroscopy

The presence of biochar with high carbon accumulation capacity and nutrient adsorption is causally associated with archeological soils. Although this type of soil organic matter has been known for a long time, the knowledge of its structure and environmental behavior is still limited. This work used Raman spectroscopy to obtain structural information and identify alterations in biochar particles. To this end, we studied biochar particles found in an archaeological site with a temporal window lasting 12451 to 11080 yr cal BP. The molecular, structural and sp2/sp3 characteristics of the charcoal particles were determined at the time of burning and associated with the temperature, time and characteristics of the burnt material. We propose that the process of oxidation of the biochar occurs during the first 2000 years after its genesis. The oxidation process is a reflection of decreases in the number of defects related to sp2 bonds on amorphous carbons and increases in the number of defects associated with ionic impurities, which clearly indicate the interaction between biochar particles and the soil matrix. The data confirm the hypothesis that the persistence of biochar in the environment is due to its graphite structure and suggest that over a 12000 year timeframe, biochar particles undergo several changes that occur in the disordered phase and are rapidly oxidized

Pedogênese e classificação de latossolos desenvolvidos de itabiritos no Quadrilátero Ferrífero, MG

Localizado na porção centro-oeste do Estado de Minas Gerais, o Quadrilátero Ferrífero abrange uma área de aproximadamente 7.000 km2. Desde o século XVII, a região é conhecida como uma província aurífera e ferrífera, sendo por essa razão uma das regiões mais bem estudadas do Brasil no contexto geológico. A região é de topografia muito acidentada, onde predominam solos pouco evoluídos pedogeneticamente, com destaque para Cambissolos Háplicos, Neossolos Litólicos e Neossolos Regolíticos. Em menor proporção e em rampas de colúvio (relevo suave ondulado), ocorrem Latossolos Vermelhos muito ricos em Fe, anteriormente denominados Latossolos Ferríferos. Neste trabalho, foram realizados estudos para caracterizar física, química e mineralogicamente amostras de nove perfis de Latossolos Vermelhos férricos e perférricos, desenvolvidos de itabirito e rochas afins no Quadrilátero Ferrífero, com os objetivos de melhor entender sua gênese e avaliar critérios taxonômicos que permitam sua diferenciação no SiBCS, em níveis categóricos mais baixos. Os elevados valores de densidade de partículas são peculiares nesses solos e, ao lado da estrutura forte, muito pequena e granular, são fatores que contribuem para subestimar os teores de argila e superestimar os de silte, resultando em relação silte/argila maior do que aquela proposta pelo SiBCS para os Latossolos. A variação dos teores de SiO2, Fe2O3, Al2O3, TiO2, MnO, P2O5 e de alguns elementos-traço aponta para a diversidade na composição química do itabirito ou, ainda, provável mistura com rochas filíticas da região. Os valores das relações Fe2O3/TiO2 (não molecular) e TiO2/Fe2O3 (molecular) revelaram-se diferentes daqueles sugeridos na literatura para separação de Latossolos Vermelhos desenvolvidos de itabirito daqueles de rochas máficas. As frações areia, silte e argila apresentaram grande variação na atração magnética, com as duas primeiras frações evidenciando maior magnetização, em razão da presença de magnetita. Os valores de substituição isomórfica de Fe por Al variaram 0,07 a 0,11 e 0,09 a 0,38 mol mol-1 nas estruturas da hematita e magnetita, respectivamente.Located in the Midwest of the State of Minas Gerais, a region called Quadrilátero Ferrífero covers an area of approximately 7,000 km2. Since the seventeenth century, it is known as gold- and iron-producing province, and the geological context is therefore one of the best-studied of Brazil. The regional topography is very rugged, with mostly poorly developed pedogenesis, especially Cambissolos Háplicos, Neossolos Litólicos and Neossolos Regolíticos. In a smaller proportion and on colluvial ramps (hilly relief), very Fe-rich Latossolos Vermelhos occur, formerly Latossolos Ferríferos. This study characterized the physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of samples from nine ferric and hyperferric Latossolo Vermelho profiles, developed from itabirite and related rocks in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero, with the objectives of improving the understanding of their genesis and establish taxonomic criteria for their differentiation in the SiBCS at lower categorical levels. The high particle density values in these soils are peculiar and along with the strong, very small and granular structure, are factors that contribute to underestimate clay and overestimate silt, resulting in a higher silt/clay ratio than proposed by SiBCS for Latossolos. Variations in the levels of SiO2, Fe2O3, Al2O3, TiO2, MnO, P2O5, and of some trace elements indicate the diversity in the chemical composition of itabirite or a probable mixture with phyllitic rocks of the region. The ratios of Fe2O3/TiO2 (non-molecular) and TiO2/Fe2O3 (molecular) reported in the literature for separation of Latossolos Vermelhos differed between soils developed from itabirite and from mafic rocks. The magnetic attraction in sand, silt and clay varied greatly; due to the presence of magnetite, magnetization was higher in the former two fractions. The values of isomorphic Al-for-Fe substitution ranged from 0.07 to 0.11 and from 0.09 to 0.38 mol mol-1 in the structures of hematite and magnetite, respectively