Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência da revegetação com espécies leguminosas florestais, para a recuperação da qualidade física de um Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo sob pastagem degradada, localizado em uma paisagem tropical de declive acentuado no Sudeste brasileiro. Amostras de solo foram coletadas nas profundidades de 0-0,10 e 0,10-0,20 m em áreas sob Acacia auriculiformis (acácia), Mimosa caesalpiniifolia (sabiá), Inga edulis (ingá), floresta secundária (capoeira) e pastagem degradada. A resistência tênsil (TS) foi avaliada em agregados das classes de tamanhos de 8,0-12,5 e de 12,5-19,0 mm para as variáveis TS 8 e TS 12.5, respectivamente. Os menores valores médios dessas duas variáveis ocorreram sempre sob pastagem (TS 8 de 37,1 kPa e TS 12.5 de 22,7 kPa, para a camada de 0-0,10 m; e TS 8 de 39,2 kPa e TS 12.5 de 22,8 kPa, para a camada de 0,10-0,20 m). As maiores médias foram obtidas sob capoeira (TS 8 de 62,2 kPa, para a camada de 0-0,10 m) e sabiá (TS 12.5 de 46,0 kPa, para a camada de 0-0,10 m; e TS 8 de 53,0 kPa e TS 12.5 de 51,4 kPa, para a camada de 0,10-0,20 m). A revegetação de terras com leguminosas arbóreas recupera a qualidade física do solo, uma vez que os valores de TS sob essas coberturas apresentam-se predominantemente mais próximos dos TS da floresta secundária do que dos da pastagem degradada.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to assess the efficiency of revegetation with forest leguminous species, for the recovery of the physical quality of a Typic Hapludult under degraded pasture, located in a steep-slope tropical landscape in Southeastern Brazil. Soil samples were collected at the 0-0.10 m and 0.10-0.20 m depths, in areas under Acacia auriculiformis (northern black wattle), Mimosa caesalpiniifolia (“sabiá”), Inga edulis (“ingá”), secondary forest (“capoeira”), and degraded pasture. Tensile strength (TS) was evaluated in soil aggregates of the size classes 8.0-12.5 mm and 12.5-19.0 mm, for the variables TS 8 and TS 12.5, respectively. The lowest mean values of both variables always occurred under the pasture cover (TS 8 of 37.1 kPa and TS 12.5 of 22.7 kPa, for the 0-0.10 m soil layer; and TS 8 of 39.2 kPa and TS 12.5 of 22.8 kPa, for the 0.10-0.20 m soil layer). The highest TS mean values were obtained under the “capoeira” cover (TS 8 of 62.2 kPa, for the 0-0.10 m soil layer) and “sabiá” cover (TS 12.5 of 46.0 kPa, for the 0-0.10 m soil layer; and TS 8 of 53.0 kPa and TS 12.5 of 51.4 kPa, for the 0.10-0.20 m soil layer). Land revegetation with leguminous trees recovers the soil physical quality, since the TS values under the evaluated covers are predominantly closer to those of the secondary forest than to those of the degraded pasture.

ABSTRACT Shrinkage capacity (caráter retrátil in Portuguese) is a new diagnostic characteristic recently introduced in the Brazilian System of Soil Classification (SiBCS) to indicate shrink and swell properties observed in subtropical soils from highland plateaus in southern Brazil, specifically in Oxisols with brown colors. In soils located in road cuts exposed to drying for some weeks, strong shrinkage of soil volume is observed in these soils, resulting in the formation of pronounced vertical cracks and large and very large prismatic structures, which crumble in blocks when handled. We hypothesize that such properties are related to their clay mineralogy, although there are no conclusive studies about this, the motive for the present study. Samples of the A and B horizons from six Oxisols with expansive capacity from the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul were analyzed. One Rhodic Hapludox, from the state of Paraná, without expansive capacity, was used for comparison. All the soils are very clayey, originated from basalt, and have similar iron oxide content. For identification of clay mineralogy, X-ray diffraction techniques were employed, together with the use of NEWMOD® software to investigate and describe the interstratified minerals. The results showed that most expansive soils have a similar mineralogical composition, with kaolinite, interstratified kaolinite-smectite (K-S), and hydroxy-Al interlayered smectites (HIS), unlike the non-expansive Rhodic Hapludox, which exhibited kaolinite with significant amounts of gibbsite and low amount of interstratified K-S. According to the mineralogical assemblage identified in the expansive soils, we can affirm that the mechanism of smectite expansion and contraction is related to the shrinkage capacity of the soil, considering that the level of hydroxy-Al intercalation is low. In addition, these mechanisms also are related to the presence of quasicrystals and domains that control the water dynamic in the smectites, contributing to shrinkage capacity.

RESUMO Os impactos das práticas de manejo intensivo sobre a sustentabilidade da produção florestal dependem da manutenção da fertilidade do solo. A contribuição dos resíduos florestais e da ciclagem de nutrientes nesse processo é crucial. Avaliou-se uma plantação de 16 anos de idade de Pinus taeda em um Cambissolo Húmico Alumínico léptico de textura argilosa, relevo ondulado, no meio-sul catarinense. Dez árvores foram amostradas em cinco classes de diâmetro, de acordo com a distribuição de diâmetro à altura do peito. A biomassa de acículas, galhos, casca, madeira e raízes foi medida para cada árvore. Além da biomassa vegetal, amostraram-se serapilheira acumulada e solo nas camadas de 0,00-0,20; 0,20-0,40; 0,40-0,60; 0,60-1,00; 1,00-1,40; 1,40-1,80, e 1,80-1,90 m. A concentração de nutrientes, o balanço de nutrientes e a caracterização mineralógica foram determinados a partir das amostras de solo coletadas. Três cenários de intensidade de colheita foram simulados, considerando a remoção de madeira (A), madeira e casca (B) e madeira, casca e copa (C). A soma de todos os componentes da biomassa foi de 313 Mg ha-1. O estoque de nutrientes na árvore foi N>Ca>K>S>Mg>P. A mineralogia do Cambissolo Húmico Alumínico léptico evidenciou a predominância de areia de quartzo e pequenos traços de vermiculita na fração silte. A argila é a principal fração que contribui para o intemperismo do solo em razão da transformação de ilita-vermiculita liberando K. O esgotamento dos nutrientes do solo a partir da biomassa foi: P>S>N>K>Mg>Ca. Fósforo e S permaneceram como os nutrientes mais limitantes no cenário A, por causa dos seus baixos estoques disponíveis no solo. No cenário B, o número de rotações florestais foi limitado para N, K e S. O cenário C resultou na maior diminuição de produtividade, e limitado pelo P, apresentando apenas duas potenciais rotações de cultivo para esse nutriente. Dessa forma, evidenciou-se, pelo número potencial de rotações de cultivo, que entre o cenário A, menos exaustivo, e cenário C, mais exaustivo, uma diferença de até 30 anos na capacidade de suporte do solo. Assim, o efeito de diferentes intensidades de colheita sobre a disponibilidade de nutrientes pode comprometer a sustentabilidade do P. taeda em longo prazo.

ABSTRACT The impact of intensive management practices on the sustainability of forest production depends on maintenance of soil fertility. The contribution of forest residues and nutrient cycling in this process is critical. A 16-year-old stand of Pinus taeda in a Cambissolo Húmico Alumínico léptico (Humic Endo-lithic Dystrudept) in the south of Brazil was studied. A total of 10 trees were sampled distributed in five diameter classes according to diameter at breast height. The biomass of the needles, twigs, bark, wood, and roots was measured for each tree. In addition to plant biomass, accumulated plant litter was sampled, and soil samples were taken at three increments based on sampling depth: 0.00-0.20, 0.20-0.40, 0.40-0.60, 0.60-1.00, 1.00-1.40, 1.40-1.80, and 1.80-1.90 m. The quantity and concentration of nutrients, as well as mineralogical characteristics, were determined for each soil sample. Three scenarios of harvesting intensities were simulated: wood removal (A), wood and bark removal (B), and wood + bark + canopy removal (C). The sum of all biomass components was 313 Mg ha-1.The stocks of nutrients in the trees decreased in the order N>Ca>K>S>Mg>P. The mineralogy of the Cambissolo Húmico Alumínico léptico showed the predominance of quartz sand and small traces of vermiculite in the silt fraction. Clay is the main fraction that contributes to soil weathering, due to the transformation of illite-vermiculite, releasing K. The depletion of nutrients from the soil biomass was in the order: P>S>N>K>Mg>Ca. Phosphorus and S were the most limiting in scenario A due to their low stock in the soil. In scenario B, the number of forest rotations was limited by N, K, and S. Scenario C showed the greatest reduction in productivity, allowing only two rotations before P limitation. It is therefore apparent that there may be a difference of up to 30 years in the capacity of the soil to support a scenario such as A, with a low nutrient removal, compared to scenario C, with a high nutrient removal. Hence, the effect of different harvesting intensities on nutrient availability may jeopardize the sustainability of P. taeda in the short-term.