Fractions of organic carbon, biomass and microbial activity in a Rhodic Hapludox under Brazilian cerrados submitted to different soil management - DOI: 10.4025/actasciagron.v28i3.940

Abstract

Attributes linked to soil quality are very difficult to evaluate, because there are not adequate parameters to compare the obtained results. For this reason, researchers try to establish parameters that would be sensitive to soil management and that would be used as soil quality indicators. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different soil and crop management systems on organic carbon fractions, biomass and microbial activity in a Rhodic Haludox (oxisol) from the Brazilian Cerrados. The light carbon fraction (LCF) was higher in the native cerrado area, comparing to the cropping and tillage systems. Microbial biomass (MB) and metabolic quotient severely decreased by the management treatments. The microbial biomass, the metabolic quotient, the rate LOC/TOC and the rate MB/TOC can be used as indicators of soil quality, which are sensitive to anthropic interferences in the soil in short term. Area under pasture has higher reduction in the pool of carbon and the area with sorghum under no-tillage has smaller carbon loss.