TAXA DE INFILTRAÇÃO DA ÁGUA E RESISTÊNCIA MECÂNICA À PENETRAÇÃO EM SOLOS SUBMETIDOS A DIFERENTES USOS NA REGIÃO DA SERRA DE SUDESTE/RS

Abstract

Although pedological studies are not recent and the soil degration problems are widely known, many areas still do not have studies related to this subject. Thus, it is always important to develop works that reinforce the need to maintain soil quality, because the inadequate management can affect the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. Aiming to evaluate some physical quality indicators of soils submitted to different land use in the eastern portion of the Sul Rio Grandense Shield, in a region known as "Serra de Sudeste" (Pelotas e Canguçu/RS), water infiltration and mechanical resistance penetration (MRP) tests were performed, besides the morphological characterization of profiles and chemical and granulometric analyzes. The forest and country areas presented lower MRP in relation to the others. The pastures areas had the lowest cumulative water infiltration volumes and the highest MRP, reflecting the soil compaction observed in these areas by animal trampling. Intensive land use, with few soil management and conservation techniques associated to the natural limitations of local soils and sharp slopes, act as ideal conditions for the alteration of soil physical conditions and the triggering of erosive processes in areas of the Serra de Sudeste.