SOILS AND LANDSCAPES IN THE DESERTIFICATION CORE OF SERIDÓ POTIGUAR – BRAZIL

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze some pedological aspects as  indicative of the relationships between relief and soil in different geo-environments in the core of desertification of the Potiguar Seridó. The choice of this spatial area is justified by the strong ecodynamic instability and potential for the emergence of desertified areas in this region of Brazil. The theoretical-methodological basis of this study is related to the conception of landscape, geo-environment, and the structural analysis of the pedological cover. The collection of soil samples was carried out along a landscape transect,  by opening of microprofiles from 10 sampling points. Among the variables analyzed and related to the problem of this research, the following stand out: granulometric analysis, cation exchange capacity, and organic matter content (OMC). The data were analyzed at the Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Rio Grande do Norte (EMPARN). There is considerable geo-environmental and landscape diversity in Seridó, reflecting  different soil conditions. Understanding  their nature and the factors that interfere with their production and stabilization will aid in the search for management practices that contribute to the conservation of these areas.