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Mining is a significant driver of soil mobilization, which impacts its physical, chemical, and biological properties. Changes in land-use affect the distribution of organic matter fractions in stable aggregates, a process that is still poorly understood, especially in drastically altered areas. Recovering and monitoring soil quality to ensure the sustainable development of agricultural crops in these areas after mining is challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of agronomic practices in soil rehabilitation in a bauxite-mined area after three years of field experiment installations through an assessment of organic properties in soil and aggregate classes; an attempt was also made at proposing and elaborating a Soil Quality Index (SQI), which encompasses the soil’s physical, chemical, and organic properties. Different combinations of fertilization treatments and ground cover plants intercropping with coffee were evaluated as rehabilitation practices. The results showed that after three years of rehabilitation, when organic (OF), chemical (CF), and OF+CF fertilizers were applied to the areas of coffee intercropped with Brachiaria (B), they provided higher C and N contents to the soil and aggregates classes, as well as the compartments of soil organic matter (SOM). The minimum set of soil quality indicators for reclaimed bauxite-mined areas was composed of organic indicators: labile organic carbon (LOC) and mineral-associated organic matter (C-MOM); chemical indicators including pH and effective cation-exchange capacity (t), and physical indicators such as the bulk density (BD) and stable aggregates index in water (SAIW). The t and pH were the variables most sensitive to the management systems implanted during the rehabilitation of the mined area, and, therefore, were considered the best indicators of soil quality. Brachiaria was the cover plant that contributed most to improving the soil quality of mined bauxite areas by increasing the SQI, especially when fertilized. In general, when applied to the Brachiaria, the OF+CF fertilization presented a SQI of 0.78, differing statistically from that of the natural vegetation (1.00). Fertilizers and cover crops in association with coffee in the bauxite-mined areas improved the physical, chemical, and organic properties of the soil, thus representing a viable option for reconditioning mineral exploration areas.

This study is aimed at evaluating C and N stocks in fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) in an area of bauxite mining under recovery with tree species. We have analyzed the long-term recovery of C and N stocks of organic matter fractions from five types of forest cover (Eucalyptus, Anadenanthera peregrina, mixed plantation of 16 native species, a mined area without vegetation cover as a control site, and a natural forest cover as a reference site). The total organic C (TOC) and N (TN) stocks and also organic matter fractions, particulate organic matter (POM), mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), microbial biomass (MB), and labile C (LC), were determined, as well as the C/N ratio and the carbon management index (CMI). Although the stocks of TOC and LC, CMI, and MB did not differ between the types of forest cover in the 0-60 cm layer, they were lower than the values in the native forest. Forest cover increases the stocks of TOC, LC, MB, and CMI in the area of bauxite mining compared to the control site. In addition, we found that the TOC C and TN stocks and also SOM fractions (LC, C-MAOM, C-POM, N-MAOM, and N-POM) are positively correlated (r ≥ 0.71 for all cases) with volume of roots larger than 2 mm. Therefore, Eucalyptus, A. peregrina, and a mixed of 16 native trees contribute for restoring stocks of soil C and N following bauxite mining in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

The acceleration of K release in the eucalyptus rhizosphere is a key process for explaining plant K uptake in low-K tropical soils. We conducted a pot experiment to evaluate the short-term dynamics of soil K at the soil-root interface of eucalyptus plants. We hypothesized that eucalyptus roots are able to substantially modify the soil K supply by releasing K from more recalcitrant K pools. To test our hypothesis, we used five tropical Oxisols in which the remaining structural K forms were components of highly weathering-resistant minerals. The experiment was installed in a split-plot arrangement of treatments in a randomized block design with four replicates. The effect of the soils was studied in the main plots. In the subplots, we isolated or did not isolate eucalyptus roots from the soil. At the end of the experiment, we determined the total soil K, exchangeable K, and K extracted with Mehlich 1 (M1) and Mehlich 3 (M3) as well as the K content in plant shoots. Our main findings suggest that the acceleration of K release in the eucalyptus rhizosphere is a key process for explaining plant K uptake in low-K tropical soils. Understanding and quantifying the processes related to this phenomenon are necessary to provide a more mechanistic basis for K fertilization recommendations as well as to monitor the sustainability of natural and planted eucalypt forests

Relatively few studies have documented the impacts of afforestation, particularly production forestry, on belowground carbon dioxide (CO2) effluxes to the atmosphere. We evaluated the changes in the soil CO2 efflux—a proxy for soil respiration (Rs)—for three years following a native grassland conversion to eucalypt plantations in southern Brazil where minimum tillage during site preparation created two distinct soil zones, within planting row (W) and between-row (B). We used root-exclusion and carbon (C)- isotopic approaches to distinguish Rs components (heterotrophic-Rh and autotrophic-Ra respirations), and a CO2 profile tube (1-m deep) to determine the concentration ([CO2]) and isotopic C signature of soil CO2 (δ13[CO2]). The soil CO2 efflux in the afforested site averaged 0.37 g CO2 m−2 h−1, which was 56% lower than the soil CO2 efflux in the grassland. The δ13CO2 in the afforested site ranged from − 14.1‰ to − 29.4‰, indicating a greater contribution of eucalypt-derived respiration (both Rh and Ra) over time. Higher soil CO2 efflux and lower [CO2] were observed in W than B, indicating that soil preparation creates two distinct soil functional zones with respect to C cycling. The [CO2] and δ13[CO2] decreased in both zonal positions with eucalypt stand development. Although the equilibrium in C fluxes and pools across multiple rotations is needed to fully account for the feedback of eucalypt planted forests to climate change, we provide quantitative information on soil CO2 dynamics after afforestation and show how soil preparation can leverage the feedback of planted forests to climate change.

The expansion of short rotation eucalypt plantations in low soil organic matter (SOM) sandy soils may offer an alternative to improve soil C sequestration. The goal of this study was to estimate the changes in C stocks and emissions in different SOM fractions following conversion of the native Cerrado to pasture and then to eucalypt plantation. Therefore, we studied soils under native Cerrado, planted pasture (cultivated for 34years following the clearing of the Cerrado) and eucalypt plantation (4years). The C and N stocks in particulate organic matter and mineral‐associated organic matter (MAOM) were determined 4years after eucalypt planting. Soil CO₂‐C, CH₄‐C fluxes and CO₂‐C concentrations in soil profile were measured in different seasons over 4years. Variation in the natural abundance of ¹³C was used to partition the SOM‐C. The soil CO₂‐C and CH₄‐C fluxes were influenced by soil surface moisture (r= 0.185ᵒ and r= 0.430**, respectively), whereas only the soil CH₄‐C fluxes correlated with soil surface temperature (r= 0.355**). The highest soil CO₂‐C flux in soil under eucalypt occurred after 4years of eucalypt planting (2.5 kg ha⁻¹h⁻¹, approximately 70%). The pasture soil acted as a CH₄‐C source to the atmosphere. The pasture MAOM‐C losses in the 0.0–1.0‐m soil layers were not compensated by the new eucalypt C inputs (MAOM‐C lost ~9.6 Mg ha⁻¹). In summary, the recent worldwide expansion of short rotation eucalypt plantations should be carefully considered, particularly under pasture degraded soil sandy soils, because land uses able to increase SOM are priorities.

It remains unclear whether temperature and precipitation exert independent control on tropical vegetation and soil C pools. Likewise, it is unknown whether the feedbacks of tropical C pools to climate constraints vary with nutrient availability. These aspects are critical to improving our ability to predict the response of tropical C pools to climate dynamics. This review aimed to assess climate data and the spatial distribution of vegetation and soil C pools across the Brazilian territory to investigate i) whether mean annual precipitation (MAP) and temperature (MAT) exert independent effects on tropical C pools; ii) whether vegetation and soil C pools exhibit hierarchical feedbacks to climate; and iii) how these feedbacks reflect soil nutrient availability. To account for MAP and MAT effects on tropical C cycling, we calculated Ecosystem Effective Moisture (EEM), i.e., the difference between MAP and potential evapotranspiration. We gathered substantial evidence suggesting that under high MAT and MAP controlling EEM, plants exchange more C for water and resorb more nutrients (especially P), which limitations in plant litter reduce microbial-derived C inputs into soil organic matter. Frequent soil saturation under high EEM favors denitrification rates (“open” N cycle), allowing continuous mineralization of litter and shallow soil C pools to release nutrients, sustaining high plant C pools. With decreasing MAP levels, ecosystem C pools depend on MAT controlling evapotranspiration and EEM. Accordingly, decreasing MAP under high MAT reduces EEM, with vegetation and soil C pools co-limited by low net primary productivity (NPP), frequent fire and/or nutrient losses. Otherwise, decreasing MAP and coupled to cool temperatures allow EEM to remain positive, forcing plants to increase deep-rooting and/or shed their leaves, which nutrients are immobilized with microbial-derived C into mineral-organic associations, favoring high soil C pools. Combined, the evidence gathered suggests that the sensitivity of tropical ecosystems to global increases in temperature should not be overlooked, especially if coupled to reductions in precipitation. Overall, the horizontal distribution of vegetation and soil C pools is best described by EEM rather than temperature or precipitation alone, whereas the vertical partition of C in plant-soil systems reflects biotic responses to climate-nutrient constraints.

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The extent by which the contribution of eucalypt harvest residues (HR) to soil organic carbon (SOC) is impacted by soil disturbance during and/or after harvesting is unclear. We addressed this question by following the decomposition of HR in microplots (15-cm diameter, 15-cm height) and determining their contribution to SOC in 10 sites across southeastern Brazil. The experiment was set up according to a complete randomized block design arranged into a 3 × 2 factorial scheme including: HR removal (HR0), only bark removal (HR − B) and HR including bark (HR + B) applied to: undisturbed soil (US) with HR left on the soil surface or disturbed soil with HR mixed into the first 5 cm of the topsoil. We had eight blocks as replicates. Following a 12-month field decomposition, soil samples were fractionated to isolate SOC within the particle-size fractions (PSF) greater and lower than 53 µm. Subsequently, we used 13C to quantify the effects of the treatments in C3-derived SOC content (C3-SOC) within each PSF. For both PSF, their C3-SOC content increased in response to HR − B or HR + B relative to HR0, depending on soil disturbance and HR half-life time (t0.5). For HR − B, net increments in C3-SOC within the PSF > 53 µm increased significantly with HR t0.5, regardless of soil disturbance. Otherwise, the C3-SOC content within the PSF

The reclamation of bauxite‐mined areas can be favored by the application of organic and/or chemical fertilization to restore the vegetation. Otherwise, the impact of fertilizations on soil microbiota or plant–microbe interactions as land reclamation progresses is less understood. To address this issue, we evaluated the impact of organic and chemical fertilization on plants and soil microbial community within the first 36 months of land reclamation in a bauxite‐mined site. The experiment was set up according to a split‐plot design in which the main plots received fertilizations [non‐fertilized control (NF), chemical fertilization (CF; NPK and rock phosphate), organic fertilization (OF; poultry litter), and CF+OF combined], and the subplots received cover crops [no cover crops (NC), grass (B; Brachiaria), legume (S, Stylosanthes), and B+S combined]. Cover crops biomass yield was assessed annually with five field campaigns per year. We used phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) to infer the impacts of mining and restoration practices on actinobacteria, Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and fungi. Accordingly, PLFAs were determined before bauxite mining (pre‐mining), six months after topsoil reconfiguration (post‐mining), and after 14 and 36 months following the application of the fertilizations and cover crops. PLFAs results indicated that in post‐mining, the living microbiota was significantly lower than in pre‐mining. Cover crops biomass yield was highest for B and B+S fertilized with CF+OF at 14 and 36 months. Both parametric and non‐parametric statistics showed a temporal variation in the response of living microbes to the treatments applied. After 14 months, living microbes showed greatest response to OF, while at 36 months their response was strongest in the treatments with highest plant biomass production (B and B+S). These results suggest that in the early stages of land reclamation, living microbial biomass benefit the most from organic fertilizers. As this initial boost decline, living microbes are more likely to thrive in areas undergoing reclamation where they can develop synergistic interactions with plants.

The elemental ratios of plant tissues are associated with the adaptive and competitive success of a plant species in an ecosystem. So far, no study has evaluated if and how crop–weed competition influences the elemental ratios of competing populations, although such information is important to understand weed infestation dynamics and to improve weed management in agroecosystems. The objective of this study was to analyze weed–crop elemental ratios during interspecific competition between weeds and crops in greenhouse experiments. For this, maize (Zea mays L.) and the weeds Amaranthus viridis L, Bidens pilosa L., and Ipomoea grandifolia (Dammer) O'Donell were grown under seven treatments: maize and weed monocultures, and maize in competition with weeds. Competition between plants practically did not influence growth and nutrient contents of maize but reduced weed growth and nutrient uptake. Maize showed few changes in elemental ratios. In contrast, B. pilosa and I. grandifolia were very sensitive to competition and showed significant increases in C : N, C : P, C : K, N : P, and N : K ratios when grown with maize. A. viridis showed low flexibility of nutrient : nutrient ratios under the same competitive pressure as that faced by B. pilosa and I. grandifolia. The interspecific competition led to increases only in the C : P ratio of A. viridis shoots. Therefore, interspecific competition changes the elemental ratios, mainly of the weeds, and the magnitude of this change is dependent on the plant species involved. Interspecific competition changes plant biomass quality (higher C : nutrient ratios), mainly for B. pilosa and I. grandifolia.

Certain plant combinations can stimulate the mineralization of soil organic matter (SOM), thereby changing the storage of soil organic carbon and affecting the physical and chemical soil properties...

Changes in lead (Pb) speciation in the rhizosphere may be plant species-dependent and dictate Pb fate and behavior in the soil-plant system. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy can explain how these changes affect Pb availability in soils and its uptake by plants. We investigated the changes in Pb speciation and availability in the rhizosphere of eucalypt (Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis), palisade grass (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu), and Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) using XANES spectroscopy. A greenhouse experiment was performed in a complete randomized design, with three plant species and a no plant control treatment. After three months, rhizosphere and bulk soil samples were collected, Pb speciation was assessed by Pb L3-edge XANES spectroscopy, and Pb concentration was determined in plant tissue. In bulk soil, we found Pb primarily as Pb-Il (Pb sorbed to illite; 48%) and lead monoxide (PbO; 36%). In the rhizosphere, Pb-Ka (Pb sorbed to kaolinite; 33–56%) and (CH₃COO)₂Pb (25–41%) were the main Pb forms, the latter suggesting Pb complexation by low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs). Palisade grass rhizospheric soil had a lower abundance of Pb-Ka and a higher abundance of (CH₃COO)₂Pb than eucalypt and mustard, which led to low Pb concentration in plant tissue. LMWOAs exudation followed by Pb2+ complexation is the apparent mechanism used by palisade grass to detoxify the rhizosphere and control Pb uptake. Given its low Pb uptake and potential to complex Pb in organic forms, palisade grass may be a promising species for Pb phytostabilization in contaminated soils.

Eucalyptus plantations have replaced other (agro)ecosystems over 5.6 Mha in Brazil. While these plantations rapidly accumulate carbon (C) in their biomass, the C storage in living forest biomass is transient, and thus, longer‐term sustainability relies on sustaining soil organic matter (SOM) stocks. A significant amount of harvest residues (HR) is generated every rotation and can yield SOM if retained in the field. Yet, there is little information on how managing eucalyptus HR changes SOM dynamics. We used isotopic and molecular approaches in a 3‐yr field decomposition experiment where a native grassland has been replaced by eucalyptus plantations to assess how HR management practices influence content and chemistry of two distinct SOM fractions [particulate (POM) and mineral‐associated organic matter (MAOM)] at two soil depths (0–1 and 1–5 cm). The management practices investigated were HR removal (−R), only bark removal (−B), and retention of all HR (including bark, +B), combined with two levels of nitrogen (N) fertilization [0 (−N) and 200 (+N) kg/ha]. N fertilization inhibited HR decomposition (P = 0.0409), while bark retention had little effect (P = 0.1164). Retaining HR, especially with bark, increased POM‐C and MAOM‐C content (2.1‐ and 1.2‐fold, respectively), decreased POM‐δ13C (1.2‐fold), and increased inorganic N retention (1.7‐fold) compared with plots where HR had been removed. Inorganic N applications, however, diminished the positive impacts of bark retention. Although the influence of HR management was most pronounced in POM, retaining HR reduced potential soil C mineralization by up to 20%. POM and MAOM chemistry shifted over time and revealed distinct influence of HR on the formation of these fractions. We demonstrate that HR management alters SOM dynamics and that retaining HR, particularly including bark, enhances SOM retention. With continuing conversion of native grassland ecosystems to eucalyptus, long‐term sustainability will require careful HR and fertilizer management to balance total biomass harvest with sustaining belowground SOM concentrations.

Planting trees is one of the most effective activities in recovering soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks of degraded areas, but we still lack information on how different tree species can influence soil respiration, one of the main sources of dioxide carbon (CO2) to the atmosphere. This study aimed to explore the influence of different forest species on the autotrophic and heterotrophic components of the total soil respiration in a bauxite mining area under reclamation. We analysed the soil CO2 efflux under five treatments: i) monoculture of clonal Eucalyptus; ii) monoculture of Anadenanthera peregrina (L.); iii) a mixed plantation of 16 native forest species (Nat); iv) a mined area without vegetation cover; and v) a natural forest cover. This design allowed exploring the soil CO2 dynamics in a gradient of recovery, from a degraded area to natural vegetation. Additionally, we measured soil temperature, moisture and soil characteristics. Soil CO2 efflux increased with increasing forest species cover in the rainy months. There was no significant change in CO2 efflux among the tree species. Heterotrophic soil respiration contributed to 64% of total soil CO2 efflux and was associated with litter decomposition. Amongst the abiotic variables, increases in soil moisture had the most influence on CO2 efflux. Therefore, these results help to understand the factors that underpin the loss of SOC and can orient management practices to improve soil organic matter and restore soil quality in degraded areas.

In this review, we present the state of art regarding rhizosphere effects on eucalypt plantations. It provides a greater understanding of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) turnover in forest soils. P organic hydrolysis, soil mineral solubilization, indoleacetic acid, gibberellin, resistance factors, and production of siderophores by rhizosphere microbial populations help to explain the tolerance of Eucalyptus plants to biotic and abiotic stresses and the apparent steady-state condition of C and N soil stocks in many planted forests. This work aims to present the main findings on Eucalyptus rhizosphere processes and highlights their importance for trees nutrition, especially for N mineralization triggered by microbial activation or microbial community structure changes regarding the so-called rhizosphere priming effect and N fixation. Furthermore, we present an explanatory conceptual model of the steady-state condition for soil organic matter (SOM) stocks and its relation with fertilization based on a nutrient balance model. This review also considers the main experimental and modeling studies that demonstrate the quantitative importance of rhizosphere processes to Eucalyptus genus and their shortcomings. This provides a framework for process modeling under scenarios of global climate change. A better understanding of rhizosphere microbiological processes may allow improvements in Eucalyptus nutrition and production, as well as in accurate long-term estimates of SOM stocks and C-CO2 exchanges between forest soils and the atmosphere.

Soil organic matter (SOM) originates predominantly from above and belowground OM inputs derived from plants. Although the formation of SOM is well studied, it still remains unclear how the biochemical composition of litter affects the formation of new SOM as well as the degradation of “native” SOM. In the present study we aimed to disentangle the effect of plant litter composition on C transference from different plant tissues into specific SOM fractions and to determine the magnitude of priming effect on native SOC caused by litter amendments. To this end, we individually incubated 13C enriched Eucalyptus spp. major litter types (bark, leaves, twigs and roots) in soil (0–20 cm) of a sandy-clay loam (Haplic Ferralsol - Brazil). Additionally, a soil sample without plant residue addition was incubated as a control. The samples were incubated at 80% of their water-holding capacity at 25 ºC for 200 days. Soil respiration was assessed along the incubation period through headspace gas sampling and 13C/12C–CO2 analysis in a cavity ring-down spectrometer. After the incubation, soil subsamples were physically fractionated using a combined density-particle size separation method. The total C and the δ 13C of each soil organic matter fraction were measured and the litter-C contribution for each SOM fraction was assessed using a two-end member isotope mixing model. The molecular composition of the incubated plant material and SOM fractions were determined by solid-state 13C-CPMAS-NMR spectroscopy. Interestingly, we found no significant differences for total SOM contents among the different treatments. Conversely, incubation without litter amendment (control treatment) resulted in lower total SOM contents, indicating mineralization of “native” SOM along the incubation period. The partitioning of litter-derived C into SOM fractions indicated that leaves litter were preferentially transferred to mineral associated organic matter (MAOM), while roots contributed more to particulate organic matter (POM). Cumulative C-CO2 evolution from the treatments over the incubation period increased in the following order: twigs > leaves > bark > roots > controls. Incubation with twigs, bark and roots significantly increased “native” SOM respiration, while the treatment with leaves addition did not differ from the control. When tracing the source of “native” SOM-derived CO2, we observed a similar amount of C being respired from MAOM, regardless the treatment, while incubation with twigs, bark and roots resulted in higher respiration of “native” SOM-derived C from POM. Our data demonstrates that the biochemical composition of plant litter determines the fate of newly formed organic matter (MAOM or POM) and controls the degradation of “native” SOM. Therefore, plant residues enriched in more easily degradable compounds (leaves) are preferentially transferred to MAOM and causes less native SOC priming. On the other hand, plant residues enriched in structural compounds (twigs, bark and roots), are preferentially respired or allocated into the POM, also resulting in higher priming effect intensity.

Several processes are involved in soil organic matter (SOM) formation and turnover across the soil profile. Interestingly, while deep soil C appears to turn over very slowly, it remains unclear whether this trend is related to the molecular chemistry of SOM retained therein or its interaction with the mineral matrix. Besides, the extent to which the molecular chemistry of SOM is related to the chemistry, amount, and frequency of C inputs in topsoil and subsoil horizons remains unclear. We addressed these questions by collecting soil samples from three deep Ferralsols (a Gibbsic, a Ferritic, and a Haplic Ferralsol) across the Brazilian Cerrado to include samples with distinct texture classes and mineralogical combinations. Interestingly, the vegetation of the Brazilian Cerrado is characterized by different proportions of trees and grasses, implying different depth of rooting. Moreover, the Cerrado biome is subjected to frequent fire events, which could affect the input rate and the chemistry of C added to the soils. At each site, samples were taken from topsoil (0–10 cm) and subsoil horizons (60–100 cm) and incubated with a double-labeled (13C and 15N) eucalypt litter for 12 months under laboratory conditions. After the incubation, the samples were submitted to physical fractionationation to isolate SOM within the particle-size fractions (PSF) greater and smaller than 53 µm. Subsequently, we quantified the total C and N remaining in these PSF. Subsamples of the clay+silt fraction (13C/15N Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy by applying a multi/cross-polarization (multi/CP) pulse sequence, yielding a quantitative solid-state magic-angle spinning (MAS) 13C/15N NMR. After the incubation, litter-C was retained at approximate proportions in both PSF evaluated, while a larger fraction of the litter-N was concentrated within the clay+silt fraction. Based on the multi-CP MAS NMR results, carbohydrates (65–110 ppm) accounted for most of the total C forms identified in the HF-insoluble fraction, regardless of soil type, soil depth, and plant litter addition. In topsoil, differences in the molecular chemistry of SOM between samples treated with plant litter and the controls were small. Otherwise, plant litter inputs to subsoil led to major changes in the chemistry of SOM, with a substantial reduction in the proportion of non-protonated aromatics and the aromaticity degree of SOM. Although observed in the topsoil, this effect was much less pronounced for the three Ferralsols evaluated. In addition, following eucalypt litter addition the molecular composition of SOM in topsoil and subsoil tended to converge, becoming enriched in alkyl-C (0–46 ppm), carboxylic and/or amide groups (160–190 ppm for 13C and 120 ppm for 15N-NMR). Our results suggest that in topsoil, SOM molecular chemistry is consistent with a continuous supply of fresh plant litter. Otherwise, the deep burial of plant litter appears to be less relevant for SOM formation in subsoil horizons, where the accumulation of charred/pyrogenic materials are significant.

The distribution of root system in the soil profile is an important factor for water and nutrient acquisition in planted forests. Harvest residue and litter layer management can alter nutrient availability to the plants, reflecting in shifts of root system distribution in the soil profile. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of litter layer management in root density and its correlation with depth, soil organic matter (SOM), and soil macro and micronutrients in fast-growing eucalypt plantations. We hypothesized that the presence of litter layer increases root density in the first soil layers while its absence results in higher root density in deeper soil layers. To this end we carried out an experiment in a eucalypt stand (Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis; 3.3 x 1.82 m spacing; one-year-old trees) in the region of Telêmaco Borba, Paraná – Brazil. The Köppen climate classification is Cfb and the soil is classified as dystrophic Red Latosol. The treatments consisted of presence (+R) or absence (-R) of litter layer. The residue was composed by the previous rotation litter layer that remained in the forest after harvest. The experiment followed a randomized block design, with four replications. Root density (g dm-3) was evaluated in one representative tree per plot at each treatment and replication. We used a 5.3 cm diameter auger to collect root samples from 0-10, 10-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm depths in seven predefined points in the planting row and interrow. For each sampling point and depth, roots were manually separated, washed to remove soil and other impurities, and subsequently oven dried at 65 °C to determine total dry mass. Additionally, SOM, soil macro and micronutrient contents were analyzed in each soil layer. Pearson’s correlation (α=5%) was performed between root density, depth, SOM, soil macro and micronutrients. Contrary to our hypothesis, the results showed that the presence of litter layer did not impacted root density in the superficial layer (0-20 cm), but resulted in a substantial increase of this trait in deeper soil layers (20-40 cm and 40-60 cm). The increase in root density observed for deeper soil layers was possibly a consequence of the higher nutrient availability favored by the presence of litter layer. The increase of root density in subsurface is important not only to increase tree water and nutrient use efficiency, but also to promote C sequestration in deeper soil layers. Our results highlight the importance of maintaining the litter layer in the field as reasonable strategy for a more sustainable management of fast-growing eucalypt forests.

There is growing evidence that belowground plant carbon (C) inputs displays a major role for soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics. During the root life-cycle, there is a sequential shift from C inputs from living to dead roots, which might affect the conversion of these specific compound classes to SOM. However, this successional effect has yet not been investigated. In this study, we aimed to evaluate (i) the short-term impacts of living root-derived C on SOM formation and composition and (ii) how the succession between living and dead roots impacts their respective fate in soil. For this purpose, we set up a two-step experiment that simulated the shift between living and dead roots C inputs. In the first step, Eucalyptus spp. plants were cultivated in pots under controlled conditions for 66 days. In order to isolate the living root-derived C, we inserted in each pot 4 cylinders (0.5 cm high, 4.75 cm diameter) capped with a nylon membrane (pore size 5 μm) and filled with soil (clayey Rhodic Ferrasol) at the start of the experiment. Half of the pots were periodically pulse-labeled with 13C-CO2 (10 pulses of 10 h, 0.46 g of 13C plant-1), while the remaining ones were used as controls (unlabeled treatments). After 66 days, all pots were harvested, and one cylinder per pot was used to depict the living root effects on SOM pools. Those cylinders were separated in layers according to the distance from the roots (0-4, 4-8, 8-15 and 15-25 mm) and analyzed for organic carbon, nitrogen, as well as δ13C. We quantified and characterized the microbial communities using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), and extracted the pedogenic oxides (iron and aluminum) to highlight potential alterations in organo-mineral complexes and short-range order phases. Using density/size fractionation, we further gained elemental and isotopic information of specific SOM pools, i.e. particulate, occluded and mineral-associated organic matter. The remaining cylinders were incubated for 84 days in two treatments, with and without dead roots. Heterotrophic respiration rates were measured periodically together with the 13C enrichment of the CO2 produced. Carbon derived from living roots was mainly recovered in the first millimeters from the root source, as occluded or mineral-associated SOM. Close to the roots, we detected a shift in the microbial communities and a decrease of organo-mineral complexes and short-range order phases. Carbon derived from living roots was rapidly mineralized and the δ13C from the respired CO2 returned to natural abundance ranges after 84 days of incubation. The presence of dead roots did not affect the mineralization C derived from living roots. Our work highlights the importance of C inputs from living roots for the formation of SOM. However, the compounds deposited by living roots exhibit also a transient nature which challenges the assumption that living root-derived C is necessarely a precursor of stable SOM formation.

Vigorous Eucalyptus plantations produce 105 to 106 km ha−1 of fine roots that probably increase carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling in rhizosphere soil. However, the quantitative importance of rhizosphere priming is still unknown for most ecosystems, including these plantations. Therefore, the objective of this work was to propose and evaluate a mechanistic model for the prediction of rhizosphere C and N cycling in Eucalyptus plantations. The potential importance of the priming effect was estimated for a typical Eucalyptus plantation in Brazil. The process-based model (ForPRAN – Forest Plantation Rhizosphere Available Nitrogen) predicts the change in rhizosphere C and N cycling resulting from root growth and consists of two modules: (1) fine-root growth and (2) C and N rhizosphere cycling. The model describes a series of soil biological processes: root growth, rhizodeposition, microbial uptake, enzymatic synthesis, depolymerization of soil organic matter, microbial respiration, N mineralization, N immobilization, microbial death, microbial emigration and immigration, and soil organic matter (SOM) formation. Model performance was quantitatively and qualitatively satisfactory when compared to observed data in the literature. Input variables with the most influence on rhizosphere N mineralization were (in order of decreasing importance) root diameter > rhizosphere thickness > soil temperature > clay concentration. The priming effect in a typical Eucalyptus plantation producing 42 m3 ha−1 yr−1 of shoot biomass, with assumed losses of 40 % of total N mineralized, was estimated to be 24.6 % of plantation N demand (shoot + roots + litter). The rhizosphere cycling model should be considered for adaptation to other forestry and agricultural production models where the inclusion of such processes offers the potential for improved model performance.

Changes with land use and management are the second largest cause of greenhouse gas emissions (E-GHG) into the atmosphere. So, it is important to better understand agricultural systems regarding C and N stocks, which are directly associated with soil quality. The objective of this work was to evaluate the impacts of pastoral use systems on C and N stocks and the natural abundance of 13C (δ13C) in the fractions of soil organic matter in the Brazilian Amazon biome. The pastoral systems evaluated involved two silvopastoral systems with 30% (SP30) and 60% (SP60) of shading, two full-sun pasture systems, one in use and under intensive management (IMP) and other in fallow and is considered degraded (DP), as well as a control area under forest (NV). Dominant the grass of the pasture areas was Mombasa grass (Megathyrsus maximus). The experiment design consisted of four replicates where the collection sites (trenches) were systematically distributed within the areas (SP30, SP60, NV, DP and IMP) and the layers (0–5, 5–15, 15–30, 30–60 and 60–100 cm). Silvopastoral system with 60% shading had the greatest carbon stock, even greater than the control forest at some depths. In comparison to the control condition (NV) in soil profile, SP30, DP and IMP, reduced C-total stocks by 24%, 17% and 20%, and N-total by 14%, 10% and 18%, respectively. The δ13C values were higher in the IMP and DP systems and lower in SP60 and NV, both in organic matter associated with minerals (MaOM) and particulate organic matter (POM). An isotopic enrichment occurred in all systems in the soil profile.

The connection between litter chemistry and the pathways controlling soil organic matter (SOM) formation and decay in forest ecosystems remains poorly understood, particularly in tropical soils. We addressed this question by incubating samples of a Ferralsol for 200 days with typical forest litter (leaves, twigs, bark, and roots) obtained from 13C-enriched Eucalyptus seedlings. Throughout the incubation, we monitored 13C/12C–CO2 evolved from the soil to quantify the microbial respiration of the 13C-labeled fresh plant litter and of the native SOM. Afterwards, we used density fractionation to obtain particulate organic matter (POM) with density 53 μm and mineral-associated SOM (MAOM, with particle-size

Author(s): Souza, IF; Almeida, LFJ; Jesus, GL; Pett-Ridge, J; Nico, PS; Kleber, M; Silva, IR | Abstract: Interactions with pedogenic oxides are a known mechanism of soil organic matter (SOM) protection, but little is known about how the protective power of pedogenic oxides varies with soil depth in highly weathered tropical soils. To address this issue, we followed the decomposition of a double-labeled plant litter (13C/15N) in microcosm experiments using samples collected at four depths (0-10, 10-20, 20-40, and 60-100 cm) from six Brazilian Oxisols. These soils were selected to include a range of taxonomic subtypes, spanning wide variations in mineralogy and texture. After a 12-mo incubation, we quantified the proportion of isotopically-labeled SOM (13C/15N) within the mineral fraction l53 μm (i.e., clay+silt). We found that litter-C retention increased with depth, while the opposite occurred for litter-N. Correlations between isotopicallylabeled SOM and short-range order (SRO) Al-/Fe-(hydr)oxides were insignificant in topsoil (0-10 cm), but increased with depth, reaching peak significance in the 20- to 40-cm interval (r = 0.64 and 0.58, for litter-C and -N, respectively). A similar trend was observed for crystalline Al-/Fe-(hydr)oxides, which were more strongly correlated with the retention of 13C than 15N. We posit that in subsoil, both SRO and crystalline Al-/Fe-(hydr)oxides are more readily involved in the neoformation of mineral-organic associations. Overall, litter-C is less efficiently transferred into the clay+silt fraction of C-rich topsoil relative to C-depleted subsoil horizons, which may represent a significant C sink for Oxisols.

Tropical eucalypt plantations are important sources of forest products and services. In these systems, nutrient management is a key practice, and consistent efforts are necessary to optimize the use of nutrient sources and maintain the sustainability of the forests. In this work, we evaluated the effects of nutrient management practices (fertilization and forest harvest residue management (FHRM)) and their interactions on the growth (root and shoot growth), nutrient acquisition, partitioning of nutrients, and nutrient use efficiency of trees in tropical eucalypt plantations. The experiment was conducted for five years, under field conditions, in a representative area of eucalypt production in Tres Lagoas, MS, Brazil. The treatments consisted of two FHRM systems (with or without forest residues on the forest floor) combined with three levels of fertilization (replacement, potential fertilization and control (without fertilization)) in a full factorial, in randomized blocks, with three replicates. The addition of forest harvest residue (FHR) increased the mass of fine roots by 41%. There was no effect of the treatments on the aboveground plant biomass or wood volume. In general, lower fertilization rates combined with FHR provided a similar acquisition of macro- and micronutrients by plants as the treatments with high fertilization. The acquisition of N and P by plants decreased in treatments with FHR. However, this effect was offset, at least in part, by a higher internal N and P use efficiency in plants. A similar pattern was observed for the other macro- and micronutrients (i.e., a lower nutrient uptake was compensated by a higher internal nutrient use efficiency in plants). Our findings add evidences that fertilization can be reduced in some tropical eucalypt plantations, although the responses of eucalypts to fertilization are generally significantly high in these regions, and the amount of fertilizer applied cannot be reduced deliberately. Our findings also indicate that combining FHR with fertilization is an important strategy to sustainably replace nutrients in these systems, even when nutrient-poor residues are used. The quantitative data we provide in this work may also help modelers to improve empirical and mechanistic models of nutrient dynamics in forest plantations.

Forest cover in areas degraded by mining is an alternative way of mitigating CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere by fixing C in tree biomass. This study evaluated the growth and C stocks of forest cover in an area of bauxite mining with four sources of fertilizer. Height (Ht), diameter at ground level (DGL), and diameter at breast height (DBH) were determined in Anadenanthera peregrina (Ap), clonal Eucalyptus (Euc), and a mixed plantation of 16 native forest species (Nat) at 6, 18, 36, and 56 months of age. Trunk+bark volume, biomass, and C stock were also determined for these forest covers at 56 months of age. The fertilization treatments were a standard (SF) adopted by the company, SF plus organic fertilizer (OF), chemical fertilizer (CF), and OF+CF. Euc displayed greater values of Ht, DGL, and DBH under OF+CF and OF. Fertilization did not influence the Ht and DBH of Ap, but DGL was higher under OF+CF at 36 months compared to SF. The Ht values of Nat were influenced by fertilization at 18 months, with the lowest values under SF. The fertilization influenced the DGL of Nat at 36 and 56 months, which did not occur with DBH. The pioneer species had higher Ht, DGL, and DGB compared to non-pioneer species, regardless of the type of fertilization studied. Fertilization influenced the Ht and DGL of pioneer species at 18 and 36 months of age and only the Ht of non-pioneer species. The estimates of Euc biomass (255 Mg ha-1) and C stocks (120 Mg ha-1) under OF+OC were four times greater than in Ap and Nat, which showed no difference between themselves or the types of fertilization. The growth and estimates of volume, biomass, and C stocks of the forest cover were comparable to those of unmined areas. Euc had the greatest growth, biomass, and C stocks.

Harvesting and reform in eucalyptus can lead to changes in soil organic matter (SOM). The objective of this work was to evaluate the changes in total organic C (TOC) and N (NT), C and N in humic acid (HA), fulvic acid (FH), light organic matter (LOM) and microbial biomass (MB), in Ultisol of eucalypt stands over one, two and four years of renovated areas in Rio Grande do Sul state. After the first year of eucalyptus reform, there were 78% of increases in TOC (0.0-1.0-m soil layer). After two years, there was an increase in TN and an average reduction of 52% in LOM-C (0.0-0.1-m soil layer). FA-C, HA-C, and HU-C presented mean reductions of 43 Mg ha–1 (0.0-1.0-m soil layer) after four years of reform. The litter contribution of previous crop and the crop residues from the harvest resulted in increments of the SOM fractions. However, there is a negative effect in later years.

Phosphorus (P) can undergo adsorption and precipitation reactions in the soil. When fixed to iron and aluminum oxyhydroxides in highly weathered soils, P is covalently linked to the soil solid phase and becomes unavailable to crops. Plants and microorganisms produce organic acids as a strategy to acquire P for growth. These compounds have been used to extract P from sparingly soluble phosphate minerals and may play a role in reverting P adsorption and fixation in the soil. The objective of this work was to study the ability of Aspergillus niger FS1 and organic acids to desorb P after 40 d of contact of the nutrient with 75-μm fractions of a typical highly weathered Oxisol. Samples of the soil fractions from the A and B horizons were incubated for 40 d with P at concentrations corresponding to 90% of the soil maximum P adsorption capacity (MPAC). The ability of A. niger FS1 to desorb P from the soil was performed in a culture medium optimized for phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms. The desorption kinetics of the P bound to the soil fractions was evaluated for oxalic acid at 10 mmol L−1, and for a mixture of oxalic + citric acids, both at 5 mmol L−1. Water at pH 7.0 and at pH 2.0 was used as controls. The fungus released 18.0% of the P from the A and B horizon fractions after 7 days of growth. Oxalic acid was the most efficient compound at desorbing P from the soil, releasing 32.7% of the P from the A horizon fraction, and 18.5%, for the B horizon fraction. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanistic basis of microbial P release from highly weathered soils, opening prospects for the development of microbial techniques allowing plant access to P fixed in the soils and the improvement of P fertilizer use efficiency.

The development of efficient fertilizers with a diminished environmental footprint will help meet the increasing demand for food and nutrients by a growing global population. Our objective was to evaluate whether an acidic mine waste (AMW) could be used beneficially by reacting it with sparingly soluble phosphate rocks (PRs) to produce more soluble P fertilizer materials. Three PRs from Brazil and Peru were reacted with different concentrations of AMW. Changes in mineralogy and P species were determined using a combination of X-ray diffraction and phosphorus K-edge XANES spectroscopy, in addition to extractable P concentrations. Increasing the AMW concentration typically increased extractable P. X-ray diffraction data showed transformation of apatite to other species when PRs were reacted with AMW at ≥50% (v/v) in water, with gypsum or anhydrite forming at AMW concentrations as low as 12.5%. Linear combination fitting analysis of X-ray absorption near edge structure spectra also indicated a progressive transformation of apatite to noncrystalline Fe(III)-phosphate and more soluble Ca-phosphates with increasing AMW concentration. Because this AMW is costly to dispose of, reacting it with PR to produce a higher-grade phosphate fertilizer material could decrease the environmental impacts of the AMW and diminish the consumption of pure acids in conventional P fertilizer production.

Despite the benefits of grass cultivation and organic fertilization in mining areas undergoing reclamation, these practices may be associated to CO2 emissions and soil organic matter (SOM) losses by priming effect. In the present study, we evaluated the changes on SOM pools and C–CO2 emissions in a bauxite-mined area under reclamation fertilized with poultry litter (PL) (0, 10, 20, and 40 Mg ha−1) and cultivated with Brachiaria brizantha. Increases of about 3·5 times in the soil labile C were observed 1 year after experiment establishment. High C–CO2 fluxes and a significant positive priming effect were observed in the presence of B. brizantha, increasing native C mineralization by nearly 4·9 times. Nevertheless, no net soil C loss was detected, probably because of the C inputs derived from B. brizantha, which offset these losses. In fact, the grass increased total organic C by 45% when fertilized with 40 Mg PL ha−1. The data obtained suggest that the cultivation of B. brizantha fertilized with PL can be a promising option for rapid recovery in SOM in areas under reclamation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Across southeastern Brazil, eucalypt plantations have been established in areas with predominantly low-fertility soils, in which nutrient cycling is critical for forest sustainability. However, despite continuous research on harvest residues (HR) over the last 30 years or more, the extent by which its decomposition rate is affected by management practices, climate conditions and soil properties is not well understood. We evaluated the decomposition of HR in 10 sites under eucalypt plantations within the Mata Atlântica and the Cerrado (savanna-like) biomes, which account for more than 60% of the area under eucalypt plantations in Brazil. In each site, we assessed the decomposition of HR as affected by three major management practices, namely bark removal or its maintenance, HR left on the soil surface or mixed into the topsoil, and N fertilization at 0 or 200 kg ha−1, in a complete factorial scheme, using 4 replicates per treatment. The remaining mass of HR was assessed at 0, 3, 6, 12 and 36 months after the installation of the experiments, yielding a total of 320 samples. HR decomposed 22% faster when it was mixed into the topsoil or when the bark was included, but it was minimally affected by N fertilization. While increasing precipitation, temperature, soil pH, exchangeable Ca and Mg, and sand content led to faster decomposition rates, the opposite occurred with increasing exchangeable Al and clay content. The mean annual precipitation and soil pH combined by multiple linear regressions explained approximately 70% of the variability in the decomposition of HR across the sites. Interestingly, the decomposition rate was inversely correlated to the soil carbon content in our study. Bark maintenance in the fields under eucalypt plantations reduces off-site nutrient exportation and contributes to an increase in the decomposition rate almost by the same extent as by incorporating HR into the topsoil. Additionally, environmental conditions and soil properties also exert strong influence over the decomposition of HR and should be considered for managing nutrient cycling and fertilization programs. This is particularly important for the sustainability of eucalypt plantations established in low-fertility soils across tropical regions.

Retaining harvest residues (HR) in the field is considered an option to recycle carbon (C) and nutrients in short-rotation plantations, but the fate of HR in the soil remains unclear. The effects of HR management and nitrogen (N) availability on soil organic matter (SOM) pools and microbial community structure of forest plantations represent a major knowledge gap. To fill this gap, we explored how management scenarios that differed in the amount and type of HR [removal of all residues (-R), residue retention without (+R/-B), or with bark (+R/+B)] and N availability [0 (-N) or 200 kg N ha-1 (+N)] influenced microbial activity and structure and SOM fractions in a recently afforested grassland. Specifically, we measured HR decomposition, carbon dioxide efflux (respired CO2), phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), and determined changes in particulate (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) over 12 months using differences in δ13C natural abundance between Eucalyptus HR and grassland soils (δ13C ∼-28 ‰ and -13 ‰, respectively). Microbial respiration was stimulated by HR retention (+R). Bark retention reduced HR half-life by ∼70 days, on average, while N had little influence. Bacterial groups (Gram-positive and Gram-negative) were the primary decomposer of eucalypt HR, while Actinobacteria used more of the former soil organic carbon (SOC). +R/+B increased fungal biomarker PLFA concentration and fungal:bacterial ratio, suggesting a key role of Fungi in the fragmentation of woody HR. N influence on microbial community structure and SOM pools was dependent upon HR management. Retaining HR increased SOC concentrations, most significantly in the 0–1 cm soil depth and POM fraction, and when bark was included. +R/+B resulted in higher POM-C concentrations (up to +37%) and more depleted δ13C-POM compared with -R and +R/-B, respectively. Collectively, our results suggest it is feasible to increase POM-C and fungal abundance through HR management practices in the early stages of decomposition, which may potentially contribute to SOC stabilization in the long-term. Yet our findings remain to be tested in long-term studies, we provide quantitative evidence of the potential of a more conservative HR management to contribute to the sustainability of eucalypt plantations.

The southern Brazilian grasslands (Pampas) are a new frontier of eucalypt plantation expansion, but the impacts of this land use change (LUC) on soil organic matter (SOM) are not well documented. In this study, we evaluated changes in the particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) fractions following the afforestation of a grassland in southern Brazil over an entire eucalypt rotation. Additionally, SOM dynamics was assessed in two soil zones [row (R) and inter-row (IR)] created by soil preparation, which consists on scraping the soil surface from the IR to the R along with subsoiling to build ridges for eucalypt plating (i.e., ridge tillage). The soil was sampled to a depth of 60 cm in the R and IR positions, and the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in the SOM fractions were determined. We used natural 13C abundance differences to compare the contributions of the ‘new’ C input (C3, eucalypt stands) to the ‘native’ SOM (C4, grasslands). The conversion of the grassland to eucalypt stands resulted in losses in C and N stocks in both the R and IR after 68 months. Soil management controlled the magnitude and directions of C and N changes. The C loss in the R was ∼1.3-fold higher than that in the IR (20.6 Mg ha−1; p

Organic acids produced by microorganisms have been proposed as a biotechnological tool to release phosphorus (P) from sparingly soluble rock phosphates (RPs). In this work, organic acids commonly associated with microbial P solubilization (citric, gluconic, itaconic, malic, and oxalic) were applied at increasing doses to solubilize RPs with distinct reactivity grades. P solubilization by organic acids was compared to sulfuric acid, the traditional reagent applied in RP solubilization for fertilizer production. The acid type and its concentration had more influence on solubilized P than RP reactivity. In general, the efficiency of organic acids was oxalic > citric ≥ malic > itaconic > gluconic. Oxalic and sulfuric acids solubilized 100% of the P contained in all RPs composed by apatite [Ca5(PO4)3(OH,F,Cl)]. However, oxalic acid was superior to sulfuric acid, releasing more P per mmol of acid applied. In average, each mmol of oxalic acid released 21 mg P, while sulfuric acid solubilized 14 mg P mmol−1. Thus, microorganisms producing oxalic acid appear as a promising alternative to process RP via a biotechnological route.

Eucalypt plants can take up calcium (Ca) from soils with nondetectable levels of exchangeable Ca2+. This suggests the operation of unknown processes capable of rendering non-exchangeable forms of the nutrient available to eucalypts. An explanatory hypothesis for this phenomenon is that soil acidification by ammonium can release Ca from Ca-oxalate and soil minerals. Therefore, the objective of this work was to study the interactions between Ca-oxalate and ammonium on Ca and N nutrition of a Eucalyptus grandis × Eucalyptus urophylla hybrid (Eucalyptus urograndis) in a soil with nondetectable exchangeable Ca2+. For this, E. urograndis seedlings (clone AEC 144) were grown in pots with soil fertilized with the combination of five Ca doses (0, 0.10, 0.20, 0.40, and 0.80 cmolc/kg) as Ca-oxalate, and five N doses (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) as NH4Cl. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse for 60 days. Two additional experiments were conducted to verify the stability of Ca-oxalate at different doses in the soil along an incubation time of 60 days and at different soil pH. E. urograndis dry matter production and Ca and N uptake were highly dependent on ammonium applied to the soil, but only slightly influenced by Ca-oxalate. When no Ca-oxalate was added, Ca from a non-exchangeable source was transferred to E. urograndis. This transfer increased with increasing ammonium supply, stabilizing at the highest N dose applied. Ca-oxalate solubilization in the soil without E. urograndis plants ranged from 62 to 94% after 60 days of soil incubation and the release of Ca from Ca-oxalate did not change as a function of pH. In general, the release of Ca from Ca-oxalate presented two behaviors: pH-independent (trial without plants) and pH/NH4+-dependent (trial with plants). This is the first report demonstrating that ammonium lead to the mobilization of non-exchangeable Ca reservoirs by E. urograndis plants cultivated in a soil with no exchangeable Ca.

Changes in carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) reserves reflect the impacts of land use and management. The objective was to evaluate the changes in organic matter stocks and quality in an Oxisol under intensive vegetable cultivation in the Brazilian Cerrado region. Four areas were selected: one under Cerrado vegetation (CV) and three under vegetable production with 15 (VG15), 20 (VG20) and 30 (VG30) years of cultivation. Soil samples were collected for the determination of total C (TC) and total N (TN) in soil organic matter fractions and the biochemical composition of particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MOM). The smallest C stocks were observed on VG30, whereas the CV area had the highest values. The TN stocks were similar across treatments. The levels of labile C decreased with cultivation time. Increases and reductions in carbohydrate and lignin ratios in POM and MOM occurred in VG15 and VG20, respectively, with POM being more sensitive to changes in land use. There was greater similarity between VG15 and VG20, but differences between CV and VG30. There was a correlation between higher labile reserves (labile C and carbohydrates) and areas with shorter land use and between Cmic and agricultural use for 30 years. There was also a negative correlation between soil nutrients and the total and MOM C and N contents as well as the MOM carbohydrate levels, and there was also a negative correlation between Cmic and TC. The intensive use of Oxisols promoted a reduction in soil organic matter stocks and altered their quality.

A competição entre plantas daninhas e culturas é um dos principais fatores responsáveis por perdas de produtividade nos campos agrícolas. Esta revisão teve como objetivo apresentar e discutir como a interação entre plantas daninhas e microrganismos pode afetar a capacidade competitiva de plantas daninhas, bem como as propriedades físico-químicas do solo. Ainda, abordamos como as mudanças na estequiometria elementar de plantas daninhas podem refletir a capacidade competitiva e adaptativa das mesmas. Embora as plantas daninhas sejam mais dependentes de associações com microrganismos do solo do que as culturas para o crescimento, há poucos trabalhos que avaliaram a contribuição da microbiota do solo para o sucesso competitivo dessas plantas em agroecossistemas. Quando em competição, as plantas podem mudar a estequiometria elementar de seus tecidos em ambientes com variada disponibilidade de nutrientes. A estequiometria elementar de plantas tem sido particularmente bem estudada em abordagens ecológicas sobre a dinâmica de populações de plantas invasoras em ecossistemas naturais e parece ser ferramenta promissora para conhecer a capacidade das plantas daninhas para adaptar a diferentes manejos agrícolas. As plantas controlam os ciclos biogeoquímicos do carbono e do nitrogênio na rizosfera por meio de um fenômeno denominado efeito priming rizosférico (EPR). Embora esta revisão tenha levantado um conjunto de informações da literatura que fornecem fortes indícios de que a convivência das culturas com plantas daninhas pode aumentar a mineralização da matéria orgânica do solo (MOS), não se tem conhecimento de estudos que investiguem os efeitos da competição entre tais plantas sobre o EPR. The competition between weeds and crops is one of the main factors responsible for productivity losses in agricultural fields. This review aimed at presenting and discussing how the interactions between weeds and microorganisms can affect the competitive capacity of weeds and soil physicochemical properties. We also discuss how changes in the elemental stoichiometry of weeds can reflect their competitive and adaptative capacity. Although weeds are more dependent on associations with soil microorganisms than crops for growth, few studies have assessed the contribution of the soil microbiota to their competitive success in agroecosystems. When in competition, plants can change the elemental stoichiometry of their tissues in environments with varied nutrient availability. Elemental stoichiometry of plants has been particularly well studied using ecological approaches on the dynamics of weed populations in natural ecosystems, being a promising tool for understanding weed capacity to adapt to different agricultural managements. Plants control the biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in the rhizosphere through a phenomenon known as the rhizosphere priming effect (RPE). Although this review has found some information in the literature that provides strong indications that the coexistence of weeds and crops may increase soil organic matter mineralization, we are not aware of studies investigating the effects of competition among these plants on RPE.

Hypoxia promoted distinct changes in the levels of hormones, amino acids and organic acids in the roots and shoots of a seedling from 2 Eucalyptus clones. These results indicate that modulation of hormone production, as well as specific chemical constituents associated with primary metabolism, contributes to the regulation of growth of Eucalyptus seedlings under hypoxic conditions. Although floods in areas under Eucalyptus cultivation in Brazil negatively affect plant growth, chemical markers and/or indicators of hypoxia contributes to the regulation.s This study aimed to evaluate the hormonal and metabolic alterations induced by hypoxia on seedling growth. Seedlings of Eucalyptus urograndis clones VCC 975 and 1004 were grown in liquid solution and submitted to bubbling with air or with nitrogen. Levels of indol-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), primary metabolite profile and photosynthetic parameters were evaluated after fourteen days. Hypoxia did not affect shoot dry mass of the seedlings. However, it decreased stomatal conductance and photosynthetic CO2 assimilation rate, and increased levels of ABA in the shoot. Hypoxia greatly reduced the dry mass and volume of roots, concomitantly with higher ACC and ethylene production. Moreover, hypoxia promoted distinct changes in IAA levels, and in amino acid and organic acid metabolism in roots and shoots. The biosynthesis of ABA, ethylene and IAA and its quantity in root tissues indicates the regulation of metabolism in response to hypoxia in Eucalyptus clones.

This study aimed: i) to evaluate the influence of fertilization and irrigation management on eucalyptus plantations for soil carbon (C) dynamics; ii) to evaluate the impact of fertilization and irrigation management on eucalyptus plantations in the C allocation in depth compared to the Cerrado biome. This study was carried out in an eucalyptus plantation at the end of the third rotation (7 years), which received different fertilizations and irrigations, and a Cerrado area was used as reference. Soil samples were collected in trenches and the gases (CO2 and CH4) on the surface. The total organic carbon (TOC) is more influenced by the availability of water than nutrients. Soils under eucalyptus stands are more efficient at C stocks in depth than the Cerrado and act as a liquid drain of CO2 and CH4 from the atmosphere.

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometric methods were used to predict the chemical properties of decomposing eucalyptus harvest residues to better understand the decomposition process of these materials. Leaves, twigs, branches, and bark from a decomposition experimental set up in commercial plantations were sampled for one year. The contents of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), extractives (EX), acid-soluble lignin (SL), Klason insoluble lignin (KL) and holocellulose (HC) were determined by the reference method in the collected samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to distinguish the types of harvest residues throughout the decomposition period. Multi-residue regression models were built from the NIR spectra using partial least squares regression (PLS). Two feature selection methods, i.e., ordered predictors selection (OPS) and genetic algorithm (GA), were applied and compared. The OPS and GA did not differ statistically; however, compared with the GA, OPS was more computationally efficient and selected fewer variables. Using the PLS-OPS models, the root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) for C, N, EX, SL, KL and HC were 19.70, 0.08, 0.74, 0.39, 28.13 and 33.99, respectively, and the prediction correlations (Rp) for these properties were 0.94, 0.99, 0.99, 0.99, 0.96 and 0.98, respectively. PLS-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to classify the samples over the decomposition time and provided a good separation. Some mismatches obtained in the modeled classes were explained by the differences in the decomposition rate and changes in the chemical composition of the different harvest residue components that were evaluated. The results showed the feasibility of NIR spectroscopy and chemometric methods to evaluate the chemistry of decomposing eucalyptus harvest residues, indicating that these methods can be used as rapid and inexpensive alternatives to conventional methods to help understand the decomposition process.

Linking plant litter biochemistry, its decomposition and soil organic matter (SOM) formation is not straightforward. In this research, we evaluated the decomposition of four biochemical fractions operationally defined as i) hot-water extractable (HWE), ii) total solvent (acetone) extractable (TSE), iii) acid-base (HNO3-KOH) unhydrolyzable cellulosic fraction (CF), and iv) acid (H2SO4) unhydrolyzable (AUR) and the transfer of C from these fractions to SOM. Each biochemical fraction was Soxhlet-extracted from isotopically labeled (13C) leaves, twigs, bark and roots of eucalypt plants (120 days old). The molecular composition of each fraction was inferred from thermochemolysis with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), followed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). For the incubation, we collected soil samples from the topsoil (0–20 cm) of a sandy-clay loam, kaolinitic Haplic Ferralsol. Four plant organs and four biochemical fractions were arranged into a (4 × 4) + 1 factorial scheme, including one control treatment (soil only). The samples were incubated at 80% of their water-holding capacity and kept under controlled temperature (25 °C). The decomposition of the biochemical fractions was monitored by determining the CO2 concentration into the headspace of the vials at 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 13, 21, 28, 38, 46, 70, 80, 92, 112, 148, 178, and 200 days after the incubation had started. After the incubation, soil samples were submitted to density followed by particle-size fractionation. HWE and CF decomposed at faster rates than TSE and AUR throughout the incubation. The soil fraction < 53 μm retained a significantly higher proportion of the initial C input of HWE (32%) and AUR (31%) than TSE (19%) or CF (15%). Light fraction of organic matter (LFOM) with density < 1.8 g cm− 3, retained a significant proportion of AUR (37%) and TSE (32%) while CF was mostly lost as CO2 (79%). Selective preservation of organic materials (e.g., long-chain lipids) within the AUR and TSE fractions appears to be a significant pathway for the formation of SOM. SOM formation through a microbial-driven pathway cannot be ruled out for any biochemical fraction evaluated, but it seems more relevant for HWE and CF. In short-term, substrate biochemistry exerts a strong influence on the conversion of eucalypt litter fractions into either CO2 or SOM. Despite inherent challenges upfront, considering such dynamics at the ecosystem level will help to improve our current understanding on C storage and CO2 emissions from soils in long-term scales.

A expansão de plantações de eucalipto no sul do Brasil na última década, especialmente em áreas com campos naturais, potencialmente altera a dinâmica do carbono orgânico total (COT ) e nitrogênio total (NT ) do solo. Objetivou-se testar o modelo Century 4.5 na simulação das mudanças de estoques de COT e NT na camada superficial (0,0-0,2 m) do solo, em povoamentos de Eucalyptus sp. com diferentes idades em três municípios no RS. Áreas adjacentes com campos naturais foram usadas para estimar os estoques originais de COT e NT desses locais. O modelo Century 4.5 apresentou bom ajuste na simulação do estoque de COT no solo, com valores similares entre os simulados e observados, podendo ser empregado na simulação da dinâmica da matéria orgânica no campo natural e nas plantações de eucalipto dos diferentes locais estudados. Para o estoque de NT do solo, mesmo com as alterações de parâmetros, o modelo Century 4.5 não conseguiu simular esse estoque do solo com eficácia e acurácia estatística aceitável. The expansion of eucalyptus plantations in southern Brazil, especially over regions with natural grasslands, which occurred in the last decade potentially changes total organic carbon and nitrogen in soil. The aim of this study was to test the Century model 4.5 in the simulation of changes in inventories of TOC and TN in the surface layer (0.0-0.2 m) soil in Eucalyptus sp. com different ages in three municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Areas adjacent to grasslands were used to estimate the original stocks of TOC and TN these sites. The Century model 4.5 showed a good adjustment in the simulation of the soil TOC stock, with similar values of simulated and observed, and can be used to simulate organic matter dynamics in pasture and in eucalyptus plantations. Even with changes of parameters, the model failed to simulate the TN stocks with acceptable statistical accuracy and efficiency.