Chemical,physical and micromorphological properties of termite mounds and adjacent soils along a toposequence in Zona da Mata,Minas Gerais State,Brazil |
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Authors: | Tathiane Santi Sarcinelli,Carlos Ernesto G.R. Schaefer,Leila de Souza Lynch,Helga Dias Arato,Joã o Herbert M. Viana,Manoel Ricardo de Albuquerque Filho,Teresa Telles Gonç alves |
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Affiliation: | 1. Departamento de Solos, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, UFV. Av. PH Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, 36570-000, Viçosa-MG, Brazil;2. Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, CNPq, Brasília-DF, Brazil;3. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Embrapa-CNPMS, Sete Lagoas-MG, Brazil;4. Departamento de Biologia Animal-Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, UFV. Av. PH Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, 36570-000, Viçosa-MG, Brazil |
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Abstract: | Little is known about the effects of neotropical mound-building termites in soil chemical and physical properties. The influence of soil termite activity on soil characteristics was studied by assessing chemical, physical and micromorphological properties of a toposequence of Latosols (Oxisols). Soil samples were collected from the walls and inner parts of termite mounds and also from adjacent soil. A high diversity of termite genera was found in the mounds along the toposequence, together with the inquiline termites and other soil-dwelling arthropods. Chemical analyses showed that pH and the contents of organic C and N, P, Ca and Mg were significantly higher in termite mounds compared with adjacent areas, with an inverse trend for Al content. Significant differences in pH and exchangeable Al were observed between soil and mound across the slopes. The mound density across the landscape was higher at the upper slope segment, followed by the hill top, middle slope and lower slope segments. Considering a lifespan of 30 years and dimensions of termite mounds found in the toposequence we conclude that the textural and chemical uniformity of Latosols may be increased, following the pedobiological turnover during mound building, with local rates varying from 2.1 to 7.5 m3 ha− 1. |
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Keywords: | Tropical soils Micromorphology Latosols Soil biology Termite mounds Brazil Pedobioturbation |
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