Abstract

HEREDIA, Olga Susana; GIUFFRE, Lidia; GORLERI, Florentino Javier  and  CONTI, Marta Elvira. Soil quality in the north of Santa Fe: Effect of geomorphology and land use. Cienc. suelo [online]. 2006, vol.24, n.2, pp.109-114. ISSN 1850-2067.

The objective of this work was to study the effect of the geomorphology and the land use on soil physical-chemical properties in the Chaco forest in Santa Fe, Argentina. Soils were classified according to Soil Taxonomy and characterized by several properties: texture, organic carbon (OC), extractable phosphorus (Pe), soil reaction (pH) and electrical conductivity (CE). An ANOVA was performed for the treatments land use and land position. The situations evaluated were: natural pasture (aibal) (Ai), 2 yr agricultural use (Ch2), 20 yr agricultural use (Ch20), monte (M), quebrachal (Qu) and espartillar (Es). The soils were Typic Argiudolls, Albaqualfs and Epiaqualfs, with different clay content, pH and CE. In general, soils had fine textures, hydromorphic symptoms at different depths, and low Pe contents. pH values varied from moderately acid to neutral in surface, and increased at deeper horizons. The soils also differed in surface horizon thickness and in salt content. Soils in positive landscape positions were more developed and had lower clay content than soils in negative positions of the landscape like the quebrachal and the espartillar. Land use affected OC, pH and Pe. The OC diminished 29.1% in the situation Ch2 and 46.7% in the situation Ch20. Pe decreased 35.9% in the situation Ch20. The pH value in the pristine situation (Ai) was 6.7, and diminished to 6.1 and 5.6 as a result of the agriculturization. The depth of A horizon decreased from 22 in Ai, to 16 cm in Ch20 situation. In geomorphologycal homogeneous situations Ai, Ch2 and Ch20 the land use defined the soil quality.

Keywords : Physico-chemical properties; Chaco forest; Mollisols; Alfisols.

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