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Rossini Mattos Corrêa
Perito Federal Agrário, Instituto
Nacional de Colonização e
Reforma Agrária (INCRA) – Recife
(PE), Brasil.

José Antônio Aleixo da Silva
Professor titular do
Departamento de Ciências
Florestais, Universidade Federal
Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE) –
Recife (PE), Brasil.

Maria Bethânia
Galvão dos Santos Freire
Professora associada da UFRPE –
Recife (PE), Brasil.

Gunter Gunkel
Priv. Doz. Dr. Rer. Nat. TU Berlin,
Techniche Universität Berlin (TU
Berlin) – Germany.

Marilia Regina Costa Castro
Professora D.Sc., Instituto
Federal de Educação Ciência
e Tecnologia de Pernambuco
(IFPE) – Recife (PE), Brasil.

Corresponding address:
Rossini Mattos Corrêa
Rua Antônio Camilo Dias, 171,
apto 1202 – Madalena –
CEP: 50720-585 – Recife (PE), Brasil –
E-mail: rossini1974@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The aim of this study is to evaluate land uses, using physical and chemical
attributes in the irrigated perimeter Ico-Mandantes, between Petrolândia
and Floresta, in the semiarid region of Pernambuco, Brazil. The identified
uses of the land are as follows: short cycle crops (C), fruit (F), pasture (P),
abandoned areas (D), and native vegetation (V). This study evaluated the
uses C, F, D, P and V. In both places, samples were collected from deformed
soil at 0–10, 10–30, and 30–60 cm, as well as non-deformed soil from the
first two layers to the physical determinations and chemical properties. The
data of physical and chemical analyses were subjected to descriptive linear
analysis and multivariate analysis, the technique of principal component
analysis, and clustering by the Tocher method. The use of the native
vegetation differed from all other uses among the analyzed layers, thereby
indicating that the productive uses which were evaluated, promote in fact
changes in the physical and chemical layers studied. The analysis of the
physical and chemical attributes do not differentiate any of the productive
uses systematically analyzed in all layers.

Keywords: soil quality; soil management; native vegetation; land use;
São Francisco; semi-arid.

RESUMO
Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar usos do solo utilizando atributos
físicos e químicos no perímetro irrigado Icó-Mandantes, entre Petrolândia
e Floresta, semiárido de Pernambuco. Foram identificados os usos do solo:
culturas de ciclo curto (C), fruticultura (F), pastagem (P), áreas descartadas (D)
e vegetação nativa (V). Neste estudo avaliaram-se os usos C, F, D, P e V. Para
tanto, coletaram-se amostras de solo deformadas nas camadas de 0–10,
10–30 e 30–60 cm, e indeformadas nas duas primeiras camadas para as
determinações físicas e químicas. Os dados das análises físicas e químicas
foram submetidos à análise descritiva e à análise multivariada, pela técnica
de análise de componentes principais, e agrupamento pelo método Tocher.
O uso vegetação nativa diferenciou-se dos demais usos em todas as camadas
analisadas, indicando que os usos produtivos avaliados promoveram
alterações nos atributos físicos e químicos nas camadas estudadas. A análise
conjunta dos atributos físicos e químicos não diferenciou nenhum uso
produtivo sistematicamente em todas as camadas analisadas.

Palavras-chave: qualidade do solo; manejo do solo; vegetação nativa; uso do
solo; São Francisco; semiárido.

CHANGES IN SOIL PROPERTIES IN FUNCTION OF DIFFERENT
SOIL USES IN THE IRRIGATED PERIMETER OF ICO-MANDANTES

IN THE SEMIARID REGION OF PERNAMBUCO, BRAZIL
MUDANÇAS NAS PROPRIEDADES DO SOLO EM FUNÇÃO DE DIFERENTES USOS DO SOLO NO

PERÍMETRO IRRIGADO DE ICÓ-MANDANTES NA REGIÃO SEMIÁRIDA DE PERNAMBUCO, BRASIL

DOI: 10.5327/Z2176-947820151014

Changes in soil properties in function of different soil uses in the irrigated perimeter of ico-mandantes in the semiarid region of Pernambuco, Brazil

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RBCIAMB | n.36 | jun 2015 | 212-223

INTRODUCTION
The inclusion of areas in agriculture in the semiarid re-
gion of Northeastern Brazil must ensure, through irri-
gation, the environmental sustainability of the region
without which there would be no economic feasibility
of the project. The sustainability of an irrigation district
determines, among other things, the maintenance of
soil productivity that undergoes physical and chemical
changes in its biological attributes within the produc-
tion systems by the application of fertilizers and pesti-
cides, machinery transit, and a change in the water re-
gime of the river basins and the removal of vegetation
thus exposing the soil to the weather.

After the removal of natural vegetation, the soil has of-
ten seen changes in its chemical attributes, which are de-
pendent on the weather, the type of culture and cultural
practices adopted. In the semiarid region, some authors
(TIESSEN et al., 1992, 1998; FRAGA & SALCEDO, 2004)
observed that the replacement of native vegetation, Caat-
inga, for agricultural crops caused significant decrease:
from 40 to 50% in the levels of soil organic carbon.

Assessments of agricultural uses of soils using soil at-
tributes as indicators are a constant work in evaluat-
ing production systems, in order to adapt systems or
propose more sustainable land uses. Accordingly, Carp-
enedo & Mielniczuk (1990) observed that soil cultiva-
tion would bring about some physical changes, with
more pronounced changes in the conventional tillage
than in the conservation which is manifested usually
in soil density, volume, and size distribution pores and
soil aggregate stability, thereby influencing water infil-
tration, water erosion, and plant development.

The changes caused by the different land uses in the
semiarid region, and which have characteristics like
peculiar soil and climate, should be studied for the
proposition of sustainable models maximizing produc-
tion and avoiding degradation of natural resources.
This study aimed to evaluate land uses in an irrigated
perimeter in the semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil
using physical and chemical attributes of the soil.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The site of the study was the irrigated perimeter of
Ico-Mandantes, Block 3, located in the municipality
of Petrolândia, Pernambuco, on the shores of the Itapar-
ica Reservoir, São Francisco River, which is a part of the
resettlement conducted by the Hydroelectric Company
of San Francisco (CHESF). They are areas of soils devel-
oped from sedimentary rocks, mainly sandstones and
shales of the cretaceous calciferous. The climate, ac-
cording to the Köppen classification, is characterized
as BSw’h’, semi-arid climate with a short rainy season
(average of 460 mm), and the native vegetation of the
region is the Hiperxerophilic Caatinga (THEMAG, 1986).

All plots visited for the identification of land uses, were
irrigated. In agricultural lots, there were landmarked
area for each use and information as the type(s), of the
crop(s), the irrigation system, the batch production sit-
uation, and when necessary the location of the various
uses within the batch. The Hydroelectric Company of São
Francisco River (CHESF) in some cases discarded some
lots considered unfit for cultivation and agricultural uses.

It was then possible to classify the uses in the follow-
ing manner:

1. short cycle (C): areas cultivated with annual crops,
the most representative pumpkin, watermelon, ci-
lantro, corn, and beans;

2. fruit (F): the cultivated areas were predominant-
ly with banana, coconut, guava, and mango. The
movement of the soil by plowing and disking is only
the deployment of crops, without the use of ma-
chinery in harvesting and treatment plant;

3. pasture (P): these areas are continually used as na-
tive pasture in some cases and in others, between
periods of cultivation of short cycle more widely
spaced, with an intermediate soil movement be-
tween uses C and F, where, in general, to maintain
the pasture, it is practiced over irrigation;

4. abandoned areas (D): areas as identified by CHESF
not recommended for agricultural practices, as well
as areas with regeneration of the native vegetation;

5. native vegetation (V): original areas of Caatinga, with-
out human intervention or historical agricultural crop.

Corrêa, R.M. et al.

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It is noteworthy that the uses related to agricultural sys-
tems, i.e. C, F, P, and D, were conducted with the prac-
tice of irrigation, except use D when it was observed
that there were signs of the vegetation regeneration.

After the identification of uses in the area, using the
map of soils classification, it was selected as the area
for the study with sandy texture. These soils are more
representative of the perimeter, with approximately
50% of the area irrigated.

Along with the definition of the total area of each use in
sandy soils, was taken into consideration the possibility
of an homogeneity in the attributes of soils under differ-
ent land uses, and it was adopted as stratified random
sampling (MEUNIER et al., 2001). The sampling unit
was set to 0.5 hectare, submultiple of the area of lots
(1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 ha). Each sample unit was located
on the map and received an identification code to draw.

For each use, single soil samples were collected in
15 randomly selected points at 0–10, 10–30, and
30–60 cm, making the use of repetitions, totaling
225 samples, and holding the collection of soil sam-
ples in layers 0–10 and 10–30 cm for the determina-
tion of bulk density.

For the physical properties, the following were deter-
mined: the granulometric composition and clay dis-
persed in water (ADA) by the method of the densitom-
eter, the bulk density (BD) by the method of volumetric
cylinder (sample un deformed), the particle density
with the volumetric flask and saturated hydraulic con-

ductivity of the permeated vertical column and con-
stant load (EMBRAPA, 1997). With the data of particles
and bulk density, it was calculated as total porosity
(TP), and with a total clay and clay dispersed in water, it
was calculated as the degree of clay flocculation (DCF).

The following chemical attributes in the samples were
determined: pH and electrical conductivity (CE) of the
soil and soil saturation extract (pHes, CEes) (Richards,
1954). In soil, the pH in water (1:2.5) is available at P
with Mehlich-1 (EMBRAPA, 1997) and assayed by colo-
rimetric (BRAGA & DEFELIPO, 1974), total organic car-
bon (TOC) by the Walkley-Black (MENDONÇA & MA-
TOS, 2005), Ca, Mg, K, Na, and CTC (RICHARDS, 1954).
After, it was calculated as the sum of bases (SB), the
percentage of base saturation (V%) and the exchange-
able sodium percentage (ESP). The carbon stock (CS) in
a certain depth (Mg ha-1) was calculated by CS = (TOC).
(Ds).(e)/10, where TOC is the total organic carbon con-
tent (g.kg-1), Ds is the average density of the soil depth
(kg.dm-3) and the layer thickness (cm).

After calculating descriptive statistical data, it was used
as the principal components analysis (PCA) to evaluate
the characteristics of soils in sets of physical and chem-
ical attributes (SOUZA, 2001). It was adopted as the
minimum PCA involving at least 80% of the total vari-
ation (CRUZ et al., 2004). The Tocher method for the
cluster analysis was held from scores of PCA retained
for interpretation according to the criterion adopted,
applying as a measure of dissimilarity, the mean Euclid-
ean distance (RAO, 1952).

RESULTS
Physical attributes
The descriptive statistics for the different land uses are
shown in Table 1.

Land use D showed the highest average density of par-
ticles in three layers, followed by using C, other uses
had values considerably smaller and similar.

The average values of Sd and TP were similar for use
in the V layer. For other uses there was an increase of
mean values of Sd and a decrease in PT 10–30 cm layer
in comparison to the 0–10 cm. In the 10–30 cm layer
uses, the C and D values were observed slightly larger

than that observed Sd for use V. The CDW in the sur-
face layer of uses P and F showed average values, while
the use of higher value has been in use D. By observing
the results of CDW in depth there were increases in the
subsoil layers, especially in the use D, from 7.94% in
the 0–10 cm layer to a value exceeding 11% of the total
clay in the lower layers.

The FD had an inverse relationship with the CDW values,
was consistent with the CDW data, observing the high-
est values of FD uses for P and F, an intermediate value
for the use of V and lower values for the uses D and C.

Changes in soil properties in function of different soil uses in the irrigated perimeter of ico-mandantes in the semiarid region of Pernambuco, Brazil

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Table 1 – Mean and standard deviation (s) of physical attributes of the land
uses corresponding to short cycle (C), discarded area (D), fruit (F), pasture (P) and native vegetation (V).

Atributes
Layer
(cm)

Soil uses

C D F P V

Ῡ s Ῡ s Ῡ s Ῡ s Ῡ s

Pd (kg.dm-3)

0–10 2.56 0.10 2.60 0.08 2.48 0.08 2.50 0.08 2.50 0.08

10–30 2.57 0.10 2.62 0.09 2.48 0.09 2.51 0.09 2.49 0.07

30–60 2.56 0.13 2.59 0.10 2.52 0.11 2.52 0.10 2.49 0.13

Sd (kg.dm-3)
0–10 1.65 0.07 1.69 0.07 1.62 0.06 1.60 0.14 1.69 0.08

10–30 1.76 0.16 1.80 0.10 1.72 0.10 1.70 0.14 1.69 0.15

TP
0–10 0.36 0.04 0.35 0.03 0.35 0.04 0.36 0.06 0.33 0.05

10–30 0.32 0.07 0.31 0.05 0.31 0.05 0.32 0.06 0.32 0.07

Sand (g.kg-1)

0–10 860.1 45.7 848.0 32.1 881.0 69.7 891.6 27.7 876.9 34.0

10–30 844.5 32.6 820.5 55.7 877.9 24.0 869.3 29.1 873.2 28.8

30–60 825.7 50.5 813.1 62.4 861.7 21.5 840.3 48.6 866.5 19.1

Silt (g.kg-1)

0–10 40.1 22.2 37.6 13.7 42.2 67.1 24.6 17.2 25.2 16.8

10–30 33.1 17.1 33.1 10.5 20.2 7.5 21.4 9.7 18.9 11.0

30–60 36.0 19.0 33.2 11.8 25.1 10.1 26.8 14.8 21.9 9.6

Clay (g kg-1)

0–10 99.9 29.6 114.4 22.5 76.8 11.4 83.8 19.7 98.0 20.0

10–30 122.4 24.1 146.4 56.7 101.9 22.8 109.3 25.5 107.9 21.0

30–60 138.2 36.4 153.7 55.9 113.3 19.4 132.9 39.1 111.6 10.7

CDW (g.kg-1)

0–10 73.2 29.1 79.4 28.1 49.7 16.0 48.1 25.4 63.3 11.7

10–30 90.3 21.7 118.4 569 76.1 23.1 76.3 34.0 68.2 13.5

30–60 87.0 42.8 110.3 66.2 77.1 29.5 86.8 54.7 72.6 16.7

DCF (%)

0–10 29.65 11.1 31.46 16.4 36.56 18.5 45.80 25.3 34.95 7.44

10–30 26.58 6.3 20.46 9.59 26.24 8.19 32.48 23.7 36.61 5.31

30–60 37.40 20.5 29.91 23.4 32.48 20.8 36.50 28.1 35.23 11.9

SHC (cm.h-1)

0–10 25.89 15.8 21.99 9.90 38.86 16.7 30.30 12.2 17.75 9.4

10–30 18.68 7.9 16.98 8.97 30.81 14.2 26.18 12.5 20.24 17.6

30–60 19.56 13.6 16.59 11.1 28.40 12.2 17.86 12.1 13.41 5.9

Depth (m) 1.81 0.52 1.11 0.66 2.11 0.25 1.96 0.51 1.93 0.5

Ῡ: mean; s: standard deviation; Pd: particle density; Sd: soil density; TP: total porosity; CDW: clay dispersed in water; DCF: degree of clay flocculation;
SHC: saturated hydraulic conductivity.

Corrêa, R.M. et al.

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While valuating the depth of the layer for soil preven-
tion were observed in the uses of high average values

M, C, P and V, while in the use of the average depth D
was 1.11 m (Table 1).

CHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES
The descriptive statistics for the different land uses are
shown in Table 2.

Observe pHs and pHse with values close to zero. Consid-
ering the use BS as the standard, inserting a cultivation
system in raise of pHs, particularly in the surface layer of
the soil. The PHse showed higher values, even surpassing
the value of 7.0, characteristic of neutral ground reaction.

ECse increased in all uses compared to soils under na-
tive vegetation. These increases, although not suffi-
cient to classify soils as saline, demonstrate the signifi-
cant increase of salts on the surface. Regarding the use

of BS with ECse 0.23 dS.m-1 at 0–10 cm was observed
for the uses C, D, and P values CEes of 0.91, 0.80, and
0.76 dS m-1, respectively, significantly higher than V
using reference. Using F presented for the 0–10 cm
CEes of 0.38 dS.m-1, the use value greater than V, but
significantly lower than those recorded for other uses.

The mean values of the ESP for all uses layers evaluated
were low, not exceeding 3.5%, except use P at 0-10 cm,
which showed 5.6% ESP.

Observing the values of CEC, it was found that the low
values are justified by the low clay soils found in the

Atribute
Layer
(cm)

Soil uses

C D F P V

Ῡ s Ῡ s Ῡ S Ῡ s Ῡ s

pHs

0 – 10 6.01 0.62 6.31 0.64 6.73 0.66 6.27 0.57 5.15 0.69

10 – 30 5.51 0.84 5.96 0.95 5.98 0.66 5.91 0.96 4.69 0.37

30 – 60 4.98 0.81 5.57 0.79 5.27 0.81 5.53 1.20 4.66 0.41

pHse

0 – 10 6.75 0.48 7.28 0.58 7.10 0.64 6.79 0.59 5.58 1.04

10 – 30 6.12 0.96 6.77 0.86 6.51 0.69 6.62 0.58 5.45 0.79

30 – 60 6.04 0.92 6.80 0.88 5.84 0.93 6.38 1.00 5.42 0.71

ECse
(dS.m-1)

0 – 10 0.91 0.85 0.80 0.79 0.38 0.11 0.76 0.51 0.23 0.11

10 – 30 0.48 0.33 0.49 0.47 0.20 0.11 0.47 0.38 0.12 0.04

30 – 60 0.45 0.43 0.40 0.22 0.21 0.17 0.34 0.17 0.10 0.05

Na
(cmol

c
.dm-3)

0 – 10 0.05 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.03 0.04 0.09 0.11 0.07 0.16

10 – 30 0.07 0.12 0.09 0.19 0.07 0.12 0.08 0.06 0.06 0.10

30 – 60 0.08 0.13 0.09 0.14 0.09 0.09 0.06 0.05 0.04 0.04

CEC
(cmol

c
.dm-3)

0 – 10 3.06 2.43 3.32 1.47 2.08 0.59 2.16 1.35 2.78 1.08

10 – 30 3.49 2.31 4.51 4.15 2.25 0.92 2.80 1.58 2.40 0.86

30 – 60 4.02 2.87 4.48 3.35 2.73 1.30 3.88 2.68 1.95 0.60

Table 2 – Mean and standard deviation (s) of the chemical properties of
soils corresponding to the uses: short cycle (C), discarded area (D), fruit (F), pasture (P) and native vegetation (V).

Continue...

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Atribute
Layer
(cm)

Soil uses

C D F P V

Ῡ s Ῡ s Ῡ S Ῡ s Ῡ s

ESP
(%)

0 – 10 0.98 1.28 2.52 2.47 1.22 2.24 5.61 11.61 1.87 3.28

10 – 30 1.39 1.25 1.33 1.32 2.62 3.95 3.00 2.82 2.04 3.36

30 – 60 1.93 2.34 1.33 1.17 3.38 3.94 1.91 1.41 1.96 1.96

Ca
(cmol

c
.dm-3)

0 – 10 2.29 1.05 2.44 0.74 1.82 0.41 1.97 0.77 1.33 0.59

10 – 30 2.12 0.96 3.16 1.80 1.42 0.49 1.93 1.30 1.18 0.43

30 – 60 1.75 0.96 2.66 1.67 1.20 0.43 1.76 1.21 0.86 0.32

Mg
(cmol

c
.dm-3)

0 – 10 0.34 0.23 0.38 0.13 0.24 0.05 0.24 0.14 0.12 0.08

10 – 30 0.34 0.33 0.67 0.93 0.19 0.06 0.28 0.21 0.09 0.08

30 – 60 0.32 0.43 0.62 0.56 0.13 0.04 0.26 0.27 0.07 0.07

K
(cmol

c
.dm-3)

0 – 10 0.28 0.16 0.43 0.16 0.14 0.09 0.28 0.19 0.23 0.07

10 – 30 0.27 0.11 0.31 0.11 0.14 0.08 0.21 0.17 0.17 0.07

30 – 60 0.22 0.12 0.23 0.15 0.16 0.10 0.24 0.13 0.15 0.04

SB
(cmol

c
.dm-3)

0 – 10 2.93 1.40 3.33 0.92 2.08 0.71 2.57 1.00 1.75 0.74

10 – 30 2.77 1.41 4.23 2.78 1.82 0.54 2.50 1.47 1.50 0.45

30 – 60 2.37 1.43 3.59 2.42 1.58 0.41 2.33 1.53 1.13 0.35

BS
(%)

0 – 10 91.06 12.53 89.23 16.54 93.15 10.88 94.98 7.77 64.43 22.44

10 – 30 81.36 17.59 87.63 14.38 77.61 22.06 93.51 65.67 67.19 25.47

30 – 60 64.27 21.93 76.27 22.60 63.73 24.24 64.82 24.58 62.41 26.50

P
(mg.dm-3)

0 – 10 42.08 22.64 39.68 28.07 28.52 25.39 35.18 27.24 7.40 2.69

10 – 30 25.68 17.46 23.90 27.75 15.23 15.05 13.79 9.12 4.62 1.05

30 – 60 7.31 4.04 13.20 15.15 5.92 2.89 9.72 8.53 4.10 0.94

OC
(dag.kg-1)

0 – 10 0.55 0.11 0.52 0.15 0.45 0.08 0.47 0.11 0.56 0.10

10 – 30 0.33 0.09 0.38 0.15 0.29 0.05 0.31 0.10 0.41 0.13

30 – 60 0.31 0.09 0.32 0.15 0.24 0.05 0.29 0.10 0.31 0.07

CS
(Mg.ha-1)

0 – 10 9.24 1.82 8.81 2.41 7.36 1.37 7.26 1.85 9.36 1.70

10 – 30 11.54 3.75 13.87 5.42 9.98 1.98 10.63 3.65 13.82 5.02

pHs: pH of soil; PHse: pH of the saturation extract; ECse: electrical conductivity of the saturation extract; CEC: cation exchange capacity; ESP:
exchangeable sodium percentage; SB: sum of bases; SB: base saturation; OC: total organic carbon; CS: carbon stock.

Table 2 – Continuation.

Corrêa, R.M. et al.

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study (Table 1). This also contributed to the results ob-
tained in base saturation, in which small amounts of
exchangeable bases occupy almost all the electrical
charges of the colloids.

It was observed that the base saturation was high
for all uses and it was observed between produc-
tive uses similar and higher values in the 0–10 and
10–30 cm. In the 30–60 cm layer only use D showed
a value considerably higher than that using V and it
showed similar values of base saturation in all layers
and lower than those observed for other uses in the
0–10 and 10–30 cm, although correspond to values
around 65%.

Similar values were observed for the SB, between uses
V and F in all layers, and the other productive uses
showed average values of SB higher than that observed
in the use V at 0–10 and 10–30 cm layer of 30–60 cm
using D had the highest value for this variable.

The average values of phosphorus concentration were
higher in the uses related to production systems at
the 0–10 cm layer in the middle of 10–30 and lows in
the 30–60 cm layer. Using V showed low mean values
(CAVALCANTI et al., 1998), the highest values were ob-
served in the use related to production systems which
possibly occurred due to the application of fertilizers
on adopted crops.

The average values of OC were low for all uses. Using V
showed the highest average values in all layers evaluat-
ed. Among the cultivated soils related to uses C and D
had higher levels of OC, while the F and P uses the ones
presented below.

The average values of the SHC confirmed the results
of the OC accumulation of uses. Using V presented
the highest value of the sum of the values of SHC layer
0–10 cm and 10–30 cm, 23.18 Mg ha-1, uses D and C
had 22.68 and 20.78 Mg ha-1, respectively, and uses P
and F showed 17.89 and 17.34 Mg ha-1, respectively.

Principal component analysis applied in conjunction with physical and chemical attributes
Figure 1 shows the dispersion of the physical and
chemical attributes of the soil layer.

The principal component analysis applied to phys-
ical and chemical variables, to the joint analysis in
the 0–10 cm which retained the first three PCA that
together explained 95.64% of the total variation of
the data. The PC1 explained 45.31% of the total vari-
ation. The uses C and D differed from other uses in
this component, they had the greatest influence of
the variables calcium, magnesium, potassium, CEC,
SB (all negatively related to axis) and physical Pd, clay
content, CDW (negatively related axis) and content
of sand and soil depth, positively related to the axis,
with all correlation with the variable component in
modulus greater than 0.77.

The PCA2 gathered 35.50% of the total variation, the
most influential variables in this component were pHs,
pHse, P, V, hydraulic conductivity, and porosity (posi-
tively related to axis) and organic C, SHC, and soil den-
sity negatively related to the axis. Analyzing the PCA2,
it was found that using V presented in relation to other
uses, slightly higher values of organic C, SHC, and bulk
density and lower pHs, PHes, K, SB, K, and total poros-

ity, an interpretation confirmed by the observation of
mean values in Tables 1 and 2.

The PCA3 gathered 14.83% of the total variation, and
the most influential variables in this component were
sodium and ESP (positively related to axis) silt and neg-
atively related to the axis, all variables with value in
module, with a correlation between the variable and
component greater than 0.79. The analysis of PCA3
(Table 1) revealed that using P values were slightly
higher sodium, ESP and lower values of silt, which pos-
sibly led to this use were not similar to uses F, C and D,
interpretation confirmed by analysis of mean values of
variables in Tables 1 and 2.

The cluster analysis identifies three groups. Use V was
isolated in a group in the same manner using P, and the
other group involved the use D, C, and F. All uses relat-
ed to production systems distanced themselves from
the use V.

In the 10–30 cm layer, the analysis of PCA applied to
the physical and chemical attributes jointly identified
to PCA. The PC1 explained 66.48% of the total varia-
tion and PC2 accounted for 22.91%, together gathered
89.39% of the total variation.

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A (0–10 cm)

D
C

C (30–60 cm)B (10–30 cm)

F
F

C D

1
1

Figure 1 – Dispersion of the physical and chemical attributes of the soil layer in relation to major components (1, 2, and 3)
grouped by the Tocher method (circles and ellipses) for the uses short cycle (C), discarded area (D), fruit (F), pasture (P), and

native vegetation (V).

The variables most effective in PCA1 were CEse, con-
tent of Ca, Mg, K, Na, and P, CTC, SB, Pd, silt, clay, CDW,
and Ds (positively related to axis) and sand, soil depth,
and GF negatively related to the axis. The main compo-
nent 2 presented as the most effective variables: pH,
PHes, OC, SHC, hydraulic conductivity, and porosity, all
with correlation values between the variable compo-
nent and in module, above 0.74.

Cluster analysis identified three groups according to
the similarities of their physical and chemical proper-
ties, one of the uses formed with C, P, and F, and the
other using V, which also happened to use D.

Three PCAs were retained in the analysis of the phys-
ical and chemical attributes jointly layer of 30–60 cm,
explaining 95.26% of total variation distributed at
69.62, 16.25, and 9.40%, respectively, in the PC1, 2,
and 3. The PCA1 showed greater intensity of the vari-
ations in the 15 attributes: PHES, CEes, calcium, mag-
nesium, potassium, CEC, phosphorus, SB, V, Pd, silt,
clay, and ADA (positively related to axis) and sand and
soil depth negatively related to the axis, all variables
correlated with the component, module, greater than
0.79. In PCA2 the most important factors in the total
variation were hydraulic conductivity, organic C, sodi-
um and ESP, correlating to the largest component in

Corrêa, R.M. et al.

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RBCIAMB | n.36 | jun 2015 | 212-223

module, which in PCA3 0.75 and the most influential
variable was correlated positively to GF with a compo-
nent of 0.84. Analyzing the PCA2, we found that using
V had the lowest sodium, CTC, hydraulic conductivity
(Tables 1 and 2). These results away from the use of

V F, both presented themselves isolated in the cluster
analysis (Figure 1) with great influence of PCA2.

Cluster analysis has identified four groups: were strand-
ed together forming unit uses V, D, and F, the other
group was formed by the uses C and P.

DISCUSSION
Possibly, every day practices in the region as plowing
and harrowing decreased soil density and increased
porosity in the surface layer of 0–10 cm of uses D, C, F,
and P. In the 10–30 cm layer uses, the C and D values
were observed slightly higher bulk density than that
observed for using V (Table 1). As these uses have suf-
fered greater movement of the soil (plowing and har-
rowing) according to the adopted production manage-
ment in the region, probably been a soil compaction
due to traffic engineer or densification of this layer, the
migration of colloidal particles of soil.

The influence of soil management on physical attri-
butes was observed by Silva et al. (2005), the authors
evaluated the effect of long term (17 years) of con-
ventional tillage, reduced tillage and no-tillage on soil
physical properties of an Ultisol, with medium texture
in Rio Grande do Sul. Additionally, it was incorporated
into the study of an area of native grass as a reference
to the natural condition of the soil. The samples were
collected in layers of 0–2.5, 2.5–7.5, 7.5–12.5, and
12.5–17.5 cm in a succession vetch/corn. These au-
thors observed that the total porosity varied more with
depth than with tillage systems. Regarding depth, po-
rosity was highest in surface than in subsurface. These
results were similar to those observed in this study.

With the aim of studying the changes in soil properties
for different uses, Su et al. (2004) evaluated the pasture
system, the transformation of this area into cultivation
of short cycle fallow for three years and a grazing area
for five years. The pasture area of study had degrad-
ed and was part of the sandy soils in semi-arid region
of Horgin, China. The fallow for five years has result-
ed in significant improvements in soil properties in the
0–7.5 cm layer of depth. Soil bulk density was signifi-
cantly lower in fallow relative to short-cycle crops and
grazing area in the layer 0–2.5 cm and 0–7.5 cm layer
was second only to the cultivation of short cycle. From
7.5 cm occurred not influence the uses of soil density
and soil organic carbon. This result was similar to that

obtained in this study, where use C showed a value
of bulk density higher than that observed for the use
of P (Table 1). However, changes in soil density were
observed in layers deeper than 7.5 cm, and discrete
changes in soil density in the layer of 10–30 cm for the
uses C and D with respect to use V (Table 1), which pos-
sibly occurred due to soil management practices.

This analysis showed that the change in agricultural
practice has caused the soil’s physical properties under
native vegetation when they were incorporated into
production systems. Similar results were observed by
other authors who found significant modifications of
the physical characteristics of soils after the incorpo-
ration in agricultural systems. According to Rosa Junior
et al. (2006), values of flocculation were influenced by
land use, which was significantly lower for the condi-
tions under annual crops than for soils under pasture
and native vegetation, which showed no significant dif-
ference between them. Souza et al. (2005) evaluated
physical attributes in a Quartz Neosol under different
uses: corn, soybeans, pasture, crop–livestock integra-
tion and anthropic savannah. These authors noted that
this soil was a reduction in total porosity and macro-
porosity and increase in soil density in all areas were
observed, when compared with native vegetation, with
the exception of anthropogenic savanna. Possibly the
mechanization of soil and cattle trampling contributed
to the decline in soil quality.

The increase of CDW values with depth may be indic-
ative of a migration of colloids in the soil profile, more
pronounced in the uses related to production systems,
with increased dispersion in depth and decreased con-
centration of clay in the topsoil already presented low
values of this colloid great importance in physical and
chemical reactions. In use D shallow soil, clay migra-
tion, due to the proximity, preventing layer may further
hinder the movement of water in this layer. Maia et al.
(2006) observed an increase in the depth of the CDW,
realizing the existence of a direct relationship between

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increased CDW and decreased COT, similar results were
observed in this study (Tables 1 and 2).

Silva et al. (2006) found that management sys-
tems with cane sugar influenced the physical prop-
erties of the soil, resulting in increased water dis-
persible clay and reduction in water aggregate
stability of cultivated soils in relation to forest soil.
Similar results were observed in this work at the
0–10 cm, with respect to use V, uses C and D had slight-
ly higher values of CDW (Table 1), possibly due to the
effect of soil disturbance. In the work it was found a dif-
ferent result observed by Silva et al. (2006) uses the P
and F, in such a smaller movement of the soil by plow-
ing and harrowing practical as compared with practices
C and D, plus the highest concentration of calcium and
magnesium flocculants, with respect to use possibly
afforded V, CDW uses these values lower than those
observed in native vegetation (Tables 1 and 2).

The low soil depth D hinders the use of soil drainage
and leaching of salts and sets the groundwater near the
surface potentiating the capillary rise of salts that accu-
mulate on the surface layer over time may reach levels
that limit the full development of crops. This was not
observed probably due to the short period of operation
the perimeter nine. Additionally, the proximity of the
surface of the water table impairs growth of plants by
oxygen deficiency and reduced layer of soil explored.

In the range 6.0 to 6.5, it was observed pHs values for
the uses C, D and P; the ground reaction for these uses
is therefore favorable to full production plant, this eval-
uation can also be applied to use F for presenting a pH
value slightly above 6.5 (pH of 6.7 in the use F). The use
of V that never received the application of correctives
resulted in pH acid, which was an expected result.

The ECse values observed in C, D and P uses do not
classify soils as saline, but deserve special attention be-
cause they are significantly higher than using V despite
the sandy texture of the soil and the quality of water
used for irrigation classified as C1S1, without the risk
of salinization and sodification soil, according to Rich-
ards (1954). Special focus should be on using D due to
its shallower limiting the leaching of salts, and to facil-
itate the rise of salts dissolved in the water by capillar-
ity, promoting soil salinization. The use of F presented
smaller ECse values compared to other productive uses
possibly due to better irrigation management.

The average values for phosphorus concentration in
the 30–60 cm layer, observed in uses relating to pro-
duction systems, still showed considerably greater
than that observed for the use of V, except for using
F (Table 2), possibly occurred a movement of this el-
ement of the surface layer of 0–20 cm, where usually
occurs the application of fertilizers. The low clay con-
tent, which operates in the phosphorus fixation, and
water movement in the soil profile due to irrigation
probably contributed to the greater movement of this
element, usually slightly mobile in soil. The use of F,
possibly the best irrigation management, resulted in
less movement of phosphorus in the soil.

The uses of F and P presented lower values of total or-
ganic carbon (Table 2), contrary to the expected result,
since the soil management normally associated with
these uses has a smaller disturbance. The most signif-
icant reductions were observed between the V and F
uses with reduced values of total organic carbon con-
tent of approximately 19, 28 and 21%, respectively, in
the layers of 0–10, 10–30 and 30–60 cm. Sandy soils
usually with good aeration possibly were little influ-
enced by aeration increase caused by soil management
by plowing and harrowing. The use of V for not being
irrigated has low soil moisture for most of the year,
probably, presented reduced rate of decomposition of
organic matter which must be contributed to that use
presents the higher C-organic content. It is notewor-
thy that the low depth average of the D use may have
contributed to the saturation of water from the surface
layers of these soils, especially in the rainy season, nor-
mally with high intensity, turned the environment less
oxidative, allowing more organic C accumulation.

Other authors observed the influence of soil manage-
ment on the total organic carbon content. Maia et al.
(2006) evaluated the impact of agroforestry and con-
ventional systems on soil quality, compared to the nat-
ural condition (native savanna) after five years of use in
Ceará semiarid region. The treatments were: agrosilvo-
pastoral (AGP); silvipastoral (SILV); traditional cultiva-
tion in 1998 and 1999 (TR98); traditional cultivation
in 2002 (TR02); and intensive cultivation (CI) and two
areas of native forest (MN-1 and MN-2) that were used
as reference of equilibrium sites. The AGP treatments,
TR98 and CI promoted greater soil disturbance, caus-
ing a reduction in the total organic carbon (TOC). The
AGP treatment was efficient in nutrient cycling, how-

Corrêa, R.M. et al.

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ever soil disturbance and the concomitant reduction in
OC content also led to decrease in aggregate stability.
A similar result was observed in this study, in which dif-
ferent land uses provided considerable differences in
the TOC content and the carbon stock (Table 2).

Changes in physical and chemical properties were char-
acterized on the analysis since the use V was isolated
in the cluster analysis performed in scores of principal
components, observed in the three evaluated layers.
A similar result was observed by Leonardo (2003).

CONCLUSIONS
Use native vegetation differed from other uses in all analyzed
layers, indicating that the productive uses evaluated promot-
ed changes in physical and chemical properties in the soil layer.

The analysis of the physical and chemical attributes did not
differentiate any productive use systematically in all ana-
lyzed layers.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Authors would like to thank the National Scientific and
Technological Development Council (CNPq) and the Hy-

droelectric Company of the São Francisco Valley (Chesf)
by granting resources that enabled this work.

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