Papers

Genesis of cohesive soils of eastern Maranhão: soil-landscape relation

Author: Jussara Silva Dantas; José Marques Júnior; Marcílio Vieira Martins Filho; José Maria do Amaral Resende; Livia Arantes Camargo; Ronny Sobreira Barbosa

Keywords: pedogenetic process, Argisol, Barreiras Formation.

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Summary

The occurrence of cohesive soils in Brazil is predominantly related to sandy-clay sediments of the Barreiras Formation, which are geologically related to the sedimentary deposits of the Tertiary period (from Paleocene to Pliocene), which constitute the geomorphological unit of the Coastal Plains. The objective of this study was to identify the occurrence of cohesive soils in the eastern region of the state of Maranhão, Brazil, and assess their relationship to position in the landscape. The area under study is in the Typuana Farm, in the East Maranhão region, in Brejo, MA, at the geographical coordinates of 03° 36' S and 42° 52' W. The predominant vegetation of the area is Cerrado (tropical savanna), with diverse floristic composition. Three trenches were dug (depth profiles 1, 2, and 3), one in each area of study with distinct vegetation, for morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characterization, and for morphological classification of the soils. Kaolinite was the predominant mineral in the cohesive layers, but its degree of crystallinity did not affect the variation in soil density (1.40 to 1.56 kg dm-3) and resistance to penetration (1.24 to 2.18 MPa). It was found that position in the landscape was essential for distinction of cohesive soils, and those established in a concave landform exhibited the highest expression of the cohesive character, which resulted in higher soil fertility and organic matter, reflecting the more exuberant vegetation of the Cerradão.