Challenges in the Management of Environmentally Fragile Sandy Soils in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Quartzipsamments are environmentally fragile soils, being highly susceptible to water and wind erosion. Despite this, it seems that political and economic issues favor the advancement of agriculture in these soils. Therefore, studies are necessary for a better understanding of these soils and to minimize the impacts of land use. This work aims to characterize the morphological, physical–hydric, and chemical properties of Quartzipsamments under sandyzation in southwest Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Soil morphology was evaluated in six profiles in areas under native field with the presence of gullies, and soil samples with preserved and non-preserved structures were collected to evaluate the physical–hydric and chemical properties. We verified that these soils have high macroporosity (0.253 to 0.373 m3 m−3) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (127.85 to 672.26 mm h−1), and predominantly low organic matter (0.05 to 2.36%) and clay (23.03 to 126.29 g kg−1) content, but correlation analysis showed that increasing pH and organic matter can improve the fertility of these soils. Quartzipsamments have a low volume of available water to plants (0.006 to 0.038 m3 m−3) and have a potential risk of leaching and aquifer contamination. The use of these soils demands the adoption of conservation practices.