Thermal Properties and Temporal Dynamics of Red Latosol (Oxisol) in Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Conservation

Abstract

Understanding and characterizing the relationship between soil and environmental temperatures is crucial for developing effective agricultural management strategies, promoting natural resource conservation, and developing sustainable production systems. Despite the direct impact of the thermal properties of Oxisols on global food production and sustainable agriculture, there is a dearth of research in this area. Therefore, this study aimed to monitor and analyze the thermal behavior of a Red Latosol (Oxisol) in Dracena-SP, Brazil, over two years (from 28 July 2020 to 27 July 2022). Using R software (version 4.3.0) and paired group comparisons, we organized the data into twelve-month sets to estimate monthly soil thermal diffusivity using amplitude, arctangent, and logarithm methods. Soil depth and thermal amplitude showed a temporal pattern characterized by inversely proportional magnitudes that followed an exponential behavior. The thermal amplitude of the Oxisol evaluated decreased with increasing depth, indicating soil thermal damping. In conclusion, the relationship between Oxisol and environmental temperature has significant implications for achieving sustainable agriculture and efficient water and plant resource management.