Spatialization of fractions of organic matter in soil in an agroforestry system in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to spatialize fractions of organic matter of soil in an agroforestry system (AFS) located in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Thirty-one soil samples were collected at depths of 0-10, 10-20 and 20-40 cm from georeferenced collection points. We determined total organic carbon (TOC), particulate carbon (COp), carbon associated with clay and silt (COam), carbon content in the fulvic acid fraction (C-FAF), humic acid fraction (C-HAF) and humin fraction (C-HUM). Semivariogram analysis and model adjustment were carried out using ArcGIS 10.2 software. Subsequently, spatial interpolation was performed using Ordinary Kriging. We observed spatial dependence for all variables except for TOC and COp at the 0-10 cm depth, which presented a pure nugget effect. It was possible to observe modifications in the distribution of humic substances in the study area. The results from this study are similar to those of other studies conducted in naive areas in the Atlantic Forest, demonstrating the benefits of using the agroforestry system.