Soil quality and ecosystem services in the changing agricultural and reforested landscape of the Pontal do Paranapanema

Abstract

The importance of preserving soil through appropriate management practices lies in the many benefits that soils provide to society, such as those arising from soil ecosystem services. For this reason, the use of soil quality assessment protocols and studies such as water recharge potential are vital for monitoring impacts on environmental quality and ensuring the proper functioning of the soil. Thus, the impact of land use on ecosystem services can be assessed using a minimum set of indicators for calculating additive functions and a soil physical quality index. With this in mind, the objective was to evaluate the physical properties associated with relevant soil ecosystem services in the Pontal do Paranapanema/SP region, considering the different uses, management systems and predominant soil classes in the region. The assessment considered a combination of six land uses (forest fragment, forest restoration, pasture, sugar cane, grain cultivation and cassava) and two soil classes (Oxisol and Ultisol), predominant in the region. Deformed and undeformed soil samples were collected from the surface layer 0-5 cm and the subsurface layer 95-100 cm to analyze physical and chemical indicators, and from the surface for biological indicators. In order to achieve the objectives, the thesis was structured into three scientific articles. Article 1 addresses the scientometric analysis of global scientific production on forest restoration and its relationship with water recharge through a global scientific mapping analysis, investigating research patterns and trends on the subject. 162 publications were evaluated from the databases with the greatest coverage on the subject, including: Scopus, Scielo and Web of Science - WoS. The second article used the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) methodology to assess soil health, which considers physical, chemical and biological attributes, but uses a database of American soils, highlighting the importance of generating indices for tropical soils. The main conclusions show that restored areas can come close to the quality of forest fragments, but effectiveness varies between soil types, with Argissolo showing better results compared to Latossolo. Finally, article 3 assessed the physical quality of the soil in relation to five soil functions, resulting in a soil quality index (SPQI). In addition, this chapter also mapped the five functions for the entire Pontal do Paranapanema region with the aim of identifying and quantifying the spatial distribution of ecosystem services, relating them to the different land uses and land covers in the region.