Physical and biological attributes in Chromic Vertisol under biodynamic agriculture in the mesoregion of the Paraíba hinterland

Abstract

Changes are not only capable of modifying their natural functioning, making tracking of impacts of different types of use always necessary. The present article had as objective to evaluate physical and biological attributes in Vertisol under biodynamic agriculture in the mesoregion of the Paraíba hinterland, specifically in the. The samples were collected in Chromic Vertisol under different conditions of use at two sampling depths. In the biological attributes were analyzed diversity, equitability and microbial activity and edaphic macrofauna, while in the physical, textural analysis, soil density, macro and microporosity, total porosity and water retention in the soil. It was observed that in the biological part the total microbial diversity showed to be greater in the area under native vegetation, independent of the condition of use and depth. Microbial activity was higher inthe area under tifton grass, as well as higher density of macrofauna individuals, with Hymenoptera being the most prominent order. However, diversity indexes showed less diversity and equitability in the same, probably due to the dominance of this group. Regarding the physical attributes, a low water retention capacity was observed, regardless of the uses and depth of sampling, while the average density was higher in the subsurface layer.