SOIL CO2 EFFLUX IN FOUR DIFFERENT LAND USE SYSTEMS IN RIO POMBA, MINAS GERAIS/BRAZIL

Abstract

Functioning and sustainability of agricultural systems depend directly on the soil biological activity. Soil respiration, or CO2 efflux, is a sensible indicator of biological activity, revealing fast and accurately whether changes in environment affect soil community. In this context, soil respiration can be used to evaluate soil organisms behavior after an environmental change revealing the capacity of a soil in it normal functioning after a disturb event. The objective of this work was to study seasonal variation in soil CO 2 efflux in Rio Pomba/MG and its relation with typical land uses of Zona da Mata region of Minas Gerais. Fluctuation on soil CO2 efflux was observed in all areas throughout the period of the study, from September 2010 to August 2011, as a result of climatic variation. We have also reported specific patterns on CO 2 efflux that can be associated with land use. It was observed that the area under annual crops presented the highest amplitude of changes in respiratory rates, while forest and guava plantation presented the lowest. The principal component analysis revealed that the area cultivated with guava presented pattern of CO 2 efflux similar to forest, and the area intensively cultivated with annual crops showed behavior opposite to the forest. We conclude that variation in soil respiration rates is higher in intensive cropped areas. Additionally, total soil respiration can be used as a methodology to assess the interference of cropping on soil biota.