PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHANGES IN SOIL UNDER TERMITE HILLS IN TOCANTINS

Abstract

The action of termites in pasture land leads to chemical and physical changes that help improve soil quality, such as aeration, increased clay content in surface soil and nutrient recycling. This study was done to verify the changes in pasture soil and termite hills in northern Tocantins. The study was done in a sandy and oxisol soil by comparing clay, silt, sand, pH, organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and aluminum in soil adjacent to the termite hills and in the top, middle and base portion of the hills. There was no difference in the values of P, OM, sand and silt between the two classes of soils. However, when tops were compared to center, base and the adjacent area, the results was different. Termites were an essential component of soil because of their involvement in nutrient cycling, and direct action on the soil pedogenesis, improving clay and silt that had percolated. It also influenced the availability and translocation of some primary and secondary macronutrients and increases the porosity, aeration, water infiltration.