Properties of soil and desertification propensity of the watershed of Riacho do Tronco, Boa Vista, PB

Abstract

The occupation of soil when it occurs in a disorderly fashion is responsible for accelerating the process of desertification, whose causes are deforestation, burned, the forms of soil management that when poorly managed affect the physical and chemical properties of soil. By the above, we analyzed some physical and chemical properties, to identify the propensity of the watershed of Riacho do Troncoto desertification. For the physical characterization performed, it can be said that there is a strong tendency of soil desertification. The samples can be classified in a larger group, composed of mineral soils, which have little cohesion due to the small amount of clay particles and another group, the minority, with clay content very high. The cited soils have high density and low porosity; also have not been diagnosed fertility problems, though the organic matter content varied from low to medium. As a suggestion, some agricultural practices may be proposed, like reduce deforestation, using conservation practices and incorporate crop residues and manure to improve soil properties.