Soils with Spodic Features in the Brazilian Pantanal: Antagonisms to Pedogenetic Conditions
Pedogenesis. Podzolization. Spodic horizon.
In the Brazilian Pantanal, spodic soils are registered, whose chemical characteristics differ from the central concept of pedogenesis by podzolization process. In this sense, the hypothesis of this study is that neutral to alkaline conditions of Pantanal pedoenvironment does not inhibit the development of spodic soils. So that, the objective is to evaluate characteristics and attributes of soils with spodic features from the Pantanal to fit in the podzolization process. Four soil profiles were selected in a transect, three in the bay area (P1, P2 and P4) and one in the transition area between bay and “cordilheira” (P3), whose morphology was indicative of the spodic horizon. The analysis of granulometry, chemical and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) of the soils, as well as organic carbon (C org) and XRF of the nodules, were carried out. All profiles have characteristics that denote the redoximorphism process: low solum development (except for P3), mottles by the precipitation of Fe and Mn oxides, as well as the presence of Fe and Mn nodules. These nodules with organic matter content predominantly greater than or equal to the surrounding material and without a relative increase in aluminum in relation to the fine earth reiterate the rexodimorphism process in the horizons with spodic features of the Pantanal. The texture of the soils is substantially sandy with finer granulometry and in the P3 profile there is a horizon of low permeability and clay accumulation. The occurrence of sodic and solodic characters in the soils, as well as the subsurface clay accumulation in the P3 profile indicate the occurrence of the sodification process. The neutral to alkaline pH, the high sum of bases, low organic carbon and aluminum oxides contradict the podzolization process condition in the Pantanal, but the accumulation of Fe, Al and C org, even if small, in the nodules and in the horizons B characterize the spodic features in these soils.