Soil Biological Properties along a Topographic Gradient in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest Biome
The Atlantic Forest exhibits remarkable floristic diversity over short distances, and when combined with altitude, it results in variations in soil biological properties and hydrological dynamics. This study aimed to quantify the distribution pattern of soil biological properties along a small topog...
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/10/1097 |
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| author | Diego Lang Burak Thamyres Cardoso da Silveira Luciana Ventura Machado Eduardo de Sá Mendonça |
| author_facet | Diego Lang Burak Thamyres Cardoso da Silveira Luciana Ventura Machado Eduardo de Sá Mendonça |
| author_sort | Diego Lang Burak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Atlantic Forest exhibits remarkable floristic diversity over short distances, and when combined with altitude, it results in variations in soil biological properties and hydrological dynamics. This study aimed to quantify the distribution pattern of soil biological properties along a small topographic gradient and identify how these properties are related to soil chemical, physical, and topographical attributes in an Atlantic Forest fragment in Brazil. Plots were established along hillslope positions varying from 100 to 180 m of altitude. Soil biological characterization was performed at a depth of 0.0–0.10 m in both summer and winter seasons. The lowland showed higher microbial biomass nitrogen in summer (57.28 ± 5.57 μg g<sup>−1</sup> soil) and higher anaerobically mineralizable nitrogen in summer and winter (42.70 ± 2.14 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> and 41.06 ± 3.37 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>, respectively). The midland showed lower microbial biomass carbon, enzymatic activity, and soil moisture in both seasons, and higher metabolic coefficients in summer. Soil chemical properties exerted a greater influence on the variability of biological properties in both seasons. The land slope conditioned lower microbial activity and organic cycling in the midland. Soil biological properties were affected by seasonality. Even a small altitudinal gradient (up to 100 m) in the Sea of Hills regions of the Atlantic Forest can lead to significant changes in soil biological and chemical attributes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:18:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e5e2186898d43a09dcfbffcef02247f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:18:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-4e5e2186898d43a09dcfbffcef02247f2023-11-19T16:15:01ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182023-10-011510109710.3390/d15101097Soil Biological Properties along a Topographic Gradient in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest BiomeDiego Lang Burak0Thamyres Cardoso da Silveira1Luciana Ventura Machado2Eduardo de Sá Mendonça3Department of Agronomy, Center of Agriculture and Engineering Science, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Alegre 29500-000, BrazilDepartment of Agronomy, Center of Agriculture and Engineering Science, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Alegre 29500-000, BrazilPos-Graduation Program of Agronomy, Center of Agriculture and Engineering Science, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Alegre 29500-000, BrazilDepartment of Agronomy, Center of Agriculture and Engineering Science, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Alegre 29500-000, BrazilThe Atlantic Forest exhibits remarkable floristic diversity over short distances, and when combined with altitude, it results in variations in soil biological properties and hydrological dynamics. This study aimed to quantify the distribution pattern of soil biological properties along a small topographic gradient and identify how these properties are related to soil chemical, physical, and topographical attributes in an Atlantic Forest fragment in Brazil. Plots were established along hillslope positions varying from 100 to 180 m of altitude. Soil biological characterization was performed at a depth of 0.0–0.10 m in both summer and winter seasons. The lowland showed higher microbial biomass nitrogen in summer (57.28 ± 5.57 μg g<sup>−1</sup> soil) and higher anaerobically mineralizable nitrogen in summer and winter (42.70 ± 2.14 mg kg<sup>−1</sup> and 41.06 ± 3.37 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>, respectively). The midland showed lower microbial biomass carbon, enzymatic activity, and soil moisture in both seasons, and higher metabolic coefficients in summer. Soil chemical properties exerted a greater influence on the variability of biological properties in both seasons. The land slope conditioned lower microbial activity and organic cycling in the midland. Soil biological properties were affected by seasonality. Even a small altitudinal gradient (up to 100 m) in the Sea of Hills regions of the Atlantic Forest can lead to significant changes in soil biological and chemical attributes.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/10/1097microbial biomassacid phosphataseseasonalityβ-glucosidasetropical soils |
| spellingShingle | Diego Lang Burak Thamyres Cardoso da Silveira Luciana Ventura Machado Eduardo de Sá Mendonça Soil Biological Properties along a Topographic Gradient in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest Biome Diversity microbial biomass acid phosphatase seasonality β-glucosidase tropical soils |
| title | Soil Biological Properties along a Topographic Gradient in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest Biome |
| title_full | Soil Biological Properties along a Topographic Gradient in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest Biome |
| title_fullStr | Soil Biological Properties along a Topographic Gradient in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest Biome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Soil Biological Properties along a Topographic Gradient in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest Biome |
| title_short | Soil Biological Properties along a Topographic Gradient in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest Biome |
| title_sort | soil biological properties along a topographic gradient in brazil s atlantic forest biome |
| topic | microbial biomass acid phosphatase seasonality β-glucosidase tropical soils |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/10/1097 |
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