Efeito do pisoteio ovino sobre atributos do solo, em área de coqueiral.

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effect the sheep stocking in the chemical and physical attributes of “NEOSSOLO FLÚVICO” soil, in Cocus nucifera area, an experiment was carried out in arandomized block design with four treatments and three replications at the Experimental Station of the Escola Agrotécnica Federal de Sousa, at Paraiba, Brazil. The treatments were: without animals, two animals, four animals and six animals by picket. Were collected soil sampling before and after in the animals access to soil density, total porosity, macroporosidad, microporosidad and soil humidity analysis, in the 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, 10-15 cm and 15-20 cm layer to physical analysis and, 0-20 cm layer to chemical analysis (pH, organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium). The results showed that physical characteristics were influenced significantly by stocking (p < 0,05), excet in soil humidity (p < 0,01), in the 0-5 cm layer. In relation to 5-10 cm layer, only the soil humidity were influenced by stocking (p < 0,01). Calcium and magnesium concentrations decreased with addition of animals in the pickets. The results allow to conclude that sheep stocking induced the increase of soil density, decrease the total porosity and change in the pore size in the 0-5 cm layer.