Integrated approach to soil attributes in the Atlantic Forest biome: a comparative study between an agroforestry system and secondary forest in a coastal area of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil
Cyndi dos Santos Ferreira, Aurea Pinto dos Ramos, Sandra Santana de Lima, Gustavo Souza Lima Sant’Anna, Robert Ferreira, Ana Beatriz Gonçalves Vasques da Silva, Otavio Augusto Queiroz dos Santos, Eliane Maria Ribeiro da Silva, Cristiane Figueira da Silva, Nivaldo Schultz, Marcos Gervasio Pereira, Irene da Silva Coelho
{"title":"Integrated approach to soil attributes in the Atlantic Forest biome: a comparative study between an agroforestry system and secondary forest in a coastal area of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil","authors":"Cyndi dos Santos Ferreira, Aurea Pinto dos Ramos, Sandra Santana de Lima, Gustavo Souza Lima Sant’Anna, Robert Ferreira, Ana Beatriz Gonçalves Vasques da Silva, Otavio Augusto Queiroz dos Santos, Eliane Maria Ribeiro da Silva, Cristiane Figueira da Silva, Nivaldo Schultz, Marcos Gervasio Pereira, Irene da Silva Coelho","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01629-x","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Agricultural expansion, combined with poor soil management, can result in soil degradation, erosion, and nutrient depletion. Agroforestry systems (AFS) are sustainable alternatives that promote soil health, conserve biodiversity, and increase productive resilience. This study aimed to evaluate the physical, chemical, and biological attributes of soils under AFS and forests (FOR) in Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, located in the Atlantic Forest biome. In each area, mini-trenches were opened to collect five composite samples at 0–10 cm, with four replicates for chemical, physical, and biological analyses. Ecological similarities were observed between the AFS and FOR systems. While AFS was associated with fertility-related attributes and FOR with organic matter content, the biological components showed comparable patterns. Macrofaunal composition, <i>β</i>-glucosidase activity, abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and glomalin-related soil protein did not markedly differ between the systems. Only arylsulfatase levels were increased in the AFS group. The AFS maintained soil biological integrity, with fungal and bacterial communities exhibiting structures and diversities similar to those observed in the FOR. The fungal class Eurotiomycetes stood out in the AFS due to its higher abundance, while the families and genera Melanommataceae, Hygrophoraceae, Memnoniella, Hygrocybe, Myxarium, and Byssosphaeria were also enriched in this system. In bacterial communities, the class Acidobacteriae was more abundant in FOR, reflecting the influence of soil pH on bacterial composition. Overall, the evaluated AFS demonstrated potential as a strategy for ecological intensification and environmental conservation by maintaining soil and biological attributes comparable to those observed in the forest area while simultaneously enhancing soil fertility.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2000,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10457-026-01629-x.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Agroforestry Systems","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10457-026-01629-x","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"AGRONOMY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Agricultural expansion, combined with poor soil management, can result in soil degradation, erosion, and nutrient depletion. Agroforestry systems (AFS) are sustainable alternatives that promote soil health, conserve biodiversity, and increase productive resilience. This study aimed to evaluate the physical, chemical, and biological attributes of soils under AFS and forests (FOR) in Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, located in the Atlantic Forest biome. In each area, mini-trenches were opened to collect five composite samples at 0–10 cm, with four replicates for chemical, physical, and biological analyses. Ecological similarities were observed between the AFS and FOR systems. While AFS was associated with fertility-related attributes and FOR with organic matter content, the biological components showed comparable patterns. Macrofaunal composition, β-glucosidase activity, abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and glomalin-related soil protein did not markedly differ between the systems. Only arylsulfatase levels were increased in the AFS group. The AFS maintained soil biological integrity, with fungal and bacterial communities exhibiting structures and diversities similar to those observed in the FOR. The fungal class Eurotiomycetes stood out in the AFS due to its higher abundance, while the families and genera Melanommataceae, Hygrophoraceae, Memnoniella, Hygrocybe, Myxarium, and Byssosphaeria were also enriched in this system. In bacterial communities, the class Acidobacteriae was more abundant in FOR, reflecting the influence of soil pH on bacterial composition. Overall, the evaluated AFS demonstrated potential as a strategy for ecological intensification and environmental conservation by maintaining soil and biological attributes comparable to those observed in the forest area while simultaneously enhancing soil fertility.
期刊介绍：
Agroforestry Systems is an international scientific journal that publishes results of novel, high impact original research, critical reviews and short communications on any aspect of agroforestry. The journal particularly encourages contributions that demonstrate the role of agroforestry in providing commodity as well non-commodity benefits such as ecosystem services. Papers dealing with both biophysical and socioeconomic aspects are welcome. These include results of investigations of a fundamental or applied nature dealing with integrated systems involving trees and crops and/or livestock. Manuscripts that are purely descriptive in nature or confirmatory in nature of well-established findings, and with limited international scope are discouraged. To be acceptable for publication, the information presented must be relevant to a context wider than the specific location where the study was undertaken, and provide new insight or make a significant contribution to the agroforestry knowledge base
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号
