Dinâmica do armazenamento e da disponibilidade de água em argissolo sob eucalipto e campo nativo

Abstract

The growing demand for forest products has enabled the increase in areas planted to trees in Brazil. Eucalyptus is a fast growing tree species being cultivated on a large scale; however, there is a controversy about the role of this plant on the dynamics of water in the soil where they are grown. In order to evaluate the effect that the replacement of native eucalypt causes the hydro-physical properties of soil, in infiltration, in storage and water availability in a sandy loam Alfisol, a study was conducted in the city of Santa Maria, in Experiment Station of FEPAGRO FORESTS. The forest was delineated into four areas: plantations of Eucalyptus grandis Will ex Maiden. 3 to 4 years of age, natural grassland 1, plantations of Eucalyptus saligna Smith 5 to 6 years of age, natural grassland 2. Soil samples were collected with preserved structure in layers of 0.00 to 0.10, 0.10 to 0.20, 0.20 to 0.30, 0.30 to 0.40 and from 0.40 to 0.50 m depth to determine the bulk density, pore size distribution, air permeability, saturated hydraulic conductivity and water retention curve. The soil water content was continuously monitored to 0.80 m depth, using an automated TDR. The substitution of natural grassland by eucalypt plantations do not negatively alter the bulk density, macroporosity, microporosity and total porosity, hydraulic conductivity of saturated soil and soil permeability to air. The soil use under natural grassland and eucalyptus contribute to the improvement of structural quality, because they favor the formation of continuous pores, important for an adequate aeration, water retention and conduction. The anthropic effect derived from the natural vegetation substitution, the natural grassland by eucalyptus plantations does not significantly alter the capacity of water storage in soil and does not reduce the amount of water available to plants. The total of water stored in the areas of natural grassland and eucalyptus, 69 and 63%, respectively, are in the range potential extracting plants, other words, readily available for utilization. The soil with sandy loam texture, along the year, suffers no adverse effect on water regime as a function of eucalyptus forestation compared to natural grassland and therefore, there is no exhaustion of soil water in places with eucalyptus monoculture.