AGGREGATION AND SOIL COMPACTION IN EXTENSIVE PASTURES IN RESERVA CITY, PARANÁ STATE

Abstract

Brazil has about 20% of the area occupied by pasture. Since this is an ongoing management and in many cases performed inappropriately these pastures end up being rapidly degraded, chemical, physical and biological. Thus this study aims to evaluate the soil physical parameters in extensive grazing area in the watershed of Palmeirinha Creek, Reserva city, Paraná State. In each area were collected 12 soil samples for soil layer (0.0-0.05; 0.05-0.15; 0.15-0.30 m), resulting in a total of 36 samples per area for assessment bulk density, porosity and aggregate stability; penetration resistance was measured with the use of a penetrometer. The pasture area had an mean weight diameter than 2 mm in the surface layer. The action of grasses contributed to high aggregation levels, greater than or equal to the values forested area. However the continuous management and overcrowding of animals has caused compaction in the upper soil layers. Soil the watershed of Palmeirinha creek independent of management have natural tendency to compaction from 0.2 m deep.