Biological and physical quality of a mined soil under revegetation with perennial grasses

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate a population of mites and springtails and a physical condition of a mined soil revegeted with different species of perennial grasses. The treatments evaluated were: Urochloa brizantha, Hemarthria altissima, Paspalum notatum, Cynodon dactylon and Spontaneous vegetation. For comparative effects a natural soil were used as reference. In 2014, 56 soil samples were collected in the 0.00-0.10 m layer for the determination of the population of mites and springtails, the physical attributes and the organic carbon content. The Hemarthria altissima was the most prominent plant species among perennial grasses, to date, providing an average density of mites and springtails very close to the natural soil. Among the physical attributes, bulk density showed the most sensitive variable the changes promoted by plant species, after 11 years of revegetation.