ABSTRACT On the southern coast of Pernambuco State (PE), Brazil, lithotypes of the Cabo Basin (volcanic and sedimentary rocks), in association with the relief, allow the determination of the dynamics of the formation of Nitossolos Háplicos (Nitisols), including those with high levels of exchangeable aluminum. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of lithological diversity (basalt and sedimentary siliciclastic rocks) on the morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of Nitossolos Háplicos along a slope (P1-summit, P2-backslope, P3-footslope) on the southern coast of PE, in order to consider its genesis and the relation of soil properties to adjacent environments and to evaluate its framing within the Brazilian Soil Classification System (SiBCS). The interaction of lithology/soil permeability and climate indicate significant differences in the mineralogical composition and dynamics of soil chemical elements. The profiles P1 and P2 are subject to monosialitization, ferralitization, and alitization processes. All profiles showed high Fe contents (ferric soils) and clay fractions, consisting primarily of kaolinite, goethite, hematite, and gibbsite, as well as quartz and feldspar in the sand and silt fractions. However, smectite minerals (P3) are probably inherited from the sedimentary source material. In the conglomerate samples, under P3, biotite, muscovite, and plagioclase were identified. Allytic characteristics (P3) are probably associated with the weathering of aluminous smectite minerals. These properties distinguish these soils from adjacent Nitossolos and other Nitossolos in Brazil. For the classification of soils according to SiBCS, considering the high levels of Fe and Al, Nitossolo Háplico distroférrico (P1 and P2) and Nitossolo Háplico alitiférrico (P3) are suggested, and according to the World Reference Base of Soils (WRB), the soils are classified as Ferritic Nitisols.

As variações dos atributos do solo ocorrem em função de vários fatores tais como: clima, material de origem, vegetação e, especialmente do relevo, que regula o escoamento superficial e a drenagem, e tem influência no tempo de exposição dos materiais à ação do intemperismo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a influência dos diferentes segmentos de vertente nos atributos do solo em uma toposseqüência na região de Manicoré, AM. Foi estabelecido um caminhamento de 3.000 m a partir do "espigão" da vertente no sentido do caimento mais suave do relevo e os segmentos da vertente foram determinados com base na "quebra" de declive do terreno. Foram coletadas 20 amostras nos diferentes segmentos de vertentes identificados: topo alto: 0,0-0,19 e 0,37-0,60 m; meia encosta: 0,0-0,28 e 0,60-0,80 m; sopé de transporte: 0,0-0,15 e 0,42-0,71 m e topo baixo: 0,0-0,15 e 0,20-0,40 m. O critério de escolha das profundidades foi à coincidência com os horizontes diagnósticos superficiais e subsuperficiais determinados na descrição morfológica dos perfis. Foram realizadas análises físicas de textura, densidades do solo e das partículas, porosidade total e condutividade hidráulica, Nas análises químicas foram determinados pH, em água e em KCl, Ca, Mg, K, e Al trocáveis, P disponível, H+Al e C orgânico. Com o uso das técnicas estatísticas multivariadas foi possível distinguir diferentes ambientes geomórficos independentes dos segmentos de vertente identificados. As variações do relevo favoreceram a presença de solos distróficos no topo alto e solos eutróficos no sopé de transporte.

Variations of soil properties are consequence of several factors such as: climate, parent material, vegetation and, particularly relief, which controls runoff and drainage, and has influence in the exposure of parent materials to the weathering action. The objective of this work was to study the influence of the slope segments on soil attributes of a topossenquence in the Manicoré region, AM. Twenty samples were collected in each of the several slope segments identified along a 3 km transect, from the top and toward the lower part of the topography. The slope segments and the sampling depths were: high top (0.0-0.19 and 0.37-0.60 m), medium slope (0.0-0.28 and 0.60-0.80 m); lower slope (0.0-0.15 and 0.42-0.71 m) and low top (0.0-0.15 and 0.20-0.40 m). The sampling depths were coincident with the surface and subsurface diagnostic horizons defined in the profile morphological description. Physical analysis involved particle size distribution, soil and particle density, total porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity. In the chemical analysis pH in water and KCl, exchangeable cations, exchangeable Al, available P, H+Al, organic carbon were determined. The use of multivariate statistic techniques enabled the distinction of different soil geomorphic environments independent of the slope segments identifications. The relief variations contributed to the presence of dystrophic soils in the high top and eutrophic soils in the lower slope.