In the geomorphological unit of the Coastal Tablelands of Brazil there is a predominance of cohesive soil horizons and some with the presence of cemented horizons, commonly of the fragipan type. These horizons interfere with water dynamics, root growth, and, consequently, mineral nutrition of plants. The objective of this study was to use selective dissolution to evaluate the participation of forms of Fe, Si, or Al, or their combination, in the cohesion or cementation or both of fragipans and cohesive horizons in Ultisols and Spodosols in the Coastal Tablelands region of southern Bahia and northern Espírito Santo. We made selective extractions of Fe, Al, and Si by sodium citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite (CBD) and acid ammonium oxalate. The higher levels of Fe and Si, and especially Al, extracted by ammonium oxalate in the fragipans suggest that, in the genesis of these horizons, low crystalline forms of these elements act as chemical cementing agents. The selective dissolutions did not show the participation of high or low crystalline forms of Fe, Si, or Al, or their combination, in the genesis of the cohesive horizons in the soils of the Coastal Tablelands. The Yellow Ultisols have goethites with high isomorphic substitution of Fe for Al, matching the strong weathering, non-reductive, and acid pH environment where these soil are found in the Coastal Tablelands. The isomorphic substitution of Fe for Al in the crystalline iron oxides was related to the degree of crystallinity and Fe concentration obtained in the first extraction with the CBD.
Barreiras Formation; selective dissolution; goethite; hematite
