The intercropping of Eucalyptus with legumes can promote an improvement of soil biological quality in degraded areas and also be advantageous for the species of the consortium. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of planting systems (monoculture and consortium) of Acacia mangium (AM), Sesbania virgata (SV) and Eucalyptus camaldulensis (EC) on the biological characteristics of the plants (dendrometric attributes) and specifically on the fauna in the litter and the surface soil layer (0-0.05 m). An experiment in a randomized block was conducted with six treatments and three replications. The treatments used to evaluate the dendrometric attributes were: 100 % EC and 100 % AM; 50 % EC + 50 % AM; 50 % EC + 50 % SV; 50 % AM + 50 % SV). To evaluate the soil fauna, biological characteristics were assessed in treatments with: 100 % EC; 100 % AM; 100 % SV; 50 % EC:50 % SV; and 50 % AM:50 % SV. Forty-eight months after planting, the height (H) and diameter at breast height (DBH) of the species EC and AM were measured, and estimates of basal area (BA) and wood volume with bark per tree (WBT). The abundance and diversity of the soil fauna were evaluated in leaf litter and soil (0.0-0.05 m). When intercropped with legumes, the DBH, BA and WBT of EC were higher. In contrast, for AM these variables were unaltered when intercropped with EC and SV. Plantations of EC-SV consortium promoted higher total abundance of organisms and highest values of Shannon diversity and evenness indices, especially with regard to the litter compartment.
Eucalyptus camaldulensis; Acacia mangium; dendrometry
