This study aimed to better understand the interaction between microorganisms, plants and soil. The study was conducted in Parque Natural Municipal do Curió (Paracambi, RJ). We selected two areas with different degrees of human disturbance, and in each of these enclosed a plot of 1,000 m². Floristic surveys were carried out and litter and soil samples were collected to evaluate fertility and the microorganisms. In both areas, 89 species were found, within 59 genera and 33 families, of trees, shrubs, herbs and vines. The highest values of pH, Ca and K were found in the area with the highest degree of human disturbance, indicating an environment of increased tropism. In the area with a lower degree of alteration, we observed higher values of H + Al, resulting from a higher amount of organic material. For the litter, the pattern was similar to that found for the soil. The highest values for the leaf litter also contributed to higher values of K, which is an element that easily leaches from mulch. Considering the abundance of microorganisms in both the litter and in soil, an uneven distribution of microorganisms was found due to the variation of relative humidity and temperature; bacteria were predominant, a pattern observed for both areas.
Ecosystem functioning; Decomposition; Substrate utilization; Succession ecological; Microbial activity
