ABSTRACT
The color variety of soil is response of its physical, chemical, biological and mineralogical composition. The Munsell color system is based on an objective color evaluation in which it is possible to evaluate different color soil factors such as the presence of iron oxides, particle size, and accumulated organic material. The objective of this study was to identify the relation between the redness index (IAV) of soil and the amount of carbon content present in the aerial part of Cerrado vegetation. The study was conducted in seven cities in western Bahia state, in native areas of Cerrado. The determination o soil color was made in the field, with moist soil samples, using the Munsell color chart. From the evaluation of hue, value and chroma, the redness index (IAV) was calculated. The estimation of carbon stock above ground was carried out from: trunk and branches, both living and dead trees by the allometric equation developed in Cerrado areas. The redness index of soil, from the layer 0.00 to 0.20 m, has a significant and directly proportional relationship with the carbon stock of above ground biomass of Cerrado vegetation. This may be extrapolated to calculate the carbon stock (EC) by the redness index (IAV) of soil by the equation [EC = 0.4936 · IAV + 4.2286 (-1.5%)]. The practicality of sampling of data by IAV with Munsell chart, and the reliability of data fit by results of residual error less than 5%, make that this relationship may be used for academic and corporative in carbon stocks estimation for use in forest and environmental management. The EC variation between the studied physiognomies is mainly by distinct density of tree individuals per hectare. The variation of IAV in studied areas is due to the accumulated organic matter on the soil surface, the mineral content and drainage capacity, according to inferences of literature, and this reflecting the different colors of soil in the studied phytophysiognomies.
Keywords:
soil color; phytophysiognomies; iron content, Munsell color chart