Restrictive physical conditions for an adequate plant development reduce the productive capacity of soils and environmental sustainability. An important parameter to express these restrictions is the least limiting water range (LLWR), which is used in combination with soil physical properties that influence plant development. To evaluate the LLWR and porosity of soils under coffee and pasture in the Capituvas River microbasin, a representative area of the Coqueiral Resereve was chosen. Undisturbed samples of a typical Dystrophic Red Latosol (LVd- Oxisol), typical Eutrophic Red Argisol (PVe-Ultisol) and typical Dystrophic Haplic Cambisol (CXbd- Inceptisol) were collected from the layers 0-5, 20-25 and 40-45 cm. Pores with a diameter of > 145 µm were most affected by the management. Although no statistical differences were verified among the micropores (pores < 50 µm), variations occurred in LLWR, in the following order: LVd > CXbd > PVe. It is possible to conclude that LLWR is a reliable parameter that could be used to quantify alterations that occur in the water availability of soils under different use and management systems.
compaction; environmental sustainability; soil water availability
