The areas for livestock raising have expanded into areas of native vegetation, promoting changes in soil quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the attributes of a Entisol under different vegetation covers to whether the pasture degradation represents soil degradation. The areas evaluated were: native forest, shrub, uncontrolled grazing animal stocking, grazing in fallow pasture with weeds; degraded pasture with bare soil and weeds, degraded pasture with weeds and tree species and grassland with low forage production. All pastures were formed by Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu. Hundred and twenty eight soil samples were collected in 0-5 and 5-10 cm, within each management area, considered as an experimental plot and soil cover was quantified. The chemical and physical properties of the soil were measured. Data were subjected to geoestatistical study. Increase in penetration resistance and decrease in the levels of organic matter were observed in the most degraded areas. Degraded pasture is not necessarily degraded land while degraded soil is related to grazing degrades.
environmental degradation; geostatistics; soil-plant interface; grazing management
