INDICADORES MICROBIOLÓGICOS DA QUALIDADE DO SOLO EM DIFERENTES FITOFISIONOMIAS DO BIOMA PANTANAL

Abstract

The Pantanal Biome comprises the largest wetland region in the world, covering approximately 140,000 km², and stands out for its environmental heterogeneity. It has a heterogeneous flooding system with distinct dry and wet seasons and is also characterized by different vegetation classes based on the phytophysiognomies of the environment. In this scenario, it is important to understand the behavior of the soil microbiota and its dynamics in the different phytophysiognomies, allowing inferences to be made regarding conservation management and observation of the microbiological quality of the soil. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate indicators of microbiological and chemical soil quality in different phytophysiognomies of the Pantanal biome. The samples were collected at the Research Base of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS) in the Pantanal, located in the Nhecolândia region, in the municipality of Corumbá/MS. The treatments in this study consisted of four different phytophysiognomies and one agricultural use: Cerrado, Dry Field, Swamp, Gallery Forest, and extensive pasture area (Pasture). The samples were collected in May 2025, a transition period between the peak of the flood and the beginning of drainage. The evaluated parameters were microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil microbial respiration (SMR), metabolic quotient (qCO2), total phosphorus (P) and aluminum (Al) content, using p-XRF equipment, in addition to the evaluation of acid phosphatase and β-glucosidase enzyme activity. Assessments of the community and soil microbiological activity were sensitive indicators for characterizing the different phytophysiognomies of the Pantanal Biome between flooded and dry. The Dry Field area showed the highest value of soil microbial biomass carbon (SMC), followed by the Swamp area. The Swamp area provided the highest values for the activity of the enzyme’s acid phosphatase and β-glucosidase. The Cerrado, Dry Field, and Swamp phytophysiognomies influenced the lowest values of soil microbial respiration (SMR). In contrast, the soil in the Pasture area showed the highest value of soil microbial respiration (SMR) and the highest value of soil metabolic quotient (qCO2).