Investigating the natural propensity for land use is essential, especially in areas subject to intense human action. Using soil without considering its productive capacity can lead to underutilization or overutilization, resulting in inefficiency or severe damage. This study aimed to determine the land use capability at the Center for Agricultural Sciences (CCA) of the Federal University of S & atilde;o Carlos (UFSCar). By evaluating the morphological, physical, and chemical attributes of the soils, the land use capability was determined using the Land Use Capability System, which classifies soils according to their greatest limitation. It was found that the entire area falls into Group A, suitable for uses ranging from the preservation of fauna and flora to annual crops. However, there are differences in soil conservation needs observed among the classes. On the campus, class III predominates (94.14% of the total area), indicating areas with complex conservation and/or improvement problems; class II, with simpler issues, covers 2.31%, while 3.54% present serious soil conservation problems. In addition to the 23.78% of the area occupied by Permanent Preservation Area (APP) and Legal Reserve (RL), 67.59% of the area is being used appropriately, 3.54% above capacity, and 5.09% below. For overutilized areas, less intensive management or conservation designation, along with the implementation of recovery and erosion control practices, are recommended. Underutilized areas can be exploited to their full potential, while for adequately used areas, maintaining conservation practices is essential to ensure resource sustainability.

Soil erosion is a key concern with regard to ecosystem functionality and food, fibre and bioenergy productions worldwide. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms and controls of soil erosion, particularly the link between soil aggregate stability and soil erodibility, is of utmost importance. The use of disturbed samples and sieved soil to determine the involved erodibility and aggregate stability is standard in soil erosion studies. However, soil erodibility estimation based on disturbed-soil samples can be inaccurate as it involves changes in the architecture of the considered soil, possibly leading to overestimations. Moreover, a necessity for evaluating soil erodibility beyond intrinsic soil characteristics (e.g. texture) exists. The objective of this research was to assess the erodibility impact of soil disturbance. Undisturbed-soil cores with dimensions of 45 cm (length) x 30 cm (width) x 10 cm (depth) were extracted while preserving their architecture. An A horizon corresponding to brown clayey subtropical oxisol soil from Southern Brazil was used for performing an experiment that involved simulation of 58-mm h-1 rain for 30 min. A total of seven replicate experiments were performed for each soil condition (i.e. undisturbed and disturbed soils). Results show that soil architecture deterioration had a larger impact on the involved soil loss than runoff. Further, soil structure failure did not affect the aggregate stability per se. Notably, the soil erodibility and loss were approximately 10 times larger under the disturbed-soil condition than under the undisturbed-soil condition (interrill erodibility: 4.30 x 107 and 4.39 x 106 kg s m-4, respectively; soil loss: 0.925 and 0.094 kg m-2, respectively). Overall, the intrinsic soil characteristics did not change; however the soil architecture deterioration considerably increased the erodibility. The damage of the soil structure did not affect the aggregate stability per se. Soil failure architecture increases soil erodibility by 10 times. Soil architecture is more important to erodibility than soil intrinsic properties. image

In semi-arid Mediterranean regions, particularly in some wetland soils, salinity is thought to be an indicator of low-quality soils. In this study, a characterization is presented of the soils surrounding El Hito saline pond (Castilla La Mancha, Central Spain), an ecological halophyte niche within a natural semi-arid steppe land. The main aim is to classify the salt-affected soils and their morphology, genesis, and physico-chemical properties. Four soil profiles were opened with a backhoe machine for sampling and subsequent description on the basis of their pedogenetic morphology. Systematic surface sampling was also performed. Standard methods were followed to measure the soil properties of 27 samples. Overall electrical conductivity (EC) and pH levels of the wetland were mapped (using ArcGIS 3.1.3). Soil salinity at elevated levels was detected, inhibiting plant uptake of water and nutrients. Distinct sub-areas of extreme elevated surface salinity providing specialized plant habitats and poor soil structure were observed, as well as a mainly whitened-yellowish-greenish soil colour due to salt accumulation and poor drainage. The soils also showed alkaline pH values. In most samples, the pH was over 8.5, and EC was higher than 4 (dS m-1), and in several samples higher than 20 (dS m-1). A low sodium (Na) content was detected in the saturation extract where magnesium (Mg+) was the dominant soluble cation, followed by both calcium (Ca+) and sodium (Na+), and then potassium (K+), present in lower proportions. Sulphate (SO42-) and then chloride (Cl-) anions were dominant, although carbon trioxide, (CO3-) and carbonate (CO32-) anions were also present. The percentages of organic carbon (C) were very low, while total nitrogen (TN) and available phosphorus (P) were higher in the upper horizons, suggesting a degree of eutrophication. The present work will increase the existing knowledge about the role of El Hito saline pond, that play a vital ecological role in the broader biosphere, providing new suggestions to readers on how this knowledge can be used to improve these types of ecosystems. In particular, the agricultural pesticides and fertilizers continuously damage the soil fertility as evidenced by the high content of soluble phosphorus found in some points of the Hito saline pond.

Soil supports life by serving as a living, breathing fabric that connects the atmosphere to the Earth's crust. The study of soil science and pedology, or the study of soil in the natural environment, spans scales, disciplines, and societies worldwide. Soil science continues to grow and evolve as a field given advancements in analytical tools, capabilities, and a growing emphasis on integrating research across disciplines. A pressing need exists to more strongly incorporate the study of soil, and soil scientists, into research networks, initiatives, and collaborations. This review presents three research areas focused on questions of central interest to scientists, students, and government agencies alike: 1) How do the properties of soil influence the selection of habitat and survival by organisms, especially threatened and endangered species struggling in the face of climate change and habitat loss during the Anthropocene? 2) How do we disentangle the heterogeneity of abiotic and biotic processes that transform minerals and release life-supporting nutrients to soil, especially at the nano-to microscale where mineral-water-microbe interactions occur? and 3) How can soil science advance the search for life and habitable environments on Mars and beyond-from distinguishing biosignatures to better utilizing terrestrial analogs on Earth for planetary exploration? This review also highlights the tools, resources, and expertise that soil scientists bring to interdisciplinary teams focused on questions centered belowground, whether the research areas involve conservation organizations, industry, the classroom, or government agencies working to resolve global chal-lenges and sustain a future for all.