STRUCTURE SUSTAINABILITY EVALUATION OF ARGISSOLS IN FOREST SYSTEMS

Abstract

One of the limitations to reach sustainable forest development is related to mechanical harvest operations which may cause soil structure degradation. The objectives of this study were: to propose a structure sustainability model of soils cultivated with Eucalyptus spp. and to determine the effect of harvest operations on soil structure. This study was conducted in a Yellow Argisols (PA) cul-tivated with Eucalyptus. The depth 0,125-0,175 m of the PA texture loam/clay presented σ_p values larger than those of the 0,05-0,10 m depth, for any moisture content (U). In the depth 0,05-0,10 m the equations were statically different and the PA texture sand/loam presented σ_p values larger than the PA texture loam/clay for larger values of moisture content of 9 kg kg^-1. Thus, it is expected that the superficial layer of the PA texture sand/loam supports larger pressures than the one of the PA texture loam/clay. The traffic made using the cart with two axes caused structure degradation in some sampled places.