The objective of this work was to evaluate changes in the soil chemical attributes, carbon stock and in the C management index of a clayed Oxisol under different management systems. The soil under management systems with different historical usage was evaluated under the following covers: Zea mays, Urochloa decumbens, Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania. A cerrado area was used as check. Four composite samples were collected at 0-5, 5-10 and 10-20 cm soil depths. The phosphorus contents decreased with depth, and the higher values were observed in the area with P. maximum. In the area with Z. mays, higher values for K+, Ca++, Mg++, CEC, and base sum and saturation were observed. The total organic C content (TOC) was higher under cerrado vegetation cover, and smaller under P. maximum at 5-10 cm soil depth. The higher stocks of TOC, and of carbon in particulate fractions (C-POM) and in fractions associate to the soil mineral phase occurred in the area with U. decumbens, which promoted higher values for lability and C management indexes, similar to those for cerrado vegetation. In all coverings, the organic soil matter lability decreased with depth. The C-POM fraction had higher sensibility to variation in management practices, and is related to TOC.
Cerrado; lability index; integrated crop-livestock; soil management; soil organic matter; soil sustainability
