The Brazilian Oceanic islands are unique environments which have received increasing attention from the scientific community due to their environmental importance. This study aimed to provide a first characterization of soils of the Trindade Island, considering mainly the chemical and physical properties in the different geoenvironments. Another objective was to contribute to a deeper undestanding of the pedogeomorphological relationships, allowing a preliminary identification of soils along a typical toposequence. A total of 10 soil profiles representing all geoenvironments were sampled. These soils were the result of lithological, topographical and vegetation influences, frequently in close association. Soil chemical, morphological and physical analyses were performed and the results indicate the ocurrence of unique features that suggest an endemic character. The pedodiversity on Trindade is primarily related to the parent material and topographical variations. Soils generally have high fertility, particularly in terms of Ca and P contents associated with bird excreta inputs. On the southern side of the island, with a cooler and wetter climate, narrow valleys and steep slopes shelter a more exuberant vegetation of giant ferns, with accumulation of fíbrous organic material even on steep slopes, forming atypical Histosols. Soils at an altitude of over 400 m are more acid and nutrient-poor, but P contents are still very high, which was attributed to bird activity. On the northern side of the island, semi-arid to tropical dry climates prevail, and soils are shallower, nutrient-rich and highly eroded, with dominance of Litholic or Regolitic Neosols. Some pedological features of Trindade soils prevent an appropriate fitting by the Brazilian Soil Classification System, calling for adaptations at various classification levels for an adequate classification.
Trindade Island; endemic soils; volcanic rocks; South Atlantic Ocean
