The Serra do Brigadeiro State Park is covered by tropical Atlantic rain forest, as part of the Mantiqueira crystaline range. In the upper areas (above 1.600 m), a type of vegetation with singular floristic composition is found, with high endemism and a number of endangered species, here called "Campos de Altitude". A Lithosol, a Spodosol (Podzol) and a Cambisol, all associated with "Campos de Altitude", and a Latosol under rain forest, were sampled. These soils showed high Al saturation, low pH and severe dystrophism, with varying degrees of organic matter accumulation. A relation between low biomass vegetation and oligotrophic environment was noticed. Micromorphological features indicated an intense process of podzolization, leading to complexation and mobilization of Fe/Al compounds, especially in "Campos de Altitude". The soil organic matter fractioning revealed larger amounts of fulvic acids (FA), whereas the FA levels where correlated with Fe/Al oxalate extractable forms, indicating a FA role in the metal complexation and cheluviation. The investigation of the humic substances, using Infrared and Electronic Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy, indicated a trend of increasing aromaticity and reducing alifacity of the grassland soil organic matter in relation to the forest soil organic matter. These values can either be related with litter quality or burning. A close relation between the Podzols and "Campos de Altitude" was also observed. As a consequence of Podzol's distinct organic matter quality, its higher reactivity with the soil minerals plays a role in the cheluviation process and mineral weathering, as corroborated by the organic matter fractioning.
conservation units; humic substances; pedology; Electronic Paramagnetic Resonance