ABSTRACT
Considering that nematodes are quite sensitive to anthropic interventions, these organisms can be used as indicators of soil quality (SQ). The objective of this work was to study chemical and physical attributes and soil nematode as an indicator of soil quality in pasture areas with successive application of pig slurry (PS) in the Northwest of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. For this, the different areas were considered: Azevém + Tifton pasture with PS use for 14 years (A14), Azevém + Tifton pasture with use of PS for two years (A2) and native forest (NF), with a chemical and physical attributes nematofauna of the soil, with three replicates per treatment, in a randomized complete block design. The soil chemical attributes were sensitive to changes in pasture areas with successive application of PS, with increase in P content, compared to the NF area and soil OM content in the A14 area similar to that found in the NF area. In relation to the soil physical attributes, density and microporosity increased with the successive application of PS in ryegrass + tifton pasture areas, while macroporosity decreased, compared to NF areas. The nematodes of the Discocriconemella, Paratylenchus, Pratylenchus, Trichodorus, Tylenchus and free-living groups were efficient as indicators of soil quality, since they were able to evidence alterations in soil chemical and physical attributes between the ryegrass + tifton use of PS and in relation to the native forest.
Keywords:
Bioindicators; Nematodes; Chemical quality; Physical quality
