The Global Status of Black Soils

A FAO Report

Template for Chapter 4 “The challenges to black soils and the ways/practices to overcome them”

Gereral information

Countries:
Brazil

Reporter:
Ademir Fontana
Arcangelo Loss
Dalmolin
……..

Institute of reporter:

Climate zone: (If available), according to IPCC climate zones.

Tropical – dry and wet; Warm temperate - moist;

Soil type: (If available), indicate information on soil type(s).

1. Black soils of midlatitude grasslands
2. Black soils in tropics
3. Anthropic black soils
4. Chapter introduction
The challenges faced in the black soils (This introduction will align the listed challenges from chapter 3)
Overview of the types of human activities that affect black soils
Degradation processes and measurement of soil health or soil quality
Cropping systems currently utilized on Black soils

4.1 Changes in land use (one paragraph since discussed in chapter 3)

Examples are urbanization, Increase in the intensity of agricultural crop production (e.g. irrigation
and potato farming) and animal production (Feed lots expansion and environment spillover and
overgrazing, Shifting grazing land into annual crop production (e.g. reduced native grass land), Reduced
landscape diversities (e.g. reduced wood lots and wind belts),

In general, for the Midlatitude and Tropic black soils in Brazil, the overgrazing in the native grass
land, followed by soil erosion and invasion of exotic species, grasses and shrubs or trees are the most
important threats. Also, in a specific evaluation in soils, the agricultural systems with in intensity in crop
production with in some areas adopted drainage can reached the soil compaction and sealing (Overbeck
et al., 2007; Roesch et al., 2009; Andrade et al., 2015; Modernel et al., 2016). The nutrient leaching and
the salinization maybe can occur because the is shallow and the concentration of elements are common
in the bottom of the soils.
For the Anthropic black soil……

4.2 Water management

4.2.1 Importance of water
4.2.2 Management practices used to reduce the impact of irrigation on black soils and the
environment
4.2.3 management of water in dryland systems on black soils

4.3 Tillage and seeding systems

4.3.1 The purpose of tillage on black soils (i.e. pest management, crop residue management,
management of excess water)
4.3.2 Intensity
4.3.3 Soil conservation management practices for the black soils

4.4 Fertilization and nutrient management

4.4.1 Major nutrient management issues or challenges
Discuss biotic and abiotic factors that limit nutrient supply use efficiency such as inherent soil
characteristics including SOM content, texture, pH; temperature and precipitation in black soil regions,
etc.
Discuss macro and micro nutrient levels in black soils, known deficiencies and sufficiency levels
Discuss available nutrient sources and most widely used sources including fertilizers, manures,
biological fixation, atmospheric deposition, etc.

For the annual crop and cultivated grass, the input of soluble fertilizer for nitrogen phosphorous
and potassium is the main source of the gap supply. About the soybean, the biological fixation promotes
represent the mains source of nitrogen and drive the great potential to the GHE. Regarding the
application methods and quantity, the variation includes the specific crop species but in general in the
seeding or plantation applied by the same equipment. When the management involves cover
fertilization, the application of soluble fertilizer, specially nitrogen.

4.4.2 Recommended strategies for effective nutrient management (Crop Requirements vs nutrient
supply (4R’s ))
Discuss 4R nutrient management strategies that were implemented/adopted in black soils and
their associated impacts
Discuss limitations or challenges (economic, social, physical) for implantation/adoption of 4R
nutrient management and/or other such beneficial management practices
Discuss future implications for effective nutrient management and proposed future strategies

4.5 Biomass management

4.5.1 Importance of Biomass
4.5.1.1 Removal of biomass that lowers organic carbon in soil
4.5.1.2 Removal of biomass increases erosion potential
4.5.1.3 Accelerated decomposition of biomass

4.5.2 Management practices that reduce biomass retention

4.5.2.1 Biomass harvest
4.5.2.2 Grazing Biomass

4.5.3 Beneficial management practices

4.5.3.1 Crop rotation to provide biomass with a high C to N ratio
4.5.3.2 Cover Crops
4.5.3.3 Perennial Crops

4.6 Grassland management

4.6.1 Extent of grazing on black soils

4.6.2 Grazing management practices that reduce sustainability of the land

4.6.2.1 Ovegrazing
In this theme, a potential soil erosion represents an important consequence, with high impact in
the shallow soil is reasonable. The overgrazing is associated to the loss of productivity due to the
intensification or is an effect of it. Invasive species are possible when the low ground cover or soil
compaction become, also, consequently the loss of biodiversity.

4.6.3 Grazing Management practices that improve sustainability

4.6.3.1 Increased diversity (plant and microbial), species selection, role in cropping systems utilizing
polycultures
4.6.3.2 Rest period
4.6.3.3 Predominant species mixtures

4.7 Cropping Systems

Prevalent cropping systems that reduce the sustainability of black soils (e.g. Monoculture)?
Alternative cropping systems to improve the sustainability of black soils
In general, for reduce sustainability, the soil cultivation with revolving practices can improve fast
destabilization of structure and consequently loss organic matter by the high level of mineralization.
Specially, for this process in the wet conditions in the tropic climate. Some imputes of soluble fertilizer
can promote great conditions for the microbiological activities which increase the decomposition of
organic matter.
Perhaps, in another way, the application of the No-Tillage System, which includes following
practices: i) vegetable diversification, ii) no-tillage, and iii) permanent soil covering providing conditions
to the sustainability of the black soils.
These actions are often associated to the mechanical practices that include the hydrological flow,
planting or seeding orientation. In face of these practices, the main benefits in the soil: i) control of
water and wind erosion: preventing the structure breakdown due to the soil protection from the direct
raindrops impact; ii) promotion of biological activity: maintenance of moisture, nutrients and organic
matter, which provide the biochemical process leading to the decomposition of organic matter and
biophysical process with the formation of aggregates; (iii) (re) cycling of nutrients: utilization of the
nutrient from subsurface soil layers by roots as soon as the constant vegetable development and
deposition at the soil surface, followed by mineralization; iv) protecting of the organic matter: by the
formation of a differentiated set of high stability aggregates.

4.8 Regional importance of various beneficial management practices (linked to problems identified in
chapter 3)

Nessas situações, o solo se torna duro quando seco e plástico e pegajoso quando úmido, podendo
inviabilizar as operações de preparo do solo, semeadura e estabelecimento das culturas e colheita
(Streck et al., 2018). Portanto, o uso de culturas de sequeiro nessas áreas não depende tão somente de
condições climáticas favoráveis, mas também de um manejo adequado de complexo de técnicas
eficientes de drenagem e adaptações nos sistemas de irrigação (Ribeiro et al., 2018).

In terms of soil composition and managenmet workability, In these situations,

the soil becomes hard when dry and plastic and sticky when wet, which can make
soil preparation, sowing and establishment of crops and harvesting unviable
(Streck et al., 2018). Therefore, the use of rainfed crops in these areas
depends not only on favorable climatic conditions, but also on an adequate
management of complex efficient drainage techniques and adaptations in
irrigation systems (Ribeiro et al., 2018).

4.9 Conclusions

6. Graphic element to introduce the beneficial management practices

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References
[If available. References should be written in the FAO referencing style available on Mendeley and
Zotero. If written manually, they should follow the following criteria:
 References should be listed in alphabetical order according to the name of the first author.
 Some citation examples for publications and electronic resources: 
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9. Unpublished material  
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]