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Composted sewage sludge (CSS) is an organic fertilizer that can be used as a source of micronutrients in agriculture. However, there are few studies with CSS to supply micronutrients for the bean crop. We aimed to evaluate micronutrient concentrations in the soil and their effects on nutrition, extraction, export, and grain yield in response to CSS residual application. The experiment was carried out in the field at Selvíria-MS, Brazil. The common bean cv. BRS Estilo was cultivated in two agricultural years (2017/18 and 2018/19). The experiment was designed in randomized blocks with four replications. Six different treatments were compared: (i) four increasing CSS rates, i.e., CSS5.0 (5.0 t ha−1 of applied CSS, wet basis), CSS7.5, CSS10.0, CSS12.5; (ii) a conventional mineral fertilizer (CF); (iii) a control (CT) without CSS and CF application. The available levels of B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn were evaluated in soil samples collected in the 0–0.2 and 0.2–0.4 m soil surface horizons. The concentration, extraction, and export of micronutrients in the leaf and productivity of common beans were evaluated. The concentration of Cu, Fe, and Mn ranged from medium to high in soil. The available levels of B and Zn in the soil increased with the residual rates of CSS, which were statistically not different from the treatments with CF. The nutritional status of the common bean remained adequate. The common bean showed a higher requirement for micronutrients in the second year. The leaf concentration of B and Zn increased in the CSS7.5 and CSS10.0 treatments. There was a greater extraction of micronutrients in the second year. Productivity was not influenced by the treatments; however, it was higher than the Brazilian national average. Micronutrients exported to grains varied between growing years but were not influenced by treatments. We conclude that CSS can be used as an alternative source of micronutrients for common beans grown in winter.

The development and application of deterministic models for vegetated slope stability analysis at a local scale is a pivotal issue in international research. Such tools identify mitigation and risk management techniques during increasingly frequent critical rainfall events. In this sense, the SOSlope software, developed by ecorisQ international association (www.ecorisq.org), allows the simulation of hydro-mechanical dynamics that may influence shallow landslides' occurrence, focusing on the progressive activation of root reinforcement in space and time to counteract soil movement. This study presents a reconstruction of an artificially triggered landslide in Rüdlingen (Switzerland), carried out during the Triggering Rapid Mass Movements project, aiming for a back-analysis of the hydro-mechanical conditions leading to its triggering. This experiment allows comparing real-scale data on triggering dynamics of shallow landslides with modeling assumptions and results. Detailed measurements during the investigation and following slope failure were used to calibrate the hydro-mechanical input parameters used in SOSlope and evaluate the modeling capability to reproduce the landslide-triggering conditions and behaviors. Results show a reasonable reconstruction of the complex dynamics leading to the loss of soil stability. In particular, considering the water effect and the force redistribution dynamics during the triggering. SOSlope can quantify the effect of the root reinforcement spatial distribution and passive earth pressure. In addition to quantifying the maximum value of root reinforcement achieved to counteract soil movement, SOSlope enables observing its progressive activation in space and time. Pore water pressure dynamics show a distinctive trend regarding preferential flows in soil fractures and macropores; the decrease of suction stress due to increased water content in the soil matrix was also observed. SOSlope allows for systemic analysis of the landslide event by evaluating the different phases of change in slope stability and identifying the causes that favored their failure. These results are challenging to understand the shallow landslide triggering dynamics on vegetated slopes, given simplified assumptions through simpler models. This tool could support risk management strategies, including green-based solutions, nearby structures and infrastructure, or reforestation activities for slope stabilization. In the latter case, through the software, the structure, composition, and efficiency of the plantation can be checked. Future developments in SOSlope will include the implementation of a triangulated grid mesh to improve computational limitations associated with the raster input data square grid resolution and the inclusion of new tree species for root reinforcement estimation.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:42:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-07-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Some silicate rocks are a rich source of potassium (K), with the possibility for use in agriculture. The present study aimed to evaluate the agronomic efficiency index (AEI) of nepheline syenite (NS) and phonolite (PN) rocks in comparison with potassium chloride (KCl) as a K source in maize production. An experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in Ilha Solteira, São Paulo, Brazil. A maize hybrid was grown in 8 L pots filled with 6 kg of soil with a low K concentration and contrasting physical attributes (medium and sandy texture). A completely randomized design in a 3 × 6 factorial scheme was used, consisting of three K sources (NS, PN, and KCl) and six rates (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 400 mg kg−1) with four replications. All plants were harvested 45 days after emergence to evaluate biomass production, macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S) concentration and uptake, stem diameter, and leaf chlorophyll index. After crop harvest, soil was collected for further chemical evaluation, which included organic matter (OM), pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), H+Al, Al, sum of bases (SB), base saturation (BS), P, K, Ca, Mg, and S. In addition, AEI of NS and PN were also verified in relation to KCl. The application of NS and PN had a similar effect on soil chemical attributes (MO, pH, SB, CEC, and BS) as well as on the concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, and S, in both soils. The increase in NS and PN rates provided linear growth of shoot dry matter. Leaf macronutrient concentrations were similar for NS and PN compared to KCl. All three K sources (NS, PN, and KCl) increased K accumulation in maize plants. Maize treated with KCl had the largest AEI, followed by PN and NS. However, the results indicated similar AEI with both rocks as a K source for maize, especially with application of the highest K rates. This research demonstrated the efficiency of NS and PN as alternative K sources for maize. School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Engineering São Paulo State University (UNESP) College of Agricultural Science São Paulo State University (UNESP) Mineragro Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture (CENA) Universidade de São Paulo (USP) USDA-NRCS Ecological Sciences Division Dipartimento di Architettura Design e Urbanistica Università degli Studi di Sassari Polo Bionaturalistico, Via Piandanna No. 4 Embrapa Soja Embrapa Cerrados School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences São Paulo State University (UNESP) School of Engineering São Paulo State University (UNESP) College of Agricultural Science São Paulo State University (UNESP) CAPES: 88881.593505/2020-01

Landslides represent one of the most critical issues for landscape managers. They can cause injuries and loss of human life and damage properties and infrastructure. The spatial and temporal distribution of these detrimental events makes them almost unpredictable. Studies on landslide susceptibility assessment can significantly contribute to prioritizing critical risk zones. Further, landslide prevention and mitigation and the relative importance of the affecting drivers acquire even more significance in areas characterized by seismicity. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between a set of environmental variables and the occurrence of landslide events in an area of the Apulia Region (Italy). Logistic regression was applied to a landslide-prone area in the Apulia Region (Italy) to identify the main causative factors using a large dataset of environmental predictors (47). The results of this case study show that the logistic regression achieved a good performance, with an AUC (Area Under Curve) >70%. Therefore, the model developed would be a useful tool to define and assess areas for landslide occurrence and contribute to implementing risk mitigation strategy and land use policy.

Forests provides major ecosystem services worldwide. The Brazilian Atlantic Forest (BAF) has been dramatically devastated, with fragmentation processes jeopardizing its long-term sustainability. This study investigated the structure and successional dynamics in BAF natural regeneration along an anthroposequence characterized by increasing human disturbance histories as: secondary (SF) disturbed (DF) late forest (LF). We aimed to understand how and the degree to which BAF fragmentation and human disturbance affected plants, soils, and the whole soil-plant relationships and feedbacks. We investigated the natural regeneration conditions of plants (using plant classification and quali-quantitative analyses) and soil chemistry (including pH-CaCl

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related chronic infection has been associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular diseases. An altered morphology and function of both left and right heart have been described in HCV patients; however, the causality of the association is still debated. Ninety-eight nonobese and nondiabetic HCV patients (59.5 ± 12.0 years; males 52%) with Fibroscan-Transient Elastography assessed low-moderate liver fibrosis that achieved sustained viral response at 12 and 24 weeks after DAAs (direct-acting antivirals) participated. 56 were matched with 52 control subjects for age, sex and cardiovascular risk factors at baseline. A trans-thoracic echocardiography was performed in each subject at baseline (T0) and repeated in all HCV patients after eradication (6 months later eligibility, T1). TNF-α and IL-10 were measured at baseline and at T1. A concentric remodelling of the left heart in HCV participants was identified, whereas tricuspidal annular plane systolic excursion, right indexed atrial volume, right basal ventricular diameter, inferior vena cava diameter and pulmonary arterial pressure were higher in HCV participants compared to matched controls. After virus eradication, left indexed atrial volume and all right cardiac chambers measures were lower than baseline. A significant reduction of TNF-α was shown at T1, while IL-10 did not change. This study shows a concentric remodelling of the left ventricle and structural modifications in the right sections in HCV patients compared to controls. Virus eradication with DAAs was associated with a reduction of the main right atrioventricular parameters indicating a direct involvement of the HCV in cardiac changes.

Sugarcane demands large amounts of nutrients to reach a high level of productivity. Nutrients are generally supplied by mineral fertilizers, but their high costs and negative environmental impacts have generated interest in greater use of organic nutrient sources such as composted sewage sludge (CSS). In this study, we evaluated changes in soil chemical properties after the application of CSS or CSS/mineral fertilizer (MF) combinations to soil containing sugarcane seedlings under nursery conditions. Treatments included: T1: conventional mineral fertilization (MF) without application of CSS, T2: 100% of the recommended MF (06–30–24); T3: application of 2.5 Mg−1 CSS; T4: 5.0 Mg−1 CSS, T5: 7.5 Mg−1 CSS, T6: 2.5 Mg−1 CSS and 50% MF, T7: 5.0 Mg−1 CSS and 50% MF, T8: 7.5 Mg−1 CSS and 50% MF, T9: 2.5 Mg−1 CSS and 100% MF, T10: 5.0 Mg−1 CSS and 100% MF, T11: 7.5 Mg−1 CSS and 100% MF. Soil chemical properties were evaluated from the soil surface (0.0–0.25 m) and subsurface (0.25–0.50 m) horizons. The results showed that the increase in CSS application did not affect soil organic matter content at either depth, while Zn concentrations increased in the soil subsurface horizon. The application of CSS at 5.0 Mg ha−1 with or without 50% MF resulted in the highest pH values, sum of bases, cation-exchange capacity, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, and Zn in surface horizons. The use of CSS as an organic fertilizer in sugarcane nurseries improves soil fertility, reduces mineral fertilizer requirements, and, thus, facilitates the sustainable disposal of sewage sludge.

Soil rebuilding represents a major challenge in the recovery of abandoned quarries. In this study, we explored the possibility of using reconstructed Technosols, to achieve soil rebuilding goals at an abandoned quarry site. We first investigated the use of a mixture containing commercial manure and limestone debris (LD) as pedotechnomaterials for an “ad hoc” (re)constructed Technosol (CT), for the recovery of an opencast limestone quarry in one of most concentrated quarry areas in the world. In a field experiment, we tested and monitored different pedotechnosystems (PTSs) made up of constructed Technosol + pasture species + different Mediterranean plant species. Specifically, a control (CT, without any additional treatments) was compared to treatments with organic amendment (CTOA) and conventional fertilizers (CTCF). Data were collected over a 12-month period and included crop performance, plant nutritional state, soil physical-chemical parameters, and metabolites. Analysis of variance compared differences among treatments, while factor analysis (FA) interpreted multiple relationships while explaining observed variability. Results showed that CTOA had better soil physical-chemical properties, greater plant growth, and overall superior agronomic performances compared to all other treatments due to the improved substrate conditions. According to FA, these results appear related to the creation of fertile soil conditions, with most of the investigated metabolites (i) playing a pivotal role in observed outcomes, together with (ii) a clear potential in being considered as a reliable fingerprint for investigating plant responses in constructed PTSs. The proposed pedotechniques in CTOA development show a great potential for the full recovery of abandoned limestone quarries in degraded Mediterranean areas by providing an excellent medium for plant growth, facilitating environmental reclamation.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:48:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2022-01-01 With its accumulation in upland rice, cadmium (Cd) can easily enter the human food chain, which poses a global health threat considering nearly half of the human population depends on rice as a staple food source. A study was conducted to (1) evaluate Cd accumulation by rice cultivars, grown in Cd-polluted Tropical Oxisols, with different levels of Cd tolerance; (2) quantify Cd transfer from soil to rice shoots and grain; and (3) estimate daily Cd intake by humans. Three rice cultivars, characterized by low (Cateto Seda–CS), medium (BRSMG Talento–BT), and high (BRSMG Caravera–BC) Cd uptake capacity, were investigated. Rice cultivars were exposed to increasing soil Cd concentrations (0.0, 0.7, 1.3, 3.9, 7.8, and 11.7 mg kg−1). Analysis was performed on soil, shoots, and grain. Shoot biomass and grain yield decreased with increasing Cd supply, suggesting the following Cd tolerance: CS > BT > BC. Cadmium concentrations in shoots and grain increased when exposed to Cd. Only CS did not exceed the maximum Cd limit permitted in food (0.40 mg kg−1), when rates up to 1.3 mg kg−1 of Cd were applied to soil. Considering daily rice consumption levels in Brazil, Cd intake often exceeds maximum tolerable levels. Continuous monitoring of soil Cd concentrations is a pivotal step in avoiding hazards to humans. Such monitoring is important on a global scale since outside of Asia, Brazil is the leading rice-producing and rice-consuming country. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] Department of Plant Protection Rural Engineering and Soils School of Engineering São Paulo State University School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences São Paulo State University, Via de acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n Centre of Nuclear Energy in Agriculture Universidade de São Paulo Federal Institute of São Paulo Indian River Research and Education Centre Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences University of Florida Department of Biology and Chemistry California State University Dipartimento Di Architettura Design E Urbanistica Università Degli Studi Di Sassari Desertification Research Centre Università Degli Studi Di Sassari Department of Plant Protection Rural Engineering and Soils School of Engineering São Paulo State University School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences São Paulo State University, Via de acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-04T12:37:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-05-20 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) United States Institute of Peace Studies regarding the residual effects of sewage sludge in soil several years after the first and only application are still scarce, especially for tropical areas under forestry management. In these soils, the residual effects can represent a neglected phenomenon, since silvicultural management experiences a longer crop rotation cycle compared to most common agricultural cycles. Consequently, under forestry management, sewage sludge applications can represent an event occurring just once over cycles of several years. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of residual sewage sludge application in infertile tropical soils under Eucalyptus plantations in terms of both the main chemical features (pH, soil organic matter, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, and cation-exchange capacity) and the potentially toxic elements (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) concentrations/behaviors of soil. Residual effects were evaluated in four areas (Sao Paulo State, Brazil) after 10.0, 12.2, 12.4, and 17.2 years from the first and only application, respectively. Differences in terms of treatments were evaluated by analysis of variance: correlations and similarity analyzed by principal component and cluster analysis, respectively. The results showed that soil organic matter, main macronutrients (N and P), and cation-exchange capacity contents were generally higher in sewage sludge-treated soils while potentially toxic element contents tended to increase at increasing sewage sludge doses. In most of the investigated treatments, the potentially toxic element concentrations were usually below both the soil natural background concentrations and quality reference values. Principal component and cluster analysis revealed that differences among areas were primary due to differences in applied sewage sludge type and amount. The effects of residual sewage sludge application on soil, in terms of both the pros and cons, can be detected even many years after the first and only application. Studies on the long-term effects of sewage sludge should be mandatory for both monitoring the pedoenvironment and for guiding policymakers and producers on the best practices for their reuse and management. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Forest Sci, Coll Agr Luiz de Queiroz, Av Padua Dias 11, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Nucl Energy Agr, Av Centenario 303, BR-73416000 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Inst Forest Sci & Res IPEF, Private Bag 530, BR-13400970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Soil Sci, Coll Agr Luiz de Queiroz, Av Padua Dias 11, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Exact Sci, Coll Agr Luiz de Queiroz, Av Padua Dias 11, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Plant Protect, Rural Engn & Soils, Sch Engn, BR-15385000 Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil Univ Sassari, Dipartimento Architettura Design & Urbanist, Via Colombo 1, I-08100 Nuoro, Italy Univ Sassari, Desertificat Res Ctr, Viale Italia 39, I-07100 Sassari, Italy Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Plant Protect, Rural Engn & Soils, Sch Engn, BR-15385000 Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2004/15097-0 FAPESP: 2018//13152-7 CNPq: 485205/2012-2 CNPq: 312728/2017-4 CAPES: 001

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:29:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-05-01 Exploitation of tuff deposits represents an intensive and destructive human activity that can completely modify natural soils, sometimes leading to their total disappearance. Soil reclamation of quarry areas can usually be done by soil rebuilding, employing complex and expensive techniques. In this research, we aimed to evaluate reconstructed Technosols and associated vegetation, called pedotechnosystem (PTS) and their development and behaviour for tuff quarry reclamation for both environmental rehabilitation and agricultural purposes. Technosols were investigated under three different conditions: i) a control consisting of a constructed Technosol (CT) without additional treatments; ii) CT treated with conventional mineral fertilization (CTCF); and, iii) CT treated with a composted mix of commercial organic amendments (CTOA). Different open-air mesocosms (pots) were investigated and evaluated in terms of: i) development, production, and metabolomic profile of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), olive (Olea europaea L.), and grapevine (Vitis Vinifera L. ssp. Sativa) in a mixture with a pasture species: ii) the Technosols physical-chemical responses. Specifically, after 15 months, all investigated PTS were evaluated in terms of: i) pasture species total dry matter (TDM) production, height (H), stem diameter (D) and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content of dry matter; ii) physical-chemical analyses of all investigated substrates; iii) olive, grape, and rosemary characterization by analysing N, P, and K content in dry leaves as well as their metabolomic profile. Statistical differences among treatments were ascertained through ANOVA, while observed variability was interpreted using a principal factor analysis (PFA). Use of CTOA resulted in statistically (p < 0.05) higher performances in terms of TDM as well as P contents in harvested pasture species. In CTOA, more favourable pH conditions (near neutral) for plant growth were observed; additionally, such PTS showed the best performances in terms of soil organic matter (SOM), total N, and P as well as an improvement for most of the investigated organic fractions and relative humification indexes. Identified metabolites varied greatly by species, underscoring the capability of metabolites in fingerprinting different species and related responses to environmental stress factors. Results from PFA showed that: i) CTOA produced better growing conditions and agronomic performance among all investigated PTS; ii) metabolomic profiles are a reliable fingerprint for investigating plant responses to environmental stress and can help differentiate behaviour that follows. Overall, the research demonstrated that CTOA represents a low-cost easily applicable technique for soil rebuilding in tuff quarry areas. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali Biologiche e Farmaceutiche Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi n° 43 Dipartimento di Architettura e Disegno Industriale Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” Abazia di San Lorenzo, via San Lorenzo Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IRSA-CNR), V.le F. de Blasio, 5 Department of Plant Protection Rural Engineering and Soils São Paulo State University, Av. Brazil Sul n◦ 56 Center of Nuclear Energy in Agriculture Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Centenário n◦ 303 USDA-NRCS Ecological Sciences Division Dipartimento di Architettura Design e Urbanistica Università Degli Studi di Sassari, Via Piandanna No 4 Desertification Research Centre Università Degli Studi di Sassari, Viale Italia No 39 Department of Plant Protection Rural Engineering and Soils São Paulo State University, Av. Brazil Sul n◦ 56

Naturally infertile soils require large amounts of mineral fertilizers to obtain the desired crop yield. In the Cerrado region of Brazil, there is a need to investigate the potential of organic fertilizers to sustainably increase crop productivity and food security. A field study was conducted over two experimental seasons to evaluate the agronomic effectiveness of composted sewage sludge (CSS) as a fertilizer for soybean cultivation in infertile tropical soils. A 4 &times, 2 + 2 factorial randomized complete block design was applied with the following treatments: (i) CSS: 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, and 12.5 Mg ha&minus, 1 on a wet basis applied according to two different methods: whole area (WA) or between rows (BR), (ii) comparison with two alternative treatments: a control with no CSS and mineral fertilizer application, and an area treated with conventional fertilizers only. All the treatments were compared in terms of micronutrient concentrations in surface soil and plant leaves, plant development, crop productivity, and yield. Bi- (ANOVA, correlation matrix, and polynomial regression analysis) and multivariate (PCA, principal factor analysis) statistics were applied to determine statistical differences and relationships/observed variability among the treatments. Results showed that at higher CSS-WA rates: (i) soil and leaf micronutrient concentrations increased, (ii) there was an increase in soybean yield by 12 and 20%, respectively, as compared to control and conventional fertilization, (iii) soybean yield was 67% higher than the mean soybean yields for Brazil. Research outcomes confirm the benefits of CSS application on infertile agricultural soils in the Cerrado region, representing a strong alternative source of micronutrients in the CSS with respect to conventional fertilizers.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:44:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-10-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) ASCRS Research Foundation Sewage sludge can be used as a source of organic matter and nutrients, whereas sugarcane bagasse can be used as a decompaction material; by composting a mixture of the two, a low-cost substrate for forest nurseries can be obtained. This research investigated the use of composted sewage sludge with sugarcane bagasse (CSB) as a commercial substrate in nurseries to grow seedlings of the hybrid clone Eucalyptus urograndis. Several CSB treatments were evaluated in comparison with a control (no P addition) and a commercial substrate (CS). Before composting, CSB was conditioned with P to increase its final concentration: CSB+1.5, 3.0, and 4.5% triple superphosphate (TP) or reactive phosphate (RP). After 120 d, the Eucalyptus response to all eight substrates was assessed by: i) plant morphological traits (H, height; D, diameter; SB, shoot biomass; RB, root biomass; TB, total dry biomass; GCI, green color intensity; and root system quality) and ii) chemical parameters of shoots and roots. Significant differences among treatments were ascertained using an ANOVA, and variability was interpreted using principal factor analysis (PFA). The treatment with CSB+3% TP (TP3.0) exhibited statistically (p < 0.05) higher performance in regards to morphological parameters (H, D, SB, TB) and the nutrient contents of shoots and roots (N, P, Ca, Na, Mn, Zn, and Cu) than the other treatments and control. The results suggest that B and K could play a fundamental role in both the observed variability and the improved plant performance in the TP3.0 substrate. PFA also showed i) the key role of OM as the primary source/sink of some pivotal macronutrients/heavy metals and ii) the existence of important antagonistic/synergistic effects between elements as a primary driver affecting the concentration/behavior of elements in the shoot/root system. Overall, the research demonstrated that with an addition of only 3.0% TP, the CSB performance was better than the most commonly used and widespread commercial substrate in industrial forest nurseries. Dipartimento di Architettura Design e Urbanistica Università Degli Studi di Sassari, Via Piandanna No 4 Department of Forest Soil and Environmental Sciences College of Agricultural Sciences São Paulo State University (UNESP) Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali Biologiche e Farmaceutiche Università Della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi No 43 Desertification Research Centre Università Degli Studi di Sassari, Viale Italia No 39 Department of Forest Soil and Environmental Sciences College of Agricultural Sciences São Paulo State University (UNESP)

Until now, slope stability models include the effects of the vegetation by adding a fixed value of apparent root cohesion as an estimate of root strength. However, some studies have demonstrated that root reinforcement depends on poorly constrained factors such as the heterogeneous distribution of roots in the soil and their tensional and compressional strength behavior.SOSlope (Self-Organized Slope) is a hydro-mechanical model that computes the factor of safety on a hillslope discretized into a two-dimensional array of blocks connected by bonds to simulate the interactions of root-soil systems (Cohen and Schwarz, 2017). SOSlope estimates slope stability considering the presence of vegetation as a function of parameters such as species, tree density and diameter at breast height. In particular, bonds between adjacent blocks represent mechanical forces acting across the blocks due to roots and soil, in tension or compression, depending on the relative position of blocks. It is a strain-step discrete element model that reproduces the self-organized redistribution of forces on a slope during a rainfall-triggered shallow landslide. The innovative aspect of this model is a complete evaluation of the effects of roots on slope stability calculated using the Root Bundle Model with Weibull survival function (RBMw, Schwarz et al, 2013).In this case study, SOSlope was used to reconstruct a critical shallow landslide triggering and to observe how the factor of safety changes depending on the presence, or not, of vegetation. The study area is located in the north-eastern part of the Oltrepò Pavese (Pavia, Italy), and is characterized by a high density of past landslides as reported in the database of Italian landslide inventories (IFFI). In the past, the common land use was vineyards, abandoned in the 1980s. Presently, the vegetation consists of grasses and shrubs moving to a thinned forest of young Robinia pseudoacacia L. On 27 and 28 April 2009 a shallow landslide triggered after an intense and prolonged rainfall event (160 mm accumulated in 62 h with a maximum intensity of 22.6 mm/h). A large number of shallow landslides occurred in the surrounding area with about 29 landslides per km2 (1600 landslides in 240 km2). Five years later, on 28 February - 2 March 2014, 15 meters from a monitoring station and close to the previously affected area, another superficial landslide was triggered after 30 days of rain with a total precipitation of 105.5 mm (68.9 mm in 42 h recorded by the rain gauge of the monitoring station). In addition to the significance of this large landslide, this case study was scientifically important because it wasthe first documented case of a natural shallow landslide induced by rainfall since the 1950s (Bordoni et al, 2015).The results of SOSlope simulations show good agreement with the real event of 28 February - 2 March 2014, and emphasize the important role of tree roots in the variation of the factor of safety. In this specific case, adding trees results in a reduction of about 39% of the dimensions of the unstable area.

The influence of vegetation on the hydro-geomorphological response is widely recognized, and root reinforcement mechanisms are an important component of slope stability models. The calculation of this essential information is very complex because of the multiple interactions in the root-soil system, but also because of several mechanical characteristics that influence the tension and compression behaviour of the root itself.This contribution has two aims. The first one is to show parameters of root reinforcement effects of Robinia pseudoacacia (L.), a tree commonly used for the mitigation of rainfall-induced landslides at small scale. This species is very widespread because it is able to grow on marginal areas, such as abandoned hillside sites, or on infrastructures, such as road and railway scarps, but its characterization represents a gap in knowledge in the literature. Field pullout tests were performed to collect input data for the quantification of root reinforcement using the Root Bundle Model with Weibull survival function (RBMw, Schwarz et al, 2013). Recent studies have shown how the RBMw is a very efficient model for the evaluation of root reinforcement by considering the heterogeneity of both root mechanical characteristics and their distribution in the soil. However, due to the model complexity and the need for information difficult to obtain, other simpler but less accurate approaches, such as the Wu model, have been preferred. For this reason, the second aim of the work is to present a new tool written in C++, and called RBM++, easy to use that enables anyone, from Universities to private companies, to quantify the effect of roots on slope stability. RBM++ allows the calculation of root reinforcement using two different methods: the first one by entering own data of the mechanical parameters of the roots, estimated beforehand with pullout tests in the field, and the root distribution in the soil; the second one by selecting the tree species and the data related to the spatial root distribution. For the first method, it is necessary to use a pullout machine to obtain the data. Because this instrument is not commonly available the model has the option to use default parameters for nine tree species based on values found in the literature. Output from RBM++ comes in tabular format and with a plot that shows, via the graphical user interface, the spatial distribution of forces as a function of the distance from the tree trunk and size of the tree. RBM++ makes it easier to share and exchange knowledge related to root reinforcement. Therefore, it will allow the realization of a database containing standard data on root mechanical behavior of tree species commonly used for shallow landslide mitigation.

Composted sewage sludge (CSS) contains large amounts of organic matter and nutrients and can be used as an organic fertilizer to improve growth, yield, and quality of sugarcane. However, there is a lack of information regarding the impact of CSS application on sugarcane seedling performance in nursery environments. A field study was conducted using a randomized complete block design to evaluate the development, nutritional status, productivity, and technological quality of sugarcane seedlings after CSS application with or without mineral fertilizer. Morphological variables (stem height, diameter, and number, as well as leaf area), technological attributes (total recoverable sugar: ATR; quantity of sucrose in sugarcane juice: Pol; Brix: percentage (weight/weight) of soluble solids contained in juice; TAH: tons of sugar per hectare), nutritional status, and sugarcane productivity were evaluated. Treatments did not influence morphological and technological variables except for TAH but did positively alter nutritional status and seedling productivity. The application rates of 5.0 and 7.5 Mg ha−1 of CSS with or without mineral fertilizers (MF) provided the greatest increase in crop productivity. Our results indicate that CSS can be a sustainable nutritional management option in sugarcane seedling nurseries, resulting in greater crop productivity at lower mineral fertilization rates.

Sardinia (Italy), the second largest island of the Mediterranean Sea, is a fire-prone land. Most Sardinian environments over time were shaped by fire, but some of them are too intrinsically fragile to withstand the currently increasing fire frequency. Calcareous pedoenvironments represent a significant part of Mediterranean areas, and require important efforts to prevent long-lasting degradation from fire. The aim of this study was to assess through an integrated multiple approach the impact of a single and highly severe wildland fire on limestone-derived soils. For this purpose, we selected two recently burned sites, Sant'Antioco and Laconi. Soil was sampled from 80 points on a 100 × 100 m grid – 40 in the burned area and 40 in unburned one – and analyzed for particle size fractions, pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, total N, total P, and water repellency (WR). Fire behavior (surface rate of spread (ROS), fireline intensity (FLI), flame length (FL)) was simulated by BehavePlus 5.0.5 software. Comparisons between burned and unburned areas were done through ANOVA as well as deterministic and stochastic interpolation techniques; multiple correlations among parameters were evaluated by principal factor analysis (PFA) and differences/similarities between areas by principal component analysis (PCA). In both sites, fires were characterized by high severity and determined significant changes to some soil properties. The PFA confirmed the key ecological role played by fire in both sites, with the variability of a four-modeled components mainly explained by fire parameters, although the induced changes on soils were mainly site-specific. The PCA revealed the presence of two main “driving factors”: slope (in Sant'Antioco), which increased the magnitude of ROS and FLI; and soil properties (in Laconi), which mostly affected FL. In both sites, such factors played a direct role in differentiating fire behavior and sites, while they played an indirect role in determining some effects on soil.

The omitted reclamation of quarrying sites in the Campania region (Italy), especially in Caserta province, represents a dramatic source of territory instability, landscape deterioration and social-cultural apprehension. The main problems arise from the systematic failure to comply with the Environmental Reclamation laws in force, the weakness of judicial supervisions and the lack of specific sanctions to be applied in the event of non-compliance. Additionally, the environmental reclamation still represents a prohibitive cost for the quarrying entrepreneurs, just because it is not considered as a possible investment for the company’s conversion to new lines of production. On these bases, we considered the chance to turn the closing down of quarrying into other sustainable business activities, able to guarantee not only the environmental safeguarding according to the law, but also the social-economic progress. The present paper describes a study-case intervention of pedotechnologies as a reference protocol – within the whole of reclamation activities – to ad hoc designing and building Technosols, suitable for an environmental reclamation addressed to the agricultural reuse of abandoned limestone quarries.

The objectives of our study were to evaluate i) the soil fertility and fractionation of Ba, Cd, Cu, and Zn in the topsoil layer (0-0.20 m depth); and ii) production and concentration and accumulation of Ba, Cd, Cu, and Zn in the components of Eucalyptus trees at 36 months after sewage sludge (SS) application, with or without mineral P fertilizer, compared to mineral fertilization. Application of SS (at N criteria) with P increased soil organic matter and heavy metal concentrations, which were mostly bound to the oxidic and organic matter fractions. SS provided Eucalyptus production and heavy metal concentrations and accumulation in the trunk, branches, and leaves similar to mineral fertilization for high wood production. The application of SS (at N criteria) supplied with P increased soil heavy metal, fertility, and Eucalyptus production, without risk of environmental contamination.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-26T17:41:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-12-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Suzano Pulp and Paper Company S.A. Fertilization of Eucalyptus plantations using sewage sludge on unfertile tropical soils represents an alternative to using mineral N and P fertilizers. A 44-month field experiment was conducted to study the effects of increasing application of sludge, and its interactions with mineral N and P fertilizers, on wood volume. Four rates of sludge (0, 8,15 and 23 Mg ha(-1), dry base), N (0, 47, 95 and 142 kg ha(-1)) and P (0, 28, 56 and 84 kg ha(-1) of P2O5) were combined in a 4 x 4 x 4 factorial scheme in a totally randomized block design. Response surface and age-shift modeling was used to establish an initial recommendation for mineral fertilization of the Eucalyptus plantations treated with sludge and to analyze the implications of increased growth on the duration of the forest cycle in a tropical climate. The results showed that from 8 to 44 months after planting, the sludge application (with or without N and P) yielded a statistically larger wood volume (P < 0.05), compared to application of N and P fertilizers only. The response surface modeling showed the following outcomes: i) application of sludge based on N criterion reduced the need for N and P fertilizers by 100%; and ii) an increase in wood volume by 7% could be achieved, compared to NPK fertilizers only, if 2/3 of the recommended P was applied. The cultivation time to produce 150 m(3) ha(-1) of wood volume was 45 months for the control and was reduced by two, three, four, or five months, respectively, through application of recommended P, sludge dose, sludge plus one third of P, and sludge plus two thirds of P. On the whole, sewage sludge could represent an excellent unconventional N and P fertilizer source for wood production on unfertile tropical soils. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Plant Nutr, Ctr Nucl Energy Agr, BR-13400970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Fed Univ Grande Dourados, Sch Engn, BR-79804070 Dourados, MS, Brazil EMBRAPA Cerrado, BR-73310970 Planaltina, DF, Brazil Univ Sao Paulo, Luiz de Queiroz Coll Agr, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Suzano Papel & Celulose SA, BR-18200000 Itapetininga, SP, Brazil Univ Florida, Inst Food & Agr Sci, Indian River Res & Educ Ctr, Ft Pierce, FL 34945 USA Sao Paulo State Univ, Sch Engn, Dept Plant Protect Rural Engn & Soils, BR-15385000 Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil Univ Sassari, Dipartimento Architettura Design & Urbanist, Via Colombo 1, I-08100 Nuoro, Italy Univ Sassari, Desertificat Res Ctr, Viale Italia 39, I-07100 Sassari, Italy Sao Paulo State Univ, Sch Engn, Dept Plant Protect Rural Engn & Soils, BR-15385000 Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2004/15097-0 FAPESP: 2015/09690-5 CNPq: 313374/2014-7

The soil–culture relationship has been investigated from various points of view. Surprisingly, however, there is a marked absence of papers investigating the way such a fragile resource has been re...

This study aimed to assess the impacts of composted sewage sludge and steel mill slag on urban soil fertility and tree growth. The research was conducted in an urban area (Botucatu, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil) characterised by extremely unfertile urban soils and with high production of these wastes. Plant growth, soil physico-chemical properties, and chemical composition of leafs were analysed during a 12-month field experiment. Principal factor analysis (PFA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were applied in the evaluation of the investigated soil-plant system. The results showed that soil fertility was increased by the combination of applied waste materials, which provided good conditions for full plant development and maintenance. PFA showed that the variability of the investigated model was mainly due to the role of soil organic matter as source/sink of soil heavy metals. CCA showed that the investigated soil-plant system was characterised by time-dependent evolution, with an equilibrium reached during the final stages, suggesting that the obtained results may be realistic from a long-term perspective. This study provides evidence that composted sewage sludge and steel mill slag are acceptable alternatives for improving urban soil quality and tree growth. The reuse of these wastes could provide a low-cost alternative for their complex and expensive management and disposal with, additionally, the possibility of turning currently bulky refuse material into a commodity.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:29:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-01-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Colorado State University North Carolina State University Universidade Federal de Lavras Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte Università degli Studi di Sassari U.S. Forest Service Universidade de São Paulo ArcelorMittal International Paper Brazilian roundwood industry is one of the most important and productive in the world, with Eucalyptus plantations alone representing 73% of the total planted forests. Deep rooting in these plantations represents a more common phenomena than generally expected. However, there is still a lack of information on environmental factors that drive root growth in deep soil layers, with particular emphasis on edaphoclimatic conditions, and related consequence in terms of soil water behavior. As a part of a larger project, this research aimed to investigate soil water and fine root system distribution in deep tropical soils under a commercial Eucalyptus plantation chronosequence. Along a 2800-km gradient (from south- to north-east Brazil), 14 experimental areas were planted with a “plastic” clone (E. urophylla) and investigated in terms of climatic conditions, soil and water features, and plant/stand development for an entire 6-years rotation period. Fine roots distribution were investigated in one site (in Brazil) till to 20 m deep at 3, 9, 24, 48, and 65 months after planting. Results showed a fast displacement of the root front down to 75, 325, 825, 1250, and 1575 cm at month 3, 9, 24, 48, and 65 after planting, respectively. Fine root densities (g cm−3) and proportional water capture exponentially decreased with soil depth. Deep fine roots showed a relativelly higher efficiency in acquiring water than the shallower, denser roots. The relationship between stand height vs root front depth followed an exponential trend, suggesting that these stands developed relatively faster in height rather than in depth during the first 48 months, with the opposite characterizing plantation afterwards. Regardless of stand age, E. urophylla trees rapidly explored a considerable volume of soil at a relatively limited carbon cost. Multivariate statistics showed that edaphoclimatic conditions play a major role in Eucalyptus plant/stand development. This study outlined the major role played by soil development. From poorly developed sandy Entisols, to medium developed Inceptisols, and to most developed fine textured Oxisols, both plant growth and stand productivity greatly improved accordingly. This study suggests that soil type, together with other environmental factors, are likely to influence both the development and behavior of Eucalyptus plantations for an extent greater than commonly anticipated. Vimef-Soluções Florestais Ltda, Rua Juca Prates, 1014 UNESP São Paulo State University School of Agricultural Sciences Department of Plant Protection Rural Engineering and Soils School of Engineering São Paulo State University Universidade de São Paulo Center of Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Av. Centenário, 303 Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center University of Florida Eco&Sols Univ Montpellier CIRAD INRA IRD Montpellier SupAgro CIRAD UMR Eco&Sols Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Ambientali Biologiche e Farmaceutiche Università della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi n◦ 43 Dipartimento di Architettura Design e Urbanistica Università degli Studi di Sassari Polo Bionaturalistico, Via Piandanna n° 4 School of Agricultural Forest and Food Sciences Bern University of Applied Science, Laenggasse 85 Desertification Research Centre Università degli Studi di Sassari, Viale Italia n◦ 39 UNESP São Paulo State University School of Agricultural Sciences Department of Plant Protection Rural Engineering and Soils School of Engineering São Paulo State University

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-04T12:34:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-03-10 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Sewage sludge (SS) reuse in forest plantation as soil fertilizer/amendment has tremendously increased in recent years. However, SS may have high concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE), representing a potential risk for soil and the whole ecosystem. This paper was aimed to assess the toxicity of PTE in unfertile tropical soils amended with SS in a commercial Eucalyptus plantation, with an integrated multiple approaches combining: i) the use of a battery of bioassays (Daphnia magna, Pseudokcrichirella subcapitata, Lactuca sativa, and Allium cepa); and ii) the evaluation of some PTE (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and their availability into the pedoenvironment. Differences in total and available PTE between SS doses and time of treatments were evaluated using ANOVA; correlations between PTE and bioassays by a sparse partial robust M-regression (SPRM), while multiple correlations among parameters were performed by principal factor analysis (PFA). Results show that PTE contents in soils tended to increase with SS application doses. However this cannot be assumed as a general rule since in all the investigated treatments the PTE concentrations were consistently below both soil natural background concentrations and quality reference values. Bioassays showed a generalized low eco- and genotoxicity of SS with an increase in toxicity at increasing SS doses but with a clear decreasing trend as time went by. A. cepa was the most sensitive bioassay followed by P. subcapitata > D. magna > L. sativa. Overall, the results indicate that in realistic open field conditions SS risk may be lower than expected due to dynamic decrease in PTE toxicity with time after application. This study has an important implication that open-field trials should be strongly encouraged for evaluating environmental risk of SS application in forestry. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Nucl Energy Agr, BR-13400970 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Univ Groningen, Gelifes Microbial Ecol Cluster, NL-9747 AG Groningen, Netherlands Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Plant Protect Rural Engn & Soils, Sch Engn, BR-15 38500 Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil Univ Sassari, Dipartimento Agr, Via Colombo 1, I-08100 Nuoro, Italy Vienna Univ Technol, CSTAT Computat Stat, Inst Stat & Math Methods Econ, Wiedner Hauptstr 8-10, A-1040 Vienna, Austria Biossolido Agr & Ambiente Ltda, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Biossolo Serv Agron & Ambientais Ltda, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil Univ Florida, Inst Food & Agr Sci, Indian River Res & Educ Ctr, Ft Pierce, FL 34945 USA Univ Sassari, Dipartimento Architettura Design & Urbanist, Via Colombo 1, I-08100 Nuoro, Italy Univ Sassari, Desertificat Res Ctr, Viale Italia 39, I-07100 Sassari, Italy Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Plant Protect Rural Engn & Soils, Sch Engn, BR-15 38500 Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil FAPESP: 2004/15097-0 CNPq: 485205/2012-2 CNPq: 312728/2017-4 FAPESP: 2006/52174-9 FAPESP: 2017/26375-1 CAPES: 001

Local knowledge refers to the understandings, skills, and philosophies developed by societies with long histories of interaction with their environment. Place names (toponyms) can be considered an important mirror of the local knowledge and perceptions about the surrounding living space. The aim of this research has been to investigate, through an integrated ethnopedological approach, the meaning and distribution of toponyms, with particular (but not sole) reference to pedonyms (toponyms connected to soil resources) used in the traditional and recent cartography of Sardinia (southern Italy). As a paradigmatic case study, the toponyms belonging to an important sub-region of Sardinia, the Gulf of Oristano (central-western Sardinia), have been investigated. To draw appropriate comparisons between local and scientific knowledge, the research was conducted through the following approach: i) toponymy research and collection from different sources; ii) database creation and toponym translation; iii) categorization of toponyms; iv) soil field investigation and analysis of several physical–chemical parameters; and v) graphical, statistical (including multivariate analysis), and cartographic data processing. Generally speaking, the research shows that toponymy cannot be intended merely as a contextual geographic practice aiming to attribute a specific place name to a predefined geographical space. It rather represents a complex and articulated dynamic objectivation (in terms of the conversion of a concept or abstraction into an object) of a geographic entity. This process is the consequence of a strong, deep, and often conflicting interaction among humans, culture, and the surrounding environment. During the Anthropocene period, the influence of human activities on toponymy has been so intensive that many place names are now coined to mainly indicate the “artificial” man-made features of an intensively anthropized environment. Such “technogenic toponyms” could represent the “written witness” of the Anthropocene during subsequent eras.

Purpose: The increasing need for disposal of lake-dredged material (LDM) as a consequence of intensified natural and/or anthropogenically mediated erosion processes has lead the scientific community to find new strategies for its reuse. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of LDM use on the biochemical and functional performance of a degraded soil affected by erosion and entisolization processes. Materials and methods: As a paradigmatic case study, a hydrographic basin located in Sardinia (Italy) was investigated. Severe soil degradation processes affect this area and have resulted in intensive sheet and rill water erosion. In contrast, an increase in sedimentation has been recorded on the bottom of an artificial lake. A degraded soil, collected in this area, were treated by co-utilization of LDM, other mineral matrices (a zeolitized tuff), organic amendment (a commercial manure), and mineral fertilizer (urea, triple superphosphate, and potassium sulfate) for the growth of a pasture grass under controlled (pot) conditions. The evolution of nine different model proto-horizons (MPH) was monitored through a series of biochemical parameters and techniques (total/extracellular enzymatic activity, isoelectric focusing, and gas chromatography) to assess the potential of LDM in soil biochemical recovery. Results and discussion: On the whole, treatments containing LDM resulted in good recovery of degraded soils, as shown by a general enhancement in biochemical functionality. Application of LDM increased the more stable fraction of organic matter and its active biochemical fraction, showing the highest stable humic carbon content and humic activity. Such outcomes seem to represent a long-term beneficial effect on soil functionality. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that LDM could be a useful pedotechnomaterial (PTM) for improving the biochemical functionality of extremely degraded soils. Additionally, the use of LDM as a PTM has the ecological advantage of recycling what is often considered as a “waste material.” From a socioeconomic point of view, the reuse of LDM in pedotechnique could represent a new low-cost alternative to the complex and expensive management and disposal of this material.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:53:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-09-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) University of Florida Quality reference values (QRV) for potentially toxic elements (PTE) in soils are established as a tool for prevention and monitoring of soil pollution. These values should be periodically revised in order to ensure soil safety for agricultural purposes. Brazil is market leader for several commodities; therefore, the safety of Brazilian soils is of worldwide strategic importance. The objective of this study was to determine the natural background concentrations and the QRV for As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn by investigating 30 representative pedotypes in the São Paulo State, one of the most important agro-industry economy at worldwide level. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied to determine the sources of PTE and their variability. The mean natural background concentrations of PTE in the soils were generally lower to those reported in literature. QRV, calculated for each element as the 75th and 90th percentiles, were lower (75th for As, Cd, Pb, and Zn), similar (75th for Ba, Cr, and Se) or above (90th for Ba, Cr, and Se and 75-90th for Ni) those previously proposed by the Brazilian environmental protection agencies. The results indicate that 75th percentile may be too restrictive. The PTE in the investigated soils appear to have comes mainly from two primary natural sources: a prevalent one of geogenic and a secondary of pedogenic origin. These results confirm the predominant natural source of selected PTE in the investigated soils, thus sustaining the possibility of using the data set to develop QRV for the State of São Paulo. Department of Plant Protection Rural Engineering and Soils School of Engineering São Paulo State University Department of Plant Nutrition Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture University of São Paulo Department of Soil Science Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture University of São Paulo Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center University of Florida Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Agricultural Sciences Centre Federal University of São Carlos Department of Soils and Environmental Resources College of Agricultural Sciences São Paulo State University (UNESP) Dipartimento di Architettura Design e Urbanistica Università degli Studi di Sassari, Via Colombo n◦; 1 Desertification Research Centre Università degli Studi di Sassari, Viale Italia n◦; 39 Department of Plant Protection Rural Engineering and Soils School of Engineering São Paulo State University Department of Soils and Environmental Resources College of Agricultural Sciences São Paulo State University (UNESP) FAPESP: 07/59402-0