ORIGINAL PAPER
Soil enzymatic activity in Acrisols as affected by forest-pasture conversion in northern Amazonia
1
State University of Northern Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000, CEP: 28013-602, Parque Califórnia, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2
University of Roraima, Av. Ene Garcez, 2413, CEP: 69300-000, Campus Paricarana, Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil
3
Federal Institute of Roraima, BR-174, Km 257, CEP: 69365-000, Vila Novo Paraíso, Caracaraí, Roraima, Brazil
4
University of Santiago de Compostela, Reitoría da USC, Colexio de San Xerome, Praza do Obradoiro, s/n – 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain
5
University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 9301, Free State, South Africa
Submission date: 2025-01-25
Final revision date: 2025-11-03
Acceptance date: 2025-12-12
Online publication date: 2025-12-12
Publication date: 2025-12-30
Corresponding author
Ingridy Do Nascimento Tavares
PhD student in the Graduate Program in Plant Production, Darcy Ribeiro State University of Northern Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
PhD student in the Graduate Program in Plant Production, Darcy Ribeiro State University of Northern Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Soil Sci. Ann., 2026, 77(1)215526
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to investigate changes in soil enzymatic activities within the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) cycles following the conversion of forest to pasture. Soil samples classified as Acrisols were collected from seven pasture paddocks and one native forest area (as a reference). The experimental design employed a randomized block arrangement with eight land-use systems: five with Brachiaria brizantha (BB), two with Brachiaria humidicola (BH), and one with Native Forest (FN), evaluated at two soil depths: 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm. Soil chemical and biological variables were analyzed in conjunction with hydrolase enzyme activities associated with the C, N, P, and S cycles. Statistical analysis data were processed using R Studio (v. 4.2.2). The FN system exhibited the highest β-glucosidase and acid phosphatase activities. The BBQR system (BB on burned and mountainous areas) exhibited elevated activities of arylsulfatase, cellulase, urease, and protease. The BHQC system (BH on burned and limed areas) also showed high cellulase and invertase activities. Overall, conversion to pasture significantly altered enzymatic activities, although BBQR maintained enzymatic activities comparable to those of FN in certain nutrient cycles. These findings underscore the importance of management strategies that preserve soil biological function and quality in savanna-forest transition regions.
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