Abstract In northeastern Brazil, the sugarcane expansion has occurred historically over the Atlantic Forest biome. However, little is known about the physical process and changes induced by sugarcane cultivation in this biome. Thus, a field study was conducted to evaluate changes induced by sugarcane cultivation on soil physical properties, processes and functions in the Atlantic Forest biome. For that, soil samples were collected at three sites in northeastern Brazil: AF – Atlantic Forest, SCratoon – successive sugarcane ratoon cultivation and SCtill – tilled soil for sugarcane replanting. Quantitative and semi-quantitative soil properties [i.e. bulk density, soil penetration resistance (SPR), water-stable aggregates, soil organic carbon (C), pore size distribution and Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) scores] were examined. In addition, four critical soil functions were evaluated by a soil physical quality index (SPQI). Atlantic Forest soil presented the greatest soil physical quality (i.e. lower bulk density, higher porosity, soil C and soil aggregate stability), functioning, according to SPQI, at 88% of its full capacity. However, SPR under AF was significantly higher than SCratoon and SCtill. Soil tillage reduced SPR in SCtill compared to the area under successive sugarcane cultivation (SCratoon). The results revealed that the high SPR in AF and SCratoon areas occurred without soil volume variation (i.e. no compaction) in relation to the SCtill, indicating that these soils are susceptible to hardening induced by C bonds and thixotropy processes. Soil tillage for sugarcane replanting resulted in immediate improvements on physical conditions for root growth by decreasing SPR; however, soil disturbance increases its susceptibility to degradation by reducing water-stable soil aggregate, organic C and aeration pores. Thus, sugarcane cultivation declined the performance of soil physical functions to 72 and 67% of its full capacity in SCtill and SCratoon, respectively. Finally, best management practices to reduce soil disturbance and increase C should be prioritised, as well as minimising the mechanisms responsible by soil hardening in order to reduce soil physical degradation and improve the environment for root growth in sugarcane fields.

中文翻译：

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巴西东北部大西洋森林生物群落甘蔗种植引起的土壤物理变化

摘要 在巴西东北部，历史上曾发生过大西洋森林生物群落的甘蔗扩张。然而，对该生物群落中甘蔗种植引起的物理过程和变化知之甚少。因此，进行了一项实地研究，以评估甘蔗种植对大西洋森林生物群落中土壤物理特性、过程和功能的变化。为此，在巴西东北部的三个地点收集了土壤样本：AF - 大西洋森林，SCratoon - 连续甘蔗再生和 SCtill - 用于甘蔗再植的耕作土壤。检查了定量和半定量的土壤特性 [即容重、土壤渗透阻力 (SPR)、水稳定团聚体、土壤有机碳 (C)、孔径分布和土壤结构视觉评估 (VESS) 评分]。此外，通过土壤物理质量指数 (SPQI) 评估了四种关键的土壤功能。根据 SPQI，大西洋森林土壤表现出最高的土壤物理质量（即较低的容重、较高的孔隙率、土壤碳和土壤团聚体稳定性），其功能达到其全部容量的 88%。然而，AF 下的 SPR 明显高于 SCratoon 和 SCtill。与连续种植甘蔗 (SCratoon) 的区域相比，土壤耕作降低了 SCtill 的 SPR。结果表明，AF 和SCratoon 地区的高SPR 与SCtill 相关的土壤体积没有变化（即没有压实），表明这些土壤容易受到C 键和触变过程引起的硬化。用于甘蔗再植的土壤耕作通过降低 SPR 立即改善了根系生长的物理条件；然而，土壤扰动通过减少水稳性土壤团聚体、有机碳和通气孔来增加其降解的敏感性。因此，在 SCtill 和 SCratoon 中，甘蔗种植使土壤物理功能的性能分别下降到其全部容量的 72% 和 67%。最后，应优先考虑减少土壤干扰和增加碳的最佳管理实践，并尽量减少土壤硬化的机制，以减少土壤物理退化并改善甘蔗田根系生长的环境。分别。最后，应优先考虑减少土壤干扰和增加碳的最佳管理实践，并尽量减少土壤硬化的机制，以减少土壤物理退化并改善甘蔗田根系生长的环境。分别。最后，应优先考虑减少土壤干扰和增加碳的最佳管理实践，并尽量减少土壤硬化的机制，以减少土壤物理退化并改善甘蔗田根系生长的环境。