Caracterización química de suelos bajo plantaciones forestales (Pinus patula) en el cantón Loja

Abstract

Loja is one of the cities with more forest plantations, which is surrounding the city potentially influenced by topography that characterizes this province. The objectives were to assess qualitatively morphological attributes of soils and to evaluate the effect of topography on the chemical properties of soils under pine plantations (Pinus patula) in the canton Loja in southern Ecuador. The morphological attributes reported in Two Bridges (DOS), Villonaco (VIL) and Zamora Huayco (ZAM) had a loamy, hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic consistency. Similar depth in all sites showing a slow decomposition of the horizon O. The color of the soil at the three sites are brown to dark brown, confirming the accumulation of organic matter. Chemically reported a direct correlation between altitude and Mg, K, Na, P, S and CIC. Also a positive correlation between slope and most nutrients except Ca was reported and CIC. Inverse correlation between altitude and slope is reported with Ca, SB and pH. We conclude that the altitude and slope and topographic entities significantly affects on the physical-chemical attributes of the soil in pine plantations