Spatial distribution of Pb and Zn in soils under native vegetation in Southeast Brazil.

Heavy metals can play an important biological role as micronutrients but also as potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Understanding the natural concentrations of PTEs-Pb and Zn included-in soils allows for the identification and monitoring of contaminated areas and their role in environmental risk assessment. In this study, we aim to determine semi-total or natural and available concentrations of Pb and Zn in topsoils (0-20 cm depth) from 337 samples under native vegetation in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Carbon input and the structural quality of soil organic matter as a function of agricultural management in a tropical climate region of Brazil.

Carbon (C) stabilization and the quality of soil organic matter (SOM) in a tropical climate are key aspects regulating carbon dioxide emissions and maintaining the C cycle. Soil management influences the accumulation of C, regulating the balance between mineralization and/or the humification of SOM. This study aimed to quantify inputs of different chemical forms of C into soil and to evaluate the structural chemical characteristics of humified SOM.