Organic mulching has been suggested as an option for managing spontaneous species in restoration plantings and can promote improvements in soil properties and performance of planted species. The aim of this study was to test the effect of crowning techniques on soil microclimatic and performance of forest seedlings. The experiment was carried out in Goiás state, Brazil. Two study factors were used: crowning techniques (manual weeding, cardboard, wood chipping and control—without weed competition management), and six tree species: Anadenanthera peregrina, Ceiba speciosa, Dipteryx alata, Inga edulis, Genipa americana and Spondias mombin. Soil temperature and moisture assessments were performed within the crowning area (0.25 m²). Seedling survival and growth in height and diameter were evaluated over 219 days. Organic mulching treatments of wood chipping and cardboard provided increase in soil moisture and decrease in temperature, resulting in higher seedling survival rate. The increase in height and diameter differed among species under study, with A. peregrina standing out in height and C. speciosa in diameter. The crowning techniques did not influence the average height of species; however, wood chipping provided greater diameter increase. The findings of this study indicate that mulching treatments, by contributing to increase soil moisture and decrease soil temperature, can be used as crowning techniques to increase the survival rate and diameter growth of tree species in restoration plantings.

The main challenge of the no-tillage system (NTS) is to reconcile productivity, the maintenance of surface residues, and the stabilization of soil organic matter (SOM). To address this challenge, particularly in tropical regions, various cover crops have been tested. The objective of this study was to test the effects of agricultural crop succession systems on the stock and stability of soil organic carbon in different surface layers of the soils. The research was carried out in the state of Goiás, Brazil, in an experiment set up in 2016, designed in randomized blocks with a split-plot scheme (treatments and soil layers), comprising four repetitions (blocks). The treatments (plots) consisted of crops grown in succession to soybean, which were as follows: T1—soybean/corn (Zea mays); T2—soybean/pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum); T3—soybean/Urochloa ruziziensis (brachiaria); and T4—corn + Urochloa ruziziensis. The subplots represented the following soil layers: 0–5, 5–10, 10–20, and 20–40 cm. We evaluated the biomass dry mass and the soil parameters such as soil density, total porosity, and light organic matter across all layers. The organic carbon, grain size fractionation (mineral-associated organic carbon—MOC; sand-sized carbon—POC), and isotopic composition (δ13C) were determined in the 0–5 and 5–10 cm layers. The highest biomass dry production was observed in the soybean/pearl millet succession, which reduced the soil density and increased the total porosity in the surface layer. The soybean/pearl millet treatment produced high amounts of light organic matter, particularly in the 0–5 cm layer, a result also found for the soybean/brachiaria and soybean/corn + brachiaria systems. The crop successions did not alter the soil carbon stock or stability; however, the surface layer stored the highest amount of carbon, with elevated total organic carbon values and carbon stocks and stability (MOC and POC). Overall, in this study, replacing corn with other crops in succession with soybean did not affect the stock or stability of soil organic carbon. The species grown in succession with soybean contributed to the higher surface carbon stock and stability, promoting the formation of more stable and recalcitrant carbon.

Devido à degradação dos ecossistemas naturais, serviços ecossistêmicos estão sendo perdidos, acarretando urgência por ações de restauração ecológica. Vários aspectos devem ser considerados para o sucesso da restauração, como a participação dos diversos atores sociais, como, por exemplo, os agricultores. Neste estudo, realizamos um diagnóstico socioambiental nas propriedades de agricultores familiares do Território Rural de Identidade Parque das Emas, estado de Goiás. Para tanto, contatamos os agricultores via aplicativo de troca de mensagens, utilizando para a coleta de dados a aplicação de questionário, com questões que abordaram: i. O assentado e a propriedade rural; ii. Caracteres socioeconômicos; iii. Conhecimento da importância das florestas nativas; iv. Predisposição em participar de atividades sobre restauração ecológica. Posteriormente, buscamos: informar os agricultores sobre a legislação florestal brasileira; apresentar motivos e formas de recuperação ambiental; e incentivar ações de recuperação. Foi disponibilizado um segundo questionário, intentando conhecer os seguintes aspectos: i. Sistemas, espécies e culturas que gostariam de cultivar; ii. Desafios à implantação de um sistema agroflorestal; iii. Como a Universidade Federal de Jataí poderia contribuir com tais ações. Dos 32 agricultores participantes, 43,8% moram em Jataí e 81,3% na zona rural. Nas propriedades, a agricultura foi predominante. Os agricultores reconhecem a importância da recuperação de áreas degradadas e da vegetação nativa, principalmente quanto à produção e manutenção da água. Nossos resultados, indicam que existe diversidade produtiva nas propriedades, apontando para a maior sustentabilidade da agricultura familiar. Ademais, os entrevistados reconhecem a importância ambiental, social e econômica da vegetação nativa.

The soil-litter interface represents a fundamental habitat for numerous invertebrate organisms that perform crucial ecological functions and are used as indicators of environmental quality. This study evaluated the impact of jackfruit trees (Artocarpus heterophyllus) on the composition and structure of edaphic fauna in the Atlantic Forest. This study was conducted in a secondary forest with jackfruit trees in Vila de Dois Rios, Ilha Grande, RJ. Litter samples were collected under the canopy of jackfruit trees and in adjacent areas, allowing for the characterization of the epigeal fauna present, which were counted and classified into taxonomic and functional groups and through ecological diversity indices. The litter stock and macronutrient concentrations in the litter were determined. Overall, no differences were observed in litter stock or macronutrients between the studied areas. Twenty-one taxonomic groups were identified, with Isopoda being the most abundant and contributing to the predominance of saprophagous predator functional groups. Although, no differences in faunal structure were identified between the different sites, the results indicated that litter stock influenced faunal structure parameters. Similarly, the litter stock influences the composition of faunal groups. Overall, the results indicated that the presence of jackfruit trees did not promote negative impacts on the composition and structure of the edaphic community in the Atlantic Forest area studied. This finding suggests that the exotic species, in this case, maintained the functional integrity of the habitat, likely due to the preservation of the litter layer, a key resource for epigeal fauna.