EVALUATION OF CHARACTERISTICS OF CAMBISOLS DERIVED FROM LIMESTONE IN LOW TABLELANDS IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL - IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT

Soils of the low tablelands in Northeastern Brazil have high natural f ertility, however, little is known about them. The objective of this s tudy is to provide basic information about the soil and how soil prope rties relate to their use and management. Two Cambisol pedons were mor phologically described and were submitted to physical, chemical and mi neralogical analyses. The soils on mid to upper landscape positions ar e Eutrophic Cambisols and those in lower positions are Vertic Cambisol s. For both soils, pH is above 7 and base saturation is higher than 90 %. In order to ensure crop production, N, P and micronutrients have to be added as fertilizers. Water runs off the Eutrophic Cambisols and r uns on to the Vertic Cambisols, so the Vertic soils have more water av ailable for plant growth. In the Eutrophic Cambisols the main constrai nts are susceptibility to drought and erosion, while in the Vertic Cam bisols the waterlogging risk and mechanization impediments are the cri tical limitations. Soil properties such as landscape position, color, drying velocity and shrinkage are easily-identifiable field attributes that can be used to recognize different soils that should be managed differently.