The Relationship of Mangrove Ecosystem Tree Species with Physical and Chemical Soil Pattern: Maracaípe River Estuary, Ipojuca – PE

Abstract

Soil physicochemical characteristics reflect global and local processes influencing the distribution of plant formations. In this study, the existence of soil physicochemical patterns associated with mangrove tree species was investigated by means of physicochemical analysis of the soil in the species Rizhophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa, Avicennia schaueriana and Conocarpus erectus. Principal Component Analysis was later performed using Pearson's correlation. The main components were the cation exchange capacity, sum of bases and clay in R. mangle; hydrogen, coarse sand and magnesium in L. racemosa; cation exchange capacity, phosphorus and silt in A. schaueriana; potassium, calcium and coarse sand in C. erectus. The results suggest soil physicochemical patterns in the species. R. mangle and A. schaueriana showed similar soil physical characteristics and different chemical attributes, just as L. racemosa and C. erectus. Nutrient availability and cation exchange capacity were significant for R. mangle and A. schaueriana, and hydrogenionic potential for L. racemosa and granulometric composition for C. erectus, suggesting a physicochemical soil pattern.