Enzymatic activity of caatinga biome with and without anthropic action

Abstract

The Caatinga is an exclusively Brazilian biome that has been under high anthropogenic action, which directly interferes in the quality of its soil. In order to evaluate and monitor the quality of the soil, chemical and biological indicators are used, with the determination of the enzymatic activity gaining prominence. The objective of this study was to evaluate the enzymatic activity of soils of the Caatinga biome in preserved and anthropized areas belonging to the Catimbau National Park, located in Pernambuco, Brazil, during the two periods of the year (rainy and dry), for three consecutive years, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Enzymatic activities of β-glucosidase, urease, arylsulfatase, and acid and alkaline phosphatase in the soil were evaluated. Anthropic action caused reduction in the enzymatic activities of β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase and urease. Regarding the periods of the year, the dry one showed smaller values of enzymatic activity of β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase and urease. Among the evaluation years, when correlating accumulated precipitation and enzymatic activity, the highest correlations were observed in the preserved area in both periods of the year. The fragility of Caatinga soils under anthropic action was observed in both periods of the year, over time. The increasing anthropization of areas of the Catimbau National Park has a direct effect on soil quality, affects its ecological balance, causing degradation and reduction of its quality. Appropriate enforcement measures are urgently needed to ensure their environmental preservation.