MICROMORPHOLOGY AND GENESIS OF LUVISOLS AND PLANOSOLS DEVELOPED FROM METAMORPHIC ROCKS IN THE BRAZILIAN SEMIARID REGION

Despite of Luvisols and Planosols being ubiquitous in the semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil there are very few studies on the micromorphology and genesis of these soils. The purpose of this study was to investigate the soil micromorphology of four toposequences of Luvisols to understand and identify the main soil formation processes. Profiles of 12 soils (10 Luvisols and 2 Planosols) arranged in four toposequences were selected in the semiarid region of the states of Pernambuco and Paraiba. Undisturbed samples of selected soil horizons were collected and impregnated, cut and polished to make thin sections and then analyzed under a petrographic microscope. The micromorphological descriptions indicate no evidences to support that clay illuviation played an important role in the formation of the textural gradient of these soils. The preferential removal (differential erosion) of clay from the surface horizons is identified as predominant process in the formation of the texture gradient found in most soils studied. The main soil characteristics are related to mineral weathering, mainly biotite, and iron compounds dissolution and formation, and the changes in soil volume as consequence of alternating moist and dry periods.