Effects of agricultural intensification on soil fertility and floristic composition of forest remnants

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify the impact of conventional agricultural practices on soil
fertility and its consequences on floristic composition of nearby forest fragments. The study
was carried out in 14 forest fragments, where a forest inventory was taken and soil samples
were submitted to fertility analysis. The results showed Mg, Ca and P values were 2 to 8 times
higher in small fragments (about 8 ha, near intensive agriculture area). Non-metric multidimensional
scaling (NMDS) showed a change in the floristic community due to proximity. The study
evidences that the intense adoption of inputs in cultivated areas, provoke impacts that gain the
breadth of the landscape scale, proving the demand of policies that support regional strategies
of agroecological transition and the potential impacts of the adoption of land-sparing strategies.