Monteiro, Fernando GirãoMarques, Paulo Jorge Pires2010-11-122010-11-122010http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/2461Mestrado em Engenharia Agronómica - Instituto Superior de AgronomiaThe “Mata Nacional de Leiria” is the first planned area of pine in Portugal. Their soils, usually considered as Podzolized Soils, are coarse textured and very poor in nutrients, but are poorly studied and characterized. The aim of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of these soils, in order to provide key information for the sustainable management of pine plantations and to increment the knowledge on soils of the littoral-central region. For this purpose, 26 pedons were selected along two transects, whose morphological, physical and chemical properties were studied and correlated with the morphology of the region, the age of pine stands, and the existing herbaceous and shrubby vegetation. The properties of these pedons strongly depend on the siliceous nature and high permeability of the substrate. The Podzols identified in the region are relatively incipient and less representative than the Arenosols, many of which show signs of weak podzolization. The development of iluvial organic horizons increases organic carbon sequestration potential and nutrient retention in these soils. The occurrence of Podzols depends essentially on the existence of low permeable lithological materials or shallow groundwater, but no reliable indicators of their occurrence were identified.porsoilsarenosolspodzolspineMata Nacional de Leiriaarenossolospodzoissolospinheiro bravomaster thesis