Using chemical extraction to evaluate plant arsenic availability in contaminated soils is important to estimate the time frame for site cleanup during phytoremediation. It is also of great value to assess As mobility in soil and its risk in environmental contamination. In this study, four conventional chemical extraction methods (water, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, and Mehlich III) and a new root-exudate based method were used to evaluate As extractability and to correlate it with As accumulation in P. vittata growing in five As-contaminated soils under greenhouse condition. The relationship between different soil properties, and As extractability and plant As accumulation was also investigated. Arsenic extractability was 4.6%, 7.0%, 18%, 21%, and 46% for water, ammonium sulfate, organic acids, ammonium phosphate, and Mehlich III, respectively. Root exudate (organic acids) solution was suitable for assessing As bioavailability (81%) in the soils while Mehlich III (31%) overestimated the amount of As taken up by plants. Soil organic matter, P and Mg concentrations were positively correlated to plant As accumulation whereas Ca concentration was negatively correlated. Further investigation is needed on the effect of Ca and Mg on As uptake by P. vittata. Moreover, additional As contaminated soils with different properties should be tested.

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The evaluation of the soil quality is important to identify potential problems of soil degradation. The assessment of the soil quality requires the determination of several soil parameters and the integration of specific soil properties measurements into mathematical models, such as the soil quality index (SQI).The aims of this study were to: (i) determine the SQI for an Ultisol under a remnant of Atlantic rain forest; (ii) use the SQI for the Atlantic rain forest as a reference to evaluate the effects of conventional and integrated management in coconut orchards. It was hypothesized that the conventional management of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) orchards reduces the SQI compared with Atlantic rain forest. A soil quality index was constructed using an additive model that considered three main soil functions (the ability of the soil to promote root growth, water storage and flux, and nutrient supply) and a set of soil indicators. The SQI values were 0.66, 0.54 and 0.46 for the Atlantic forest, integrated and conventional orchards, respectively; therefore, there was decline in soil quality in both orchards. Even though there was an increase in the organic matter content in the integrated coconut orchard as result of the maintenance of the organic residues on the soil surface and the presence of cover crops, the SQI indicated that, in that type of highly weathered soil, a more conservative approach needs to be applied to avoid further soil quality degradation. Key words: Soil attributes. Soil Quality. Agricultural sustainability. Native forest. ResumoA avaliação da qualidade do solo é importante para identificar potenciais problemas de degradação do solo. Para tanto, é necessário a determinação de vários parâmetros bem como a integração de propriedades específicas do solo em modelos matemáticos, como por exemplo, o índice de qualidade do solo (IQS). Os objetivos do presente estudo foram: i) determinar o IQS de um Argissolo sob Mata Atlântica; ii) utilizar o IQS da Mata Atlântica para avaliar os efeitos dos manejos convencional e integrado em pomares de coco (Cocos nucífera L). A hipótese postulada foi a de que o manejo convencional do coqueiro reduz o IQS quando comparado com a Mata Atlântica. O IQS foi construído usando um modelo aditivo que considerou três principais funções do solo (capacidade do solo em promover crescimento do sistema radicular, permitir o fluxo e o armazenamento de água, e fornecer nutrientes) e um grupo de indicadores. Os valores do IQS foram 0,66; 0,54; 0,46, para a Mata Atlântica, manejo integrado e manejo convencional, respectivamente. Portanto, houve um declínio na qualidade do solo nos dois 1 Prof a Dr a ,