CARACTERIZA？？O DA FERTILIDADE DOS SOLOS DE QUATRO LEGUMINOSAS DE CAMPOS RUPESTRES, SERRA DO CIPó, MG, BRASIL

the goal of the present study was to characterize the nutritional quality of the soils colonized by four endemic leguminous shrubs of serra do cipo, southeastern brazil: calliandra fasciculata benth., chamaecrista ramosa (vog.), collaea cipoensis fortunato and mimosa foliolosa benth. a mixed soil sample collected between 0 and 15cm depth was obtained in four subpopulations of each species. each mixed sample resulted from the combination of 20 simple samples (four samples of five adult individuals) in each subpopulation. routine, organic matter, micronutrients, and granulometric analysis were performed for each sample. the soils colonized by the four species were sandy, acidic, deficient in all macronutrients, and with high aluminum saturation. however, the levels of organic matter, zinc, iron, and bore ranged from medium to high. there was no significant difference in organic matter, phosphorus, iron, bore, sulphur, potential acidity, and granulometric parameters among the soils of the four species. the results of the present study corroborate previous studies in rupestrian field soils of serra do cipo. management plans and land rehabilitation programs should keep the conditions of low soil fertility because the endemic flora adapt well on these soils and may have increased competitive ability under these nutritional ranges.