Chemical Soil Fertility in the Brazilian Semiarid Region: A Descriptive Statistical Assessment Integrated with Ethnoknowledge and the Ecology of Knowledges

Soil chemical attributes correspond to properties related to fertility and the chemical status of pedological systems, traditionally expressed through variables obtained from laboratory analyses. This study presents a descriptive statistical analysis of chemical attributes of soils collected in the municipality of Sobral, Ceará State, Brazilian semiarid region, articulating technical diagnosis with the perspective of the ecology of knowledges and ethnopedology. Mean, median, standard deviation, and extreme values were calculated for organic carbon, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sum of bases, potential acidity, aluminum, sodium, base saturation, aluminum saturation, sodium saturation, cation exchange capacity, and electrical conductivity. In general, the soils showed good to very good chemical fertility, with high Ca and Mg contents and low limitation by Al, although K may be restrictive in part of the areas. The high variability observed reflects both pedological diversity and different management systems. By integrating scientific knowledge and local knowledge, the study proposes a critical and territorialized approach to soil fertility, contributing to sustainable management and to the international debate on knowledge production in semiarid contexts.