POPULAÇÃO DE BACTÉRIAS E FUNGOS NO SOLO CONTAMINADO COM COBRE NAS MINAS DO CAMAQUÃ, RS, BRASIL

The microorganisms are sensitive to the presence of copper inhigh concentration in the environment, being considered indicators of soilpollution. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of copper in the soil bacteria and fungi population in the contaminated copper soil, inCamaquã Minas, Caçapava do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The soilsamples were collected in reject, adjacent, eucalyptus cultivation, pinus withtwo and ten years old area. The counting of bacteria and fungi soilpopulation was carried out in culture medium. The highest average for thetotal bacteria population was found in the adjacent and eucalyptuscultivation area. The soil fungi population was in the adjacent area. Thecopper concentration of 203 mg dm-3 inhibits the bacteria and the fungisoil population.