The soil loss prediction models have become important tools for conservation planning, being fundamental the local estimation of the parameters that influence the erosion processes. The objective of this work was to determine the soil erodibility (K factor), soil cover and management factor (C factor) and conservation practice factor (P factor) of the Universal Soil Erosion Equation (USLE), in an Ultisol. Soil losses (SL) were measured in Wischmeier standard-plots from 2006 to 2011, with the respective erosivity index (EI30). Soil […]

Relatively few studies in Brazil have investigated soil erodibility, mainly for Cambisols (Inceptisols), due to the tediousness of data collection in natural rainfall experiments. Knowledge about erodibility and erosivity is important for conservation planning, which contributes to soil sustainability. This study aimed at evaluating the rainfall erosivity and erodibility of a typic dystrophic Tb Haplic Cambisol (Inceptisol) and a typic dystroferric Red Latosol (Oxisol) under natural rainfall, in Lavras, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, between 1998 and 2002. Pluvial precipitation […]

The term soil erodibility (factor K in the Universal Soil Loss Equation – USLE) expresses the natural susceptibility of a soil to water erosion. The K factor stands for the soil loss rate per unit of rainfall erosivity (factor R in the USLE). Knowledge on the K factor, as well as about the other factors of the USLE, is important to establish soil conservation strategies since they permit the estimation of soil loss rates by water erosion under specific climate, […]

The objectives of this paper were: to verify the adequacy of different rainfall erosivity indices, to compare two equations to calculate the rainfall kinetic energy and to estimate the USLE K-factor (soil erodibility) of two soils (Dark – Red Latosol and Red – Yellow Podzolic soil) from the Sete Lagoas (MG) region. There was not a significant difference between the studied equations to calculate rainfall kinetic energy. The EI30 index showed to be a good rainfall erosivity predictor and can […]

The assessment of the soil erodibility (K-factor) is essential for using the universal soil loss equation. The objective of this paper was to verify the adequacy of different indirect methods to estimate the K-factors of soils with argillic horizon from diverse geographic regions of Brazil. Superficial samples of 22 soils bearing argillic horizon were collected. The K-factors measured directly in the field of all these soils are already known. Several chemical and physical analyses were performed in order to calculate […]