ABSTRACT The Jaguarí River Basin forms the main water supply sources for the São Paulo Metropolitan Region and other cities in the state. Since the kinetic energy of rainfall is the driving force of water erosion, the main cause of land and water degradation, we tested the hypothesis of correlation between the erosive potential of rainfall (erosivity) and geographical coordinates and altitude for the purpose of predicting the spatial and temporal distribution of the rainfall erosivity index (EI30) in the […]

ABSTRACT The intensive nature of soil use in vegetable production areas has led to a marked decrease in soil quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of adoption of soil management systems on vegetable production with regards to the chemical properties of a Rhodic Ferralsol after five years and to evaluate the use of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) statistical tool in discriminating the different treatments. The experiment was conducted under field conditions in central Brazil […]

Abstract Erosion generates large amounts of sediment, which may be deposited at the site of origin, on the slope of a hill, or along waterways. The transportability of each type of sediment by runoff and its potential for subsequent deposition largely depends on its morphological features and particle size distribution. The aim of this study is to describe and characterize the morphology and micromorphology of sediments deposited in a reforested area and to understand the dynamics of the transport process. […]

ABSTRACT Water erosion, the main factor in soil degradation, is strongly influenced by soil cover and management. The objective of this study was to determine soil and water losses under natural rainfall conditions from 1993 to 2012 in the southern Santa Catarina Plateau, Brazil, in 3.5 × 22.1 m plots with crops in rotation to study the following management treatments: conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), and no-tillage (NT), and a treatment with bare soil (BS). The soil cover remaining […]

ABSTRACT Soil structure plays an important role in water retention, infiltration capacity, porosity, and penetration resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and physical properties of Oxisol soils (bulk density and macro-, micro-, and total porosity) in the structures identified using the profil cultural method in areas under two different management practices (perennial pasture and sugarcane). Three pits were dug in each plot to find out how homogeneous morphological structural units (HMSU) were organized […]

ABSTRACT In irrigated soils, a continuous state of high moisture reduces resistance of the soil to applied external forces, favouring compaction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility to compaction of developed calcareous soils in irrigated annual and perennial cropping systems of the Apodi Plateau, located in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Four areas of irrigated crops were evaluated: banana after two (B2) and 15 (B15) years cultivation, pasture (P), and a corn and beans succession (MB), as […]

ABSTRACT Soil is currently seen as the most relevant carbon sink and the most effective carbon stabilizer. In contrast, agriculture is the second largest C emitter, after burning of fossil fuels. This organic carbon (OC) introduced into the soil, mainly via organic matter (OM), is essential for several soil properties and plays an extremely important role in sandy soils. The objective of this study was to describe the changes in the amounts and pools of OC and the influence thereof […]

ABSTRACT Water erosion is the main cause of soil degradation and is influenced by rainfall, soil, topography, land use, soil cover and management, and conservation practices. The objective of this study was to quantify water erosion in a Humic Dystrudept in two experiments. In experiment I, treatments consisted of different rates of fertilizer applied to the soil surface under no-tillage conditions. In experiment II, treatments consisted of a no-tillage in natural rangeland, burned natural rangeland and natural rangeland. Forage turnip, […]

ABSTRACT The Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) was developed in the U.S.A. and has been used as a tool for assessing and quantifying changes in soil quality/health (SQ) induced by land uses and agricultural practices in that region and elsewhere throughout the world. An initial study using SMAF in Brazil was recently published, but additional research for a variety of soils and management systems is still needed. Our objective was to use data from five studies in southern Brazil to […]

ABSTRACT Evaluating the decomposition dynamics of vegetative residues from cover crops can provide a better understanding of nutrient release, which is fundamental when choosing a species that is adapted to local conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the decomposition rates and nutrient release dynamics of the shoot phytomass of different cover crops that have potential for agricultural use in the Recôncavo Baiano, Brazil. Crop residues of the following species were analyzed: sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) – […]