Soil loss and vegetation indexes: methodological proposal for determining factor C (MEUPS) in pastures and sugarcane

Author(s)

Edvania Aparecida Corrêa

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Rio Claro. 2016-02-26.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas. Rio Claro
• Defense date: 2016-01-22
• Advisor: Sergio dos Anjos Ferreira Pinto

Abstract

In Brazil, there are few studies on the estimation of soil losses in sugarcane and acquisition the factor C in the USLE in landscapes with different potential natural erosion. Also, in the global context, there are few studies that propose alternative methods for the extraction of Factor C in tropical climates. The objective of this research was to develop a preliminary methodological procedure to extract the factor C for pasture and sugarcane. Multisensor data correlated to the Factor C values estimated at plots were used. The plots were installed in the watershed of the stream Monjolo Grande (Ipeúna / SP) and Jacutinga (Rio Claro / SP). These basins have similarities as to the area and land use and variability as to the soil and relief. In all plots with pasture, soil losses were less than 1.5 t ha-1 yr -1 and C factor was 0.1. Even under various conditions of landscape, grasses present in pasture areas behaved in a similar way to the front erosion. On the other hand, there are differences in the losses of soil in the plots with sugarcane located in both study areas. In clay soils of the watershed of Jacutinga creek losses ranged from 0.8 to 2.76 t ha-1 yr-1 . In the sandy soils of the watershed stream Monjolo Grande losses ranged from 49 to 84.8 t ha-1 yr-1 . Thus, differences in soil loss in sugarcane fields are derived from the physical conditions of each landscape. The values of the C factor in the cane fields ranging from 0.13 to 0.23 for the watershed of the Jacutinga creek and 0.41 to 0.43 for the watershed stream Monjolo Grande. Thus, in the regional context studied, the expansion and sugarcane cultivation is done indiscriminately, without considering the fragility natural conditions of each environment. The data obtained in soil losses related to the field of remote sensing data led to the creation of a methodology for determining factor C. The use of this methodology improve the modeling of MEUPS in individual rainfall events in both study areas. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/08527-5 - Evaluation of the culture of cane sugar as a protective factor in terms of the soil erosion and its association with the spectral response through different sensors.
• Grantee: Edvania Aparecida Corrêa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate