**Part 1**

**Arid and Semiarid Land Management** 

**1** 

*Brazil* 

**Natural Potential for Erosion** 

Alexandre Marco da Silva1, Clayton Alcarde Alvares2

*1Environmental Engineering Department – UNESP – Campus Experimental de Sorocaba* 

Erosion and sedimentation refer to the motion of solid particles, called sediment (Julien, 2010). Erosion is a natural process and causes a breakdown of soil aggregates and

Soil erosion risk can be assessed by means of equations empirically derived from the superposition principle of this phenomenon. Using such models, during the last decade, several initiatives have assessed the risk of soil erosion at the national, continental, and

The use of geographic information system (GIS) enables the determination of the spatial distribution of the parameters of some soil loss predicting models, as the Universal Soil Loss Equation - USLE (Dabral et al., 2008). Every factor within the USLE is calculated by GIS, which is obtained from meteorological stations, topographic maps, land use maps, soil maps and results of other relevant studies. The spatial distribution of the soil loss of a certain region is given by multiplying factor map layers in the GIS. The spatial resolution of the data is an option of researcher, and should be considered the resolution of the Digital Elevation Model (DEM), soil map, satellite images, among other sources of information

Land use is the only factor affecting erosion that can be modified to reduce soil loss potential (Gilley, 2005). However, if we do not consider the land cover and soil management, i.e., if we consider the interaction of rainfall, topography and soil, assuming that the soil is totally uncovered along wholly study area, we may predict the total soil loss amount or the Natural

NPE might be used as a tool to show cartographically areas highly pre-disposed to erosion and the mathematic relation among PNE value and soil loss tolerance value. It might

Brazil is largest South American country and the land use is far from to be conformable with land use capability. Hence, soil loss studies and researches are highly needed. On the other hand, a lot of studies have been developed in order to predict soil loss rates along Brazilian

Potential for Erosion (NPE) for a considered area (Castro & Valério Filho, 1997).

indicate the ideal CP factor to be used in determined region.

accelerates the removal of organic and mineral materials (Gilley, 2005).

**1. Introduction** 

global levels (Terranova et al., 2009).

(Yue-Qing et al., 2008).

**for Brazilian Territory** 

and Claudia Hitomi Watanabe1

*2Forestry Science and Research Institute –* 

*Altos da Boa Vista, Sorocaba – SP* 

 *Monte Alegre, Piracicaba – SP* 
