Soil erosion has been recognized as an increasing threat to the environment and humans worldwide as anthropogenic activities have accelerated the soil degradation rate. In Sweden, it is estimated that 15% of the arable land is affected by soil erosion, and studies have shown that fields in the south of Sweden lose a substantial amount of soil under certain weather conditions. However, few studies have investigated current soil erosion rates and sediment yield on a large scale, focusing on Sweden. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the annual soil erosion for all erodible surfaces in the southern half of Sweden and calculate the sediment load emitted into adjacent seas. I here applied the RUSLE model, which is the most widely used soil erosion model worldwide. The model required secondary data of precipitation, soil properties, LULC, and topography.The findings showed that most erodible surfaces in the study area eroded less than 0.5 t ha-1y-1. However, it varied considerably in both space and time. The catchments on the western part of the study area had, in general, a higher mean value than watersheds on the eastern coast. The total sediment load entering the Baltic Sea was 123500 t y-1, while Skagerrak and Kattegat's load was approximately 20% higher. Higher soil erodibility, rainfall erosivity, and steeper slope gradient in these regions could partly explain the spatial pattern. Large temporal variabilities in rainfall erosivity indicated that soil erosion and sediment transportation mainly occurred during the summer. However, previous research suggests that other erosive processes have a more significant impact on soil erosion than rainfall. Thus, the RUSLE may not predict the full extent of soil erosion occurring in the study area. Nevertheless, since there is no previous large-scale estimate of soil erosion in Sweden, it provides insights into the potential risks and extent of rainfall-induced erosion.

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The present work was accomplished in a slope with a pedological system composed of Red Argisol/Gleysol, in a pasture area located in an unit of agricultural production in the municipal district of Santa Maria - RS. It aimed at the characterization morphologic and the physic-hydrical and the discretization of the variability of the loss of soil of the slope. Thirteen aligned profiles were selected in a toposequency, of a total of 57, reconstituted by the polls method. After description the approach of the pedologic system in the thirteen profiles, considering the vertical and lateral succession of the verified horizons, the samples were collected for the chemical and physical-hydrical determinations in laboratory (texture, densities, porosities, retention hydrical and availability of water, saturated hydraulic conductivity and permeability to the air), in three sampling orientations. Furthermore, the soil losses were estimated through the coupling of the Universal Equation of Loss of the Soil - RUSLE, in SIG atmosphere. In the toposequency, three profiles were classified as Gleysol and the others as Red Argisol. Argisols and Gleysols presented variated chemical and physical limitations, producing strong use limitation. The horizons Bt in Argissolos are found in different depths in the studied profiles, implicating different behaviors, depending on the thickness of the horizons upper (suprajacente) The physical-hydrical dynamics of the system is marked by a different behavior among the surface (loam) and the subsurface (clayer), and it should be understood, considering the group of the horizons of each profile, to predict the physical-hydrical behavior of the soil. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil presented a variation along the horizons of the soil profiles in different positions of the landscape, with great differences among the values observed in surface in relation to the ones of the subsurface, identifying the existence of a lateral flow of water in the soil, mainly in the portion of the hillside and its space variation in a topographical sequence. In the podzolic cover, the blockade of vertical drainage occurs in the top of the horizon Bt, generating a more humid zone above. The smallest retention of water in all the profiles occured in the loam horizons, Ap and A1, in all the tensions, while in the deepest horizons, Bt1 and Bt2, there was a larger retention as a consequence of the decrease of the sand tenor and increase of the clay tenor. The transition horizons, AB and BA, presented an intermediate behavior. The available water in the soil for the plants was influenced directly by the texture, which increased with the increment of the sand fraction and it decreases with the increase of the clay fraction. With the drier of the soil the permeability to the air tends to increase due to the drainage of the water of the pores which start to conduct air, being highly dependent of the macroporosity. The animal trampling and the preparation operations promoted an increase of the soil density, resulting in the reduction of the total porosity and of the macroporosity and consequently an increase in the microporosity in the horizons Ap and A1, which suffer the direct effects of the anthropic activity. The methodology application that engagement RUSLE in atmosphere SIG, allowed the discretization of the space variability of the factors that determine the losses, as well as the soil losses in a slope of the Central Depression of RS. / O presente trabalho foi realizado em uma vertente com sistema pedológico composto de Argissolo/Gleissolo, em área de pastagem, localizada em uma unidade de produção agropecuária, no município de Santa Maria RS. Objetivou-se, a caracterização morfológica e físico-hídrica e a discretização da variabilidade das perdas de solo da vertente. Foram selecionados treze perfis alinhados em uma topossequência, de um total de 57, descritos pelo método de tradagem. Após abordagem morfológica do sistema pedológico nos treze perfis, considerando a sucessão vertical e lateral, dos horizontes constatados, procederam-se as coletas de amostras para as determinações químicas e análise granulométricas, e em três orientações de amostragem as determinações físicohídricas (densidades, porosidades, retenção hídrica, condutividade hidráulica do solo saturado e permeabilidade ao ar). Além disso, foi estimada as perdas de solo através do acoplamento da Equação Universal de Perda do Solo RUSLE, em ambiente SIG. Na topossequência, três perfis foram classificados como Gleissolo e os demais como Argissolo Vermelho. Os Gleissolos apresentaram limitações variadas decorrentes do excesso de água e os Argissolos limitações químicas e físicas. O horizonte Bt nos Argissolos, encontra-se em profundidades variadas nos perfis estudados, implicando comportamentos distintos, dependendo da espessura do (s) horizontes (s) suprajacente (s). A dinâmica físico-hídrica do sistema, caracteriza-se por um comportamento distinto entre a superfície (textura média) e a subsuperfície (textura argilosa) devendo ser compreendida, considerando o conjunto dos horizontes de cada perfil, para predizer o comportamento físico-hídrico do solo. A condutividade hidráulica do solo apresentou variação ao longo dos horizontes dos perfis de solo em diferentes posições da paisagem, ocorrendo grandes diferenças entre os valores observados em superfície em relação a subsuperfície, identificando-se a existência de fluxo lateral de água no solo, principalmente, na porção da encosta e a sua variação espacial em uma sequência topográfica. Na cobertura argissólica, o bloqueio de drenagem vertical ocorre no topo do horizonte Bt, originando acima deste uma zona mais úmida. A menor retenção de água em todos os perfis ocorreu nos horizontes com textura média, Ap e A1, em todas as tensões, enquanto que nos horizontes mais profundos, Bt1 e Bt2, houve maior retenção, como consequência da diminuição do teor de areia e aumento do teor de argila. Os horizontes de transição, AB e BA, apresentaram um comportamento intermediário. A água disponível no solo para as plantas foi influenciada diretamente pela granulometria, aumentando nos horizontes com maior percentual de areia e diminuindo com o aumento da fração argila. Com o secamento do solo a permeabilidade ao ar tende a aumentar devido à drenagem da água dos poros os quais passam a conduzir maior quantidade de ar, sendo altamente dependente dos macroporos. O pisoteio animal e as operações de preparo promoveram aumento da densidade do solo, resultando na redução da porosidade total e da macroporosidade e consequentemente um aumento na microporosidade nos horizontes Ap e A1, os quais sofrem os efeitos diretos das atividades antrópicas. A aplicação de metodologia que acopla a RUSLE em ambiente SIG, permitiu a discretização da variabilidade espacial dos fatores que influenciam as perdas, bem como as perdas de solo de uma vertente da Depressão Central do RS.

Submitted by Edisangela Bastos (edisangela@ufpa.br) on 2015-01-27T20:48:25Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 22974 bytes, checksum: 99c771d9f0b9c46790009b9874d49253 (MD5) Dissertacao_AplicacaoRuslePequena.pdf: 3898533 bytes, checksum: 52023ed0b4f5ead8e9e00c0a5e909291 (MD5) / Rejected by Albirene Aires (albireneufpa@gmail.com), reason: Colocar as palavras chave para revisão on 2015-01-29T18:09:22Z (GMT) / Submitted by Edisangela Bastos (edisangela@ufpa.br) on 2015-01-29T19:23:19Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 22974 bytes, checksum: 99c771d9f0b9c46790009b9874d49253 (MD5) Dissertacao_AplicacaoRuslePequena.pdf: 3898533 bytes, checksum: 52023ed0b4f5ead8e9e00c0a5e909291 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Albirene Aires (albireneufpa@gmail.com) on 2015-01-30T14:56:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 22974 bytes, checksum: 99c771d9f0b9c46790009b9874d49253 (MD5) Dissertacao_AplicacaoRuslePequena.pdf: 3898533 bytes, checksum: 52023ed0b4f5ead8e9e00c0a5e909291 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-01-30T14:56:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 22974 bytes, checksum: 99c771d9f0b9c46790009b9874d49253 (MD5) Dissertacao_AplicacaoRuslePequena.pdf: 3898533 bytes, checksum: 52023ed0b4f5ead8e9e00c0a5e909291 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / A Amazônia vem sofrendo severas mudanças provocadas por atividades antrópicas, dentre as quais se destaca a transformação de áreas de floresta em áreas de uso agropecuário, resultando na intensificação dos processos erosivos. A erosão, com destaque ao arraste de partículas pelo escoamento superficial, causa redução da fertilidade do solo, prejudicando a produtividade agrícola, além de impactar a qualidade e quantidade dos recursos hídricos superficiais, fato agravado pelo forte regime pluviométrico e solos naturalmente pobres da região. Nesse contexto, o conhecimento dos processos erosivos, através da utilização de modelos matemáticos para predição da perda de solo, auxilia na determinação de práticas de manejo para o uso sustentável dos recursos naturais. A presente pesquisa buscou avaliar a aplicabilidade do modelo empírico RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) na região, o qual considera a interação entre a energia da chuva, as características de solo e relevo, assim como os usos e manejos praticados. A pesquisa aplicou a RUSLE no trecho superior da bacia do igarapé da Prata, com uma área aproximada de 37 km², que fica localizada no município de Capitão Poço/PA, aproximadamente 160 km da capital Belém, na Meso Região Nordeste Paraense. A metodologia empregada constou da construção de uma base de dados georreferenciada, formada a partir de fontes públicas, que passaram por adequações para inserção no ambiente SIG, que quando combinados permitiram a geração de um mapa de perda de solo da área de estudo. A pequena bacia do igarapé da Prata apresentou valores da perda de solo que variaram entre 0,004 e 72,48 t/ha.ano, com uma média de 5,12 e desvio padrão de 6,97, onde aproximadamente 12% de sua área total apresentam riscos ambientais devido aos processos erosivos. E o percentual restante, para não sofrer riscos, depende de boas práticas conservacionistas. / The Amazon is experiencing severe changes due to anthropogenic activities, among which the transformation of forested land into areas for agricultural use stand out, intensifying erosion processes. Erosion, especially the drag of particles by runoff, causes a reduction of soil fertility impairing agricultural productivity and impacting the quality and quantity of surface water resources, a fact compounded by strong rainfall and naturally poor soils in the region. In this context, knowledge of erosion processes, such as through the use of mathematical models for predicting soil loss helps in determining management practices for sustainable use of natural resources. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of the empirical model RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) in the region, which considers the interaction between the rain energy, soil and topography characteristics, as well as the uses and management practiced. This research applied the RUSLE in the upper basin of the Igarapé da Prata stream, with an approximate area of 37 km², located in the municipality of Capitão Poço, Pará, Brazil, approximately 160 km from the capital Belém, in Pará Northeast region. This research also consisted in the construction of a geo-referenced database made from public sources; such data passed through adaptations for insertion into the environment of the ArcGIS to quantify the parameters of RUSLE, which when combined allowed the generation of a map of soil loss for the study area. The small upper basin of Igarapé da Prata presented soil loss values ranging between 0.004 and 72.48 t/ha year, with an average value of 5.12 and a standard deviation of 6.97, where approximately 12% of its total area presents environmental risks due to erosive processes.

Erosion processes cause serious ecologic and economic problems because of their negative consequences in terms of soil and water deterioration as well as for the environment as a whole. Water erosion implicates that the fine soil particles, nutrients and organic components are washed out. This thesis adresses the size of water erosion and erosion control measures in the region Huánuco (Carpsih) in Peru. Size of erosion was determined using an universal equation - Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). The main results of the work is the determination of the extent of soil erosion in the are of interest, its displeving in the map bases and the suggestion of soil protection in the most endangered areas.

In order to better understand runoff characteristics from natural gas well sites in north central Texas, the City of Denton, with assistance through an EPA funded 104b3 Water Quality Cooperative Agreement, monitored storm water runoff from local natural gas well sites. Storm water runoff was found to contain high concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS). Observed TSS concentrations resulted in sediment loading rates that are similar to those observed from typical construction activities. Petroleum hydrocarbons, in contrast, were rarely detected in runoff samples. Heavy metals were detected in concentrations similar to those observed in typical urban runoff. However, the concentrations observed at the gas well sites were higher than those measured at nearby reference sites. Storm water runoff data collected from these sites were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the water erosion prediction project (WEPP) model for predicting runoff and sediment from these sites. Runoff and sediment predictions were adequate; however, rainfall simulation experiments were used to further characterize the portion of the site where drilling and extraction operations are performed, referred to as the "pad site." These experiments were used to develop specific pad site erosion parameters for the WEPP model. Finally, version 2 of the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE 2.0) was used to evaluate the efficiency of best management practices (BMPs) for natural gas well sites. BMP efficiency ratings, which ranged from 52 to 93%, were also evaluated in the context of site management goals and implementation cost, demonstrating a practical approach for managing soil loss and understanding the importance of selecting appropriate site-specific BMPs.

Land degradation is a great threat to the Beshlo Catchment in Blue Nile Basisn, not merely as an environmental issue, but also a social and economic problem. In Gedalas Watershed (one of the micro catchments of Beshelo), land degradation, mediated by both biophysical and socio-economic drivers, is among the major environmental sustainability and social-economic development threats in the area. The threat is manifested in depletion of natural vegetations, water, soil and other natural resources; disruption of ecosystem functions, processes, integrity, and services. Given its particular vulnerability, watershed management activities have been in operation since the mid-1970s. Recently, the idea of Sustainable land management through integrated watershed development program has been initiated with the objective of reducing land degradation risks and ensuring food security at both the nationwide and family circle. Despite these investments and efforts, real evidences of success and failures of such efforts were not satisfactory explored. The objectives of this study were, therefore, to analyze the existing status and future prospects of sustainable land management and evaluates its implication on the environmental integrities and the local livelihoods specific to Gedalas watershed. For this effect, the study investigated the dynamics, deriving forces and implications of LULC, soil erosion and soil fertility status of the watershed, current status of watershed management practices, pertinent challenges and opportunities for practicing land management technologies and approaches that might help meet the sustainability requirements of SLM practices. In addition, the study explored factors that determine the willingness of farming households to undertake SLM practice. As the study carried in the coupled human-environment system of rural landscapes, interdisciplinary geographical approaches which integrats social and natural science methodologies were employed to deal with issues of land degradation-and-rehabilitation status comprehensively. The general findings of the study show that though it would be dificult to measure all the composite aspects of land degradation, some of the parameters considered in this study revealed that land degradation is a perpetuating challenge in the watershed. It is evidenced from the overall undesirable land use/cover changes i.e transition of 21.25% of Afro/sub alpine landscapes, 17.59% of the grasslands and 8% of shrub lands to either to cultivated land or settlement areas over the 1973–2017 period, which have unintended negative socio-ecological repercussions on the watershed; high annual mean soil loss value (which range from 37t/ha/year average values to 393 t/ha/yr soil loss rates on water courses) that exceed threshold level and a wide gap between the need for SLM and the actual achievement of SLM practices,including limited adherence to the idea behind contemporary land management policies and implementation principles and approaches. The study further revealed the presence of opportunities as well as a myriad of challenges that need to be tackled in order to achieve sustainable land management goals. The study colcludes that, though, some encouraging progresses have been observed in the SLM project sites; land degradation has remained a problem in the watershed. This calls for strenuous efforts to promote and assist wide scale adoption of SLM practices that address the pervasive land degradation problem and achieve land degradation neutrality as highlighted in sustainable development goals. / Department of Geography / Ph. D. (Geography)