Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Riprap is commonly used as an erosion protection measure around the world. In some cases, for example when constructing bed arrestors, riprap has to be designed to be stable on steep slopes. The literature shows that the problem of incipient motion is reasonably well understood, but existing hydraulic design methods are found to be largely unreliable. The main objective of this study is to improve the understanding of the different factors affecting incipient motion in order to furnish the prospective design engineer with a reliable method for sizing riprap on steep slopes adequately. Eight existing theories dealing with the threshold of incipient motion are reviewed, of which Liu’s work (1957) seems most promising. Naturally, the required median rock diameter of the riprap is reasonably large (due to the steep slopes), with high particle Reynolds numbers. However, little data is available for these flow conditions. Data collected from 12 large scale laboratory tests carried out for this research indicate that the dimensionless Movability Number is in fact constant for large particle Reynolds numbers. For design purposes, the recommended Movability Number which emerged from this study is 0.18, provided that the steep bed slope is taken into account, and that the theoretical settling velocity is calculated using an accurate drag coefficient and the d90 sieve size. A comparison of the laboratory data with design equations showed that a large variety of results are obtained, which supports the need for this study. Finally, it was shown that a calibrated one dimensional hydrodynamic model can be used by the practicing engineer to extract the hydraulic properties needed for applying Liu’s theory. It was found that the ratio ks/d90 = 0.81 may be applied to estimate the bed roughness for the grading used in this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Stortklip is ‘n metode wat wêreldwyd gebruik word om erosie te voorkom. In sommige gevalle, byvoorbeeld vir die konstruksie van erosietrappe, moet stortklip teen steil hellings spesifiek ontwerp word om stabiliteit te verseker. Die literatuur beskryf die probleem van aanvanklike beweging redelik goed, maar dit is bevind dat die bestaande ontwerpmetodes grotendeels onbetroubaar is. Die hoofdoelwit van hierdie ondersoek was om die faktore wat beweging van stortklip veroorsaak, beter te verstaan en ‘n betroubare metode te ontwikkel wat ’n ingenieur kan aanwend om stortklipbeskerming wat op steil hellings geplaas word te ontwerp. Agt verskillende metodes wat die begin van beweging beskryf is bestudeer, en dit wil voorkom asof die Liu teorie van 1957 die grootste potensiaal het. As gevolg van die steil hellings wat ondersoek word, is die benodigde klipgroote redelik groot wat weereens die oorsaak is vir ‘n hoë deeltjie Reynolds getal is. In die literatuur kon geen data gevind word vir so ‘n vloeitoestand nie. Daarom is 12 laboratoriumtoetse gedoen en daar is gevind dat die Mobiliteitsgetal redelik konstant is vir groot deeltjie Reynoldsgetalle. Vir onwerpdoeleindes word ‘n Mobiliteitsgetal van 0.18 aanbeveel, met die voorwaarde dat die bodemhelling in ag geneem word, en dat die teoretiese valsnelheid bereken word met die d90 klipgroote en ‘n akkurate sleurkoëffisiënt. Verder is gevind dat die labaratorium data die voorspellings van die bestaande ontwerpvergelykings nie bevredigend pas nie. Dit ondersteun die behoefte vir hierdie studie. Om die bogenoemde bevindings vir praktiese probleme bruikbaar te maak, is daar gewys dat ‘n gekalibreerde een dimensionale hydrodinamiese rekenaarmodel gebruik kan word om die nodige hidrouliese eienskappe te verkry om die Liu teorie toe te pas. Dit is bevind dat die verhouding ks/d90 = 0.81 ‘n goeie benadering vir die hidrouliese ruheid kan voorsien.

No description available.

A expansão agrícola no Cerrado brasileiro vem causando severos impactos negativos decorrentes do manejo inadequado das terras. Um destes impactos é a erosão em campos de cultivo que gera grande quantidade de sedimentos, os quais podem ser interceptados em faixas vegetadas com espécies arbóreas ou gramíneas. Várias medidas conservacionistas são indicadas para a minimização destes impactos, dentre elas a presença de cobertura florestal nativa ao longo dos cursos dágua. As matas ciliares funcionam como corredores ecológicos que favorecem a biodiversidade e colaboram na manutenção da qualidade do solo e da água. A largura fixa e simétrica dessa faixa de vegetação conforme proposto pela legislação, em algumas situações se mostra ineficiente, porém a largura ideal ainda permanece controversa. Com o objetivo de propor novas informações acerca da largura ótima para Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APP´s) o presente estudo analisa as matas ciliares de forma multidisciplinar, onde são considerados diversos fatores que influenciam na dinâmica do ecossistema ripário. Fatores climáticos, geomorfológicos e pedológicos são relacionados e focados na interação das matas ciliares com os processos erosivos e seus impactos intrínsecos. Foram utilizadas técnicas convencionais para estudos de solos, como análise estrutural, análise granulométrica em soluções dispersantes (NaOH e H2O) e micromorfologia, técnicas pertinentes a estudos geomorfológicos como uso de pinos de erosão, além de técnicas inovadoras como a dendrogeomorfologia que utiliza as árvores como testemunho temporal de processos ambientais. Dessa forma foram avaliados espaço-temporalmente os sedimentos depositados nas nascentes da zona ripária da microbacia hidrográfica do Rio Meia Ponte. A análise integrada da granulometria e da micromorfologia dos solos e sedimentos revelou a predominância da sedimentação ao longo da borda da mata ciliar. A deposição de sedimentos na área de estudo varia intensamente (coeficiente de variação de 77,76%) tanto no espaço como no tempo, tendo sido observada a deposição de até 37 cm de sedimentos em alguns locais e, a erosão de até 14 cm na superfície em outros. Sendo que de um mês para outro também foi observada alternância entre sedimentação e erosão num mesmo local. A análise dendrogeomorfológica evidenciou que nos últimos 15 anos houve a deposição de até 50 cm de sedimentos. A deposição de sedimentos na área de estudo ocorre distribuída de forma geral na área numa média de 12 cm, bem como de forma localizada próxima aos sulcos de erosão (voçorocas efêmeras) e às raízes tabulares de árvores como figueiras (Ficus insípida).Os maiores índices de sedimentação ocorreram no verão de 2008/2009 quando chuvas muito intensas atingiram o solo descoberto. A ocorrência de voçorocas que atravessam tanto o campo de cultivo quanto a zona ripária reduz a eficiência da mata ciliar na retenção de sedimentos. Outro impacto negativo de grande proporção é o soterramento das nascentes e plântulas que afetam a regeneração da floresta. / Agricultural expansion in the Brazilian Savanna causes several negative impacts due to inappropriate land use. One of these impacts is represented by soil erosion in agricultural fields producing big amounts of sediment, which can be intercepted by vegetated areas with pastures or arboreous species. Several conservationist techniques are indicated to minimize these impacts, including maintenance of native vegetal coverage along water courses.Riparian forests act as ecological corridors promoting biodiversity and collaborating in water and soil quality maintenance. The symmetric and fixed width of vegetated stripes proposed by law is inefficient in some situations, and the ideal width is still controversial . With the purpose of proposing new data about the ideal width for permanent preservation areas (APPs), this study analyzes riparian forests in an integrated way taking into account several factors that influence the dynamic of riparian ecosystems. Climatic, geomorphological and pedological factors are related and focused in interaction with riparian forests, erosion processes and related intrinsic impacts. Conventional techniques were used for the soil studies such as structural analysis, particle size distribution analysis with dispersive solutions (NaOH and H2O) and micromorphology. Other techniques were used for geomorphological studies like erosion pins and dendrogeomorphology that uses trees as a temporal evidence of environmental processes. Using these techniques the spatial-temporal distribution of sediments deposited on the sources located in the riparian zone of the basin of Meia Ponte river, was studied. The integrated analysis of particle size and morphology of soils and sediments revealed the dominance of sedimentation along the edge of the riparian forest. The deposition of sediments in the study area varies greatly (coefficient of variation of 77.76%) both in space and time, the deposition was observed up to 37 cm of sediments in some locations, and erosion of up to 14 cm in surface in others. From one month to another was also observed alternation of sedimentation and erosion in one place. The dendrogeomorphic analysis showed that in the last 15 years there was deposition of sediment of up to 50 cm. Sediment deposition in the study area is generally distributed in an average of 12 cm, and locally next to rills (ephemeral gullies) and tabular roots of trees such as figs (Ficus insipida). The biggest rates of sedimentation occurred in the summer of 2008/2009 when very intense rains hit bare soil. The occurrence of gullies that cross both the field and the riparian zone and reduces the efficiency of riparian forest on sediment retention. Another negative impact is the large proportion of the springs and seedling burial that affect forest regeneration.

A expansão agrícola no Cerrado brasileiro vem causando severos impactos negativos decorrentes do manejo inadequado das terras. Um destes impactos é a erosão em campos de cultivo que gera grande quantidade de sedimentos, os quais podem ser interceptados em faixas vegetadas com espécies arbóreas ou gramíneas. Várias medidas conservacionistas são indicadas para a minimização destes impactos, dentre elas a presença de cobertura florestal nativa ao longo dos cursos dágua. As matas ciliares funcionam como corredores ecológicos que favorecem a biodiversidade e colaboram na manutenção da qualidade do solo e da água. A largura fixa e simétrica dessa faixa de vegetação conforme proposto pela legislação, em algumas situações se mostra ineficiente, porém a largura ideal ainda permanece controversa. Com o objetivo de propor novas informações acerca da largura ótima para Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APP´s) o presente estudo analisa as matas ciliares de forma multidisciplinar, onde são considerados diversos fatores que influenciam na dinâmica do ecossistema ripário. Fatores climáticos, geomorfológicos e pedológicos são relacionados e focados na interação das matas ciliares com os processos erosivos e seus impactos intrínsecos. Foram utilizadas técnicas convencionais para estudos de solos, como análise estrutural, análise granulométrica em soluções dispersantes (NaOH e H2O) e micromorfologia, técnicas pertinentes a estudos geomorfológicos como uso de pinos de erosão, além de técnicas inovadoras como a dendrogeomorfologia que utiliza as árvores como testemunho temporal de processos ambientais. Dessa forma foram avaliados espaço-temporalmente os sedimentos depositados nas nascentes da zona ripária da microbacia hidrográfica do Rio Meia Ponte. A análise integrada da granulometria e da micromorfologia dos solos e sedimentos revelou a predominância da sedimentação ao longo da borda da mata ciliar. A deposição de sedimentos na área de estudo varia intensamente (coeficiente de variação de 77,76%) tanto no espaço como no tempo, tendo sido observada a deposição de até 37 cm de sedimentos em alguns locais e, a erosão de até 14 cm na superfície em outros. Sendo que de um mês para outro também foi observada alternância entre sedimentação e erosão num mesmo local. A análise dendrogeomorfológica evidenciou que nos últimos 15 anos houve a deposição de até 50 cm de sedimentos. A deposição de sedimentos na área de estudo ocorre distribuída de forma geral na área numa média de 12 cm, bem como de forma localizada próxima aos sulcos de erosão (voçorocas efêmeras) e às raízes tabulares de árvores como figueiras (Ficus insípida).Os maiores índices de sedimentação ocorreram no verão de 2008/2009 quando chuvas muito intensas atingiram o solo descoberto. A ocorrência de voçorocas que atravessam tanto o campo de cultivo quanto a zona ripária reduz a eficiência da mata ciliar na retenção de sedimentos. Outro impacto negativo de grande proporção é o soterramento das nascentes e plântulas que afetam a regeneração da floresta. / Agricultural expansion in the Brazilian Savanna causes several negative impacts due to inappropriate land use. One of these impacts is represented by soil erosion in agricultural fields producing big amounts of sediment, which can be intercepted by vegetated areas with pastures or arboreous species. Several conservationist techniques are indicated to minimize these impacts, including maintenance of native vegetal coverage along water courses.Riparian forests act as ecological corridors promoting biodiversity and collaborating in water and soil quality maintenance. The symmetric and fixed width of vegetated stripes proposed by law is inefficient in some situations, and the ideal width is still controversial . With the purpose of proposing new data about the ideal width for permanent preservation areas (APPs), this study analyzes riparian forests in an integrated way taking into account several factors that influence the dynamic of riparian ecosystems. Climatic, geomorphological and pedological factors are related and focused in interaction with riparian forests, erosion processes and related intrinsic impacts. Conventional techniques were used for the soil studies such as structural analysis, particle size distribution analysis with dispersive solutions (NaOH and H2O) and micromorphology. Other techniques were used for geomorphological studies like erosion pins and dendrogeomorphology that uses trees as a temporal evidence of environmental processes. Using these techniques the spatial-temporal distribution of sediments deposited on the sources located in the riparian zone of the basin of Meia Ponte river, was studied. The integrated analysis of particle size and morphology of soils and sediments revealed the dominance of sedimentation along the edge of the riparian forest. The deposition of sediments in the study area varies greatly (coefficient of variation of 77.76%) both in space and time, the deposition was observed up to 37 cm of sediments in some locations, and erosion of up to 14 cm in surface in others. From one month to another was also observed alternation of sedimentation and erosion in one place. The dendrogeomorphic analysis showed that in the last 15 years there was deposition of sediment of up to 50 cm. Sediment deposition in the study area is generally distributed in an average of 12 cm, and locally next to rills (ephemeral gullies) and tabular roots of trees such as figs (Ficus insipida). The biggest rates of sedimentation occurred in the summer of 2008/2009 when very intense rains hit bare soil. The occurrence of gullies that cross both the field and the riparian zone and reduces the efficiency of riparian forest on sediment retention. Another negative impact is the large proportion of the springs and seedling burial that affect forest regeneration.

Submitted by Eunice Novais (enovais@uepg.br) on 2017-08-28T17:38:35Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) ADALBERTO FERREIRA JUNIOR.pdf: 3035421 bytes, checksum: 0be8535cf83c7219e305899db4b4af38 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-28T17:38:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) ADALBERTO FERREIRA JUNIOR.pdf: 3035421 bytes, checksum: 0be8535cf83c7219e305899db4b4af38 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-06-23 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Nos últimos anos tem-se ampliado as discussões em torno da eficiência do sistema de plantio direto na conservação do solo e da água, principalmente em áreas com longos períodos de uso contínuo. Desta forma, o objetivo deste trabalho foi testar se a erodibilidade do solo aumenta em sistema de plantio direto manejado por longos períodos de tempo. Este trabalho foi desenvolvido em quatro áreas agrícolas cultivadas sob sistema de plantio direto com diferentes tempos de manejo (6; 17; 24 e 38 anos) e uma área de floresta (controle) localizadas na região Centro-Sul do Paraná, microrregião de Guarapuava. A avaliação da erodibilidade dos solos foi realizada sob chuva simulada em laboratório utilizando amostras indeformadas de solo, cada amostra foi submetida a duas simulações de chuva, uma com solo em umidade de campo e outra com solo saturado. Durantes as simulações foram coletados a água e os sedimentos transportados pelo efeito salpico e pelo escoamento superficial e subsuperficial. A determinação do percentual de agregados da massa total de solo e de macroagregados foi realizada por via úmida. Para isto, foram coletadas amostras em cinco pontos (escolhidos aleatoriamente) no topo do solo (0,0-0,1 m) em cada área. A estabilidade de agregados foi determinada através do diâmetro médio ponderado, diâmetro médio geométrico e índice de estabilidade de agregados. As áreas apresentaram baixo coeficiente de escoamento superficial. O escoamento superficial não apresentou diferença significativa entre as áreas de Floresta, Plantio direto com 6 anos, Plantio direto com 17 anos e plantio direto com 24 anos de manejo, na simulação em umidade de campo. Com o solo saturado não houve diferença significativa entre as áreas, mas com tendência de aumento do escoamento com o tempo de manejo. Inversamente ao escoamento superficial, o escoamento subsuperficial (infiltração) apresentou redução com o tempo de manejo. A perda total de solo apresentou elevação de acordo com o tempo de manejo em ambas as repetições. A área Plantio direto com 38 anos de manejo foi a única a demonstrar diferença em relação às demais áreas manejadas e a floresta. Da perda de solo total mais de 80% foi representada pelo salpico em todas as parcelas e repetições, a perda por escoamento superficial foi inferior a 5%. Os indicadores de agregação da massa total de solo não apresentaram diferença significativa entre as diferentes áreas avaliadas. Quando se avalia o índice de estabilidade de agregados por classe de macroagregado, observa-se que as classes de 4-8 mm e 2-4 mm são os que sofrem maior efeito e melhor representam a degradação do SPD após longo período de manejo. Os macroagregados apresentaram redução do carbono orgânico relacionado com o tempo de manejo. observou-se correlação do índice de estabilidade de macroagregados com as perdas de solo em pelo menos uma das simulações (umidade de campo e/ou umidade saturada), principalmente nas classes com tamanho superior a 2 mm. Mesmo o sistema de plantio direto sendo considerado um sistema conservacionista, e apresentando vantagens em relação a outros sistemas de manejo, este apresenta degradação das propriedades físicas após longo período de manejo (>24 anos), evidenciado pela redução da estabilidade de macroagregados e do teor de carbono orgânico, assim como aumento das taxas de perda de solo. / In recent years, it to discussions the efficiency of the no tillage system in soil and water conservation has been expanded, especially in areas with long periods of continuous use. In this way, the objective of this work was to test if the soil erodibility increases in no-till of long-term. This work was developed in four agricultural areas under no-tillage system with different management times (6; 17; 24 and 38 years) and forest area located in the Centro-Sul region of Paraná, Guarapuava microregion. The soil erodibility was performed with laboratory rainfall simulations using undisturbed soil samples, and each sample was submitted to two rain simulations, one in soil moisture field capacity and the other in saturated soil. During the simulation, the water and the sediments transported by the splash effect and the surface and subsurface flow were collected. The stability of aggregates of the total soil mass and macroaggregates was performed by wet method. For this, samples were collected at five points (randomly chosen) at the top of the soil (0.0-0.1 m) in each area. The stability of aggregates was determined through the weighted average diameter, geometric mean diameter and aggregate stability index. The areas presented low coefficient of surface runoff. The runoff showed no significant difference between the areas of forest, no-tillage 6 years, no-tillage 17 years and no-tillage 24 years, in simulation with field moisture. With the saturated soil there was no significant difference between the areas, but with tendency to increase the runoff with the management time. Conversely to the surface runoff, the subsurface flow (infiltration) presented reduction with the management time. The soil loss presented elevation according to the management time in both repetitions. The no-tillage 38 years area was the only one to show difference in relation to the other managed areas and the forest. Of the soil loss, over 80% was represented by the splash in all plots and repetitions, the loss by surface runoff was less than 5%. The aggregation indicators of the total soil mass did not present a significant difference between the different evaluated areas. When evaluating the aggregate stability index by class of macroaggregate, it is observed that the class of 4-8 mm and 2-4 mm are the ones that suffer the greatest effect and better represent the degradation of the no-tillage after a long period of management. The macroaggregates presented reduction of organic carbon related to the time of management. It was observed a correlation of stability index of macroaggregates with the soil losses in at least one of the simulations (field moisture and / or saturated moisture), especially in class with a size greater than 2 mm. Even the no-tillage system being considered a conservationist system, and presenting advantages over other management systems, it presents degradation of the physical properties after a long period of management (> 24 years), evidenced by the reduction of the stability of macroaggregates and the content of organic carbon, as well as increased rates of soil loss.

No Brasil, e especialmente no estado de São Paulo na região do Vale do Paraíba, a silvicultura com o cultivo do eucalipto está se expandindo para as áreas declivosas, ocupadas com pastagens degradadas, devido ao limitado valor agropecuário destas topografias e sua maior aptidão florestal. Tais áreas estão naturalmente mais sujeitas à erosão hídrica, a qual reduz a produtividade florestal e impacta os cursos da água. Desta forma, os métodos de preparo de solo devem ser criteriosamente definidos para possibilitar o adequado crescimento inicial das florestas concomitantemente à conservação do solo. Assim, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de diferentes métodos de preparo de solo sobre as perdas de solo e água, por erosão, e sobre o desenvolvimento inicial de plantio clonal, de E. grandis, em áreas declivosas. O ensaio foi instalado num delineamento fatorial 3x2, com três intensidades de preparo (coveamento manual, coveamento mecânico e subsolagem a favor do declive) e dois sistemas de manejo de resíduos de colheita (com e sem resíduos), com 4 repetições, num Argissolo Vermelho - Amarelo Distrófico (textura média/argilosa), com declividade média de 21%, no município de Igaratá-SP. A perda de solo e o crescimento da floresta foram avaliados durante 1 ano, entre março de 2004 e fevereiro de 2005. Em dois tratamentos, o com coveamento manual e manutenção dos resíduos (MAC) e na subsolagem sem resíduos (SUS), a erosão foi medida diretamente através do método da parcela padrão, instaladas em todas as repetições, e com dimensões de 14x24 metros. Uma parcela padrão adicional, sem preparo e sem resíduos, foi também instalada. As erosões mensuradas foram agrupadas e analisadas em três períodos (0 a 2, 3 a 7, e 8 a 12 meses). Para os demais tratamentos, a erosão foi estimada por modelos (chamados de por período e global) gerados por regressões lineares múltiplas entre a erosão observada nas parcelas padrão dos tratamentos MAC e SUS, e variáveis independentes oriundas dos atributos locais de cada parcela e das medições de 15 pinos nelas instalados. O solo e a água erodidos e coletados nas parcelas padrão foram analisados quimicamente para quantificar os macronutrientes perdidos. O crescimento inicial do eucalipto foi determinado estimando-se a cobertura do solo e a biomassa da parte aérea aos 3, 6, 9 e 12 meses. Para as parcelas padrão, houve maior erosão no tratamento SUS do que no MAC (P=0.07), com valores médios de 12,9 e 2,4 Mg ha-1 ano-1, respectivamente, e para ambos houve significativa redução da erosão com o desenvolvimento da floresta, o que não ocorreu na parcela testemunha. Os modelos preditivos de erosão só retiveram a variável dos pinos para os 2 primeiros períodos, quando as erosões foram maiores. Para o terceiro período e para o modelo global, apenas variáveis locais foram retidas: volume de solo mobilizado, cobertura do solo e teor de argila. Ambos modelos apresentaram a mesma tendência de estimar maior erosão no tratamento com subsolagem, o qual também obteve, um pequeno ganho de crescimento ao final do primeiro ano (9%). Em termos de resíduos, sua presença reduziu levemente o crescimento (9%). A maior parte da perda de nutrientes, 60%, ocorreu no solo erodido, e suplantam a entrada de nutrientes via chuva, porém são muito inferiores à exportação pela remoção dos resíduos florestais. Assim, ponderando-se os ganhos de crescimento inicial e as perdas erosivas esperadas, identifica-se para o sítio como melhor opção a manutenção dos resíduos com o uso de coveamento mecânico. / In Brazil, and especially in the state of São Paulo in the "Vale do Paraíba" region, eucalypt plantation is expanding to high declivity areas occupied with degraded pastures due to the limited agricultural value of these topographies and its greatest forest aptitude. Such areas are naturally more susceptible to the hydric erosion, which reduces the forest productivity and causes impacts in creeks and lakes. Therefore, the methods of soil preparation should be carefully defined to improve the initial growth of the forests together with soil conservation. Thus, this study had the objective to evaluate the effect of different methods of soil preparation on the soil and water losses by erosion, and on the initial development of E.grandis, clone, in steep areas. The experiment was installed in a 3 x 2 factorial design, with three intensities of soil preparation (manual pitting, mechanical pitting and downhill subsoiling) and two systems of residues management (with and without harvesting residues), with 4 blocks, in a Red-Yellow Argisol dystrophic (medium/clayey texture), with an average declivity of 20,3%, in Igaratá-SP. The soil loss and the growth of the forest were followed during 1 year, between March of 2004 and February of 2005. In two treatments, manual pit and maintenance of the residues (MAC) and in the subsoiling without residues (SUS), the erosion was measured directly through the method of the standart plots, installed in all the repetitions, and with 14 x 24 meters dimensions. An additional standard plot without soil preparation and residues was also installed. The erosion data was grouped and analyzed in three periods (0 to 2, 3 to 7, and 8 to 12 months). For the other treatments, the erosion was estimated using models (named per period and global) from multiple linear regressions between the erosion observed in the treatments MAC and SUS, and independent variables originated from local attributes of each plot and from the measurement of 15 pins installed inside the plots. The soil and the water eroded, collected in the standard plots were chemically analyzed to quantify the lost of macronutrients. The initial growth of the eucalypt was determined estimating soil coverage and aboveground biomass at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. For the standard-plots, there was larger erosion in the treatment SUS than in MAC (P=0.07), with average values of 12.9 and 2.4 Mg ha-1 year-1, respectively. For both treatments, the erosion was reduced with the growth of the forest. The erosion models only retained the variable of the pins for the first 2 periods, when erosions were larger. For the third period and for the global model, just local variables were retained: volume of prepared soil, soil coverage and clay content. Both models presented the same trend of predicting larger erosion in the treatment with subsoiling, which also obtained a small growth gain at the end of the first year (9%). For the residues, its maintenance in the area reduced the growth slightly (9%), similar to the mechanical pitty. Most of the loss of nutrients, 60%, were in the eroded soil, and this amount was larger than the rainfall inputs, but much smaller than the exportation by removing the forest residues. Thus, pondering the gains of initial growth and the expected erosion losses, the maintenance of the residues in the site together with the use of mechanical pitting can be identified as the best soil preparation option for these areas.

Orientador: Carlos Eduardo Angeli Furlani / Banca: Rouverson Pereira da Silva / Banca: Jorge Wilson Cortez / Banca: Afonso Lopes / Banca: Wilson José Oliveira de Souza / Resumo: O sistema plantio direto como prática conservacionista associado a técnicas como a integração lavoura-pecuária, tem como foco principal otimizar o uso das áreas agrícolas. Nessa condição, a opção do consórcio de milho com forrageiras constitui uma alternativa para suprir o aporte anual de palha e tornar o sistema sustentável. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo, em dois anos agrícolas, avaliar, no primeiro, três forrageiras (Brachiaria brizantha, B. decumbens e B. ruzizienses) em consórcio com duas populações de plantas de milho e, no segundo, verificar o efeito da palhada dos tratamentos do ano anterior na semeadura do milho em duas velocidades do conjunto trator-semeadora. O experimento foi conduzido na área da Fazenda de Ensino, Pesquisa e Produção da UNESP/Jaboticabal, SP, o solo da área experimental é classificado como LATOSSOLO VERMELHO Eutroférrico típico, A moderado, textura argilosa. Foi utilizado o delineamento em blocos ao acaso, no esquema fatorial (2x3), com quatro repetições. No ano agrícola 2008/2009, os tratamentos foram constituídos por duas populações de plantas de milho (55 e 75 mil plantas ha-1) consorciado com três forrageiras semeadas na entrelinha 30 dias após a semeadura do milho, totalizando 24 parcelas. Para o ano agrícola 2009/2010, a semeadura do milho foi realizada nas mesmas parcelas do ano anterior, com palhada proporcionada pelo consórcio das três forrageiras com milho e duas velocidades de deslocamento do conjunto trator-semeadora (6,0 e 7,7 km h-1). A população de 75 mil plantas ha-1 em consórcio com B. brizantha e B. ruzizienses, promoveu maiores valores de produtividade de grãos e as forrageiras promoveram maior quantidade de massa seca residual, com maior porcentagem de cobertura do solo para brizantha (2008/2009). Para o segundo ano agrícola, a variação da... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: No tillage system as a conservation practice associated with techniques such as crop-livestock integration focuses primarily to optimize the use of agricultural areas. Given this condition, the option of corn intercropped with forage constitutes an alternative to supply the annual intake of straw and make the system sustainable. The study aimed, in two growing seasons, to evaluate in the first year three forages (Brachiaria brizantha, B. decumbens and B. ruzizienses) intercropped with two populations of corn plants, and in the second year to determine the effect of the straw treatment from previous year in two speeds of the tractor-seed drill. The experiment was conducted in the experimental area of the Laboratory of Agricultural Machinery and Mechanization of UNESP / Jaboticabal County, São Paulo State, Brazil. The soil is classified as typiceutroferric Red Latossol, clayey. Randomized blocks design was used for the experimental layout forming a factorial arrangement of 2x3 with 4 replications. In the crop year of 2008/2009, treatments consisted of two corn plants populations (55 and 75 000 plants ha-1) sown intercropped with three forages 30 days after sowing of corn, totaling 24 plots. For crop year of 2009/2010 corn sowing was performed on the same plots as in the previous year but with two forward speeds of the tractor-seeder (6.0 and 7.7 km h-1), over the straw provided by the consortium of the corn and three forages. The population of 75,000 plants ha-1 in association with B. brizantha and B. ruziziensis promoted the highest values for grain productivity, and the forages promoted greater amount of residual dry matter, being B brizantha (2008/2009) with the highest percentage of soil cover. For the second crop season, speed variation of seeding affected the operational performance of the... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Watershed restoration comes in a variety of forms depending on which set of problems are sought to be remedied. Severe soil erosion, in the form of gullying and/or headcutting, can be mitigated through constructing check dams in well-selected locations. This practice has been used throughout the upland subwatersheds within the Upper Laja River watershed in Guanajuato, México. The present study employed Wolman pebble counts to systematically assess the effectiveness of 21 check dams located near the city of San Miguel de Allende. Particle size distributions taken directly downstream and upstream of each check dam were differentiated, aggregated and compared--with the difference between median particle size of downstream and upstream distributions defined as DsD50-UsD50. Several subwatershed attributes were calculated in a GIS for comparison to DsD50-UsD50 values. Results indicate that, on aggregate, the check dams studied were moderately successful at retaining sediment that becomes entrained in concentrated flow (DsD50-UsD50 = 15.4 mm; p < 0.001). Individually, 18 of the 21 check dams surveyed had statistically significant differences between DsD50 and UsD50 (p < 0.05). The subwatershed variables of local channel slope (r = 0.55), mean subwatershed slope (r = 0.46), subwatershed area (r = 0.59), distance from channel head (r = 0.54), percent canopy cover (r = 0.46), Qmed (r = 0.46), total stream power (r = 0.58), and change in total stream power (r = -0.45) were found to be statistically significant when correlated with DsD50-UsD50 values (p < 0.05). Change in total stream power was used to classify stream reaches as either erosion or deposition-dominated. When compared, the DsD50-UsD50 values from check dams located in erosion and deposition-dominated reaches are statistically different (p < 0.05); higher performing check dams were predominantly found in deposition-dominated reaches. The results of this study suggest that spatially distributed stream power can be used as a variable for making decisions about future check dam locations. In particular, check dams are more likely to be effective if they are located within deposition-dominated areas (negative change in total stream power) and in areas of decreasing change in total stream power. In general, this study's findings also support locating check dams in second order streams.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Bonn, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of the study was to assess county extension agents' knowledge of geotextiles; to determine their current level of information and their location on an adoption-diffusion curve; and to determine the agents' attitudes toward the potential use of geotextiles in agriculture, specifically in soil erosion control. A questionnaire was designed to investigate the extension agents' basic knowledge of geotextiles and current uses; and through a self-rating selection, to determine their position on an adoption-diffusion curve. The 30- item questionnaire also incorporated measures determining the agents' attitude toward, and perception of potential for, geotextile use in agricultural practices. The questionnaire was mailed to all 122 county extension agricultural, horticultural, and farm management agents in Oregon and Idaho. A total of 92 usable replies (75.4%) were received and included in the study. Descriptive statistics were employed in the analysis of the individual questions and the chi-square test was used in the analysis of nominal data for all hypotheses. The level of significance was set at .05. The development of a profile of the agents' knowledge of basic geotextile functions showed the agents were most familiar with landscape fabric; they were first introduced to the fabrics through commercial literature and extension agents/specialists; and they were first made aware 2-5 years ago. The most important project which used a geotextile in the agent's county(ies) was most frequently designed and installed by a farmer or rancher, in use less than five years, and increased productivity immediately or within one growing season. A significant relationship was found to exist between the agents' self-rating of their level of knowledge and their area of expertise. The horticultural agents' self-rating of their level of knowledge of agro-textiles was most often cited as "moderate." The crops and combination agents claimed to have "very little" knowledge and the livestock agents said "very little" or "none." Significant relationships could not be established between the agents' self-rating of their level of knowledge and the most prevalent farm or ranch land use in their county; their length of employment; and their attitude toward, or perception of, geotextile use in agricultural practices. No significant relationship could be confirmed between the curve created by the agents' knowledge and Rogers' (1958, p. 351) adoption-diffusion curve. Because agro-textiles are a relatively new product, complete adoption has not yet taken place. Therefore, the agents' curve is not expected to be normal. Results showed the major benefits in using agro-textiles were "increased productivity" and "dollars saved." Other benefits included: the savings of water and time; and the control of frost and increased soil warmth, which led to earlier harvests, longer seasons, and less loss of crops. The real and/or perceived barriers against the use of agro-textiles most cited were "too expensive" and "not cost effective." / Graduation date: 1993