Hillslopes usually have high heterogeneity in terms of landscape processes. Interactions occur between geology, geomorphological processes, and vegetation distribution on a hillslope. This study was undertaken to assess the processes and interactions of geology, regolith production, geomorphological processes, channel formation and how these are influenced by the vegetation on a portion of Mariepskop. Mariepskop forms part of the Drakensberg Escarpment, but is a separate hillslope within the Mpumalanga Province. A north-eastern portion of the Mariepskop forms the study site, with a drainage line located within the site. Deciduous bush covers most of the study site, and grassland patches occur on the southern parts of the study site. Quartz-feldspar-biotite gneiss dominates most of the area with the cliff and higher parts consisting of feldspar-rich schist. Three site visits were undertaken where bedrock geology, weathering, soil formation, erosion, mass movement processes and the drainage channel were assessed. Maps of these processes as well as slope profiling and plan forms were compiled. According to the results, Mariepskop shows heterogeneous processes both laterally and vertically, with various degrees of interactions taking place. Underlying geology, mass movements on higher altitudes, and soil creep on lower altitudes occur on both the northern and southern parts. Processes mainly occurring on the northern part are rockfall from drainage channel incision, weathering, rill erosion and fluvial erosion within the drainage channel. Main processes on the southern part are mass movement in term form of slumping/debris flow, and erosion, in particular rainsplash and overland flow. Soil is deeper on northern part than on southern part of the study site. Geomorphological processes interact with the vegetation distribution over the study area. Grassland patches on the southern part of the study site are mainly due to slumping/debris flow, rainsplash erosion, convexity of the plan form (therefore no valleys) and oxidic soils occurrence. Similar geomorphological processes will probably influence grassland patches over the rest of Mariepskop. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / unrestricted

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第23479号 / 工博第4891号 / 新制||工||1764(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科社会基盤工学専攻 / (主査)教授 立川 康人, 准教授 市川 温, 教授 角 哲也 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

The Little Creek watershed was assessed to identify changes in event-based suspended sediment export and determine the factors contributing to sediment production the first year following the Lockheed Fire in 2009. The amount and volume of near-stream sediment sources were found to decrease, while an increase in hillslope sediment production was documented. High intensity, short duration rainfall (up to 87 mm/hr for 10 minute duration) initiated extensive rilling and minor channel-derived debris torrents originating from the upper south facing slopes. Rainfall simulations, hillslope erosion plots, and soil infiltration tests indicated that fire produced soil water repellency, the lack of ground cover, steep slopes, and high soil burn severity were the most influential factors contributing to hillslope erosion. Contrary to results reported in other western U.S. studies, regression analyses determined that the effect of fire significantly decreased suspended sediment concentrations with higher flows at North Fork and Upper North Fork monitoring stations. The effect of the fire did not produce increases in stormflow volumes and event sediment load, likely due to the fact near-stream sediment contribution was minimal and the majority of hillslope-derived sediment sources were not hydrologically connected. This study provides valuable information for landowners and land managers to understand how a coastal redwood dominated watershed responds to wildfire and prepare post-fire mitigation efforts following future wildfires.

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is possibly the greatest form of contamination to our nation's waters. Nutrient pollutants, such as nitrate and ammonium, often enter aquatic ecosystems through surface and subsurface hydrological transport that drain agricultural watersheds. The over-abundance of nitrogen within these watersheds is easily transported to receiving stream and rivers, and result in aquatic ecosystem degradation. In response to the problem of nutrient loading to aquatic ecosystems, ecosystems scientists and federal and state governments have recommended the use of streamside management zones (SMZ) to reduce the amount of NPS pollutants. A small agricultural watershed in southwestern North Carolina was utilized to quantify subsurface transport of nitrate and ammonium to a naturally developing riparian area along Cartoogechaye Creek. Vertical and lateral transport of nitrate and ammonium were measured along three transect perpendicular to the stream. Transects were instrumented with time domain reflectometry (TDR) and porous cup tension lysimeters to monitor soil water and nutrient flux through the pasture and riparian area located at the base of the watershed. The HYDRUS 2-D flow and transport model was used to predict and simulate subsurface flow. Predicted flow was coupled with observed field nutrient data to quantify nutrient flux as a function of slope location. HYDRUS 2-D was capable of simulating subsurface flow (saturated and unsaturated) as a function of observed soil physical properties (bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, particle size distribution, water retention characteristics) and climatic data (precipitation, air temperature, wind speed, etc.). The riparian area was effective in reducing the amount of nonpoint source pollution to a naturally developing riparian area from an agricultural watershed. Dramatic decreases in both NO3- -N and NH4+ -N in upland pasture water were observed within the riparian area. Seasonal percent reductions of NO3- from the pasture to riparian area in subsurface water within the study watershed are as follows: summer (2002) = 456%; fall (2002) = 116%; winter (2003) = 29%; spring = 9%, pasture and riparian, respectively. / Master of Science

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Hillslope hydrology represents a complex system with several interacting processes influencing the movement of water through the landscape. The Western Cape area of South Africa is expected to be impacted on by a change in climate and the importance of water management that will increase in the future. Climate, especially precipitation, is the driving factor behind the hydrological system and there are currently no predictions as to what the impact will be on the hydrological conditions. The main objective of the study is to understand the hydrological responses along a hillslope and secondly to determine the effect of climate change on the hydrology by using hydrological models. The studied system is situated on the Langgewens Experimental Farm, north of Malmesbury in the Swartland region of the Western Cape. Six sites in a range of vegetation, land use and expected soil types along a toposequence were investigated. All sites are rain fed areas with natural vegetation, seasonal or long-term shrubs. Through monitoring different components of the hydrological cycle, including rainfall, overland flow, infiltration, soil water content, base flow and water table depth at the different sites, the movement of water through the landscape can be defined. Hillslope hydrological processes at different positions on the hillslope were investigated. The baseline data obtained during this process was used in hydrological modelling for the different positions on the hillslope to determine the accuracy of model predictions. Expected future climatic conditions were emulated in this model to determine the possible effect of a change in climate on the hydrological system. The research confirmed the complex interaction between different processes within the hydrological system. At each point along the toposequence different components of the hydrological cycle contributed on a different scale to the hydrological system. Soil properties were the most significant factor influencing water movement through the landscape, directly impacting infiltration, overland flow, lateral water flow and deep percolation. This resulted in water table fluctuations through the seasons as the contribution of different components towards the hydrological cycle changed. By comparing soil water content measurements through the season with modelled water content levels, accurate hydrological models were created for different measuring points in the landscape. By using forecasted climate data of two different weather generators, accurate estimations of expected soil water content were possible. This indicated that droughts will occur on a regular basis in the future. This research made it possible to understand water movement through the landscape at hillslope level and contributed towards future water management plans by estimating future soil water content levels based on current predictions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Heuwelhang hidrologie omskryf die proses van water beweging deur die landskap en dit word deur verskeie prosesse beinvloed. Onder huidige toestande word verwag dat die Weskaap provinsie van Suid-Afrika warmer en droëer sal word in die toekoms as gevolg van klimaatsverandering. Dit sal die noodsaaklikheid van effektiewe waterbestuur verhoog in die toekoms. Klimaat, en in besonder reënval, is die dryfkrag agter die hidrologiese sisteem en huidiglik is daar geen aanduiding van wat die effek van klimaatsverandering op die hidrologiese sisteem gaan wees nie. Die eerste doel van die studie is om die heuwelhang se hidrologiese sisteem te ontleed en tweedens om die impak van klimaatsverandering op die hidrologiese sisteem te bepaal deur gebruik te maak van hidrologiese modelle. Die studie area is geleë op die Langgewens Proefplaas, noord van Malmesbury in die Swartland distrik van die Weskaap. Ses verskillende posisies is op die heuwelhang geselekteer op grond van posisie in die landskap, plantegroei, landgebruik en verwagte grondvorms. Al die studiepunte ontvang slegs water deur reën en die landgebruik wissel ten opsigte van natuurlike plantegroei, en eenjarige- of meerjarige gewasse wat gevestig is. Deur verskillende komponente van die hidrologiese sisteem te monitor, insluitend reënval, oppervlak afloop, infiltrasie, grond water inhoud, laterale water vloei en die diepte van die watertafel, kan die beweging van water deur die landskap gedefinieër word. Die data wat versamel is gedurende die proses word gebruik om die akkuraatheid van die hidrologiese modelle se resultate te bepaal. Tesame met vooruitgeskatte klimaatdata kan die modelle gebruik word om die impak van klimaatsverandering op grondwater toestande vas te stel. Die navorsing toon die komplekse interaksie tussen verskillende prosesse in die hidrologiese sisteem. By elke punt in die landskap dra verskillende komponente op verskillende skale by tot die hidrologiese sisteem. Grondeienskappe het die meeste invloed op die verskillende komponente van die hidrologiese sisteem en beïnvloed die infiltrasie, oppervlak afloop, laterale water vloei en diep dreinering. Soos die verskillende komponente se bydrae tot die hidrologiese sisteem verander, vind daar fluktuasies in die diepte van die water tafel plaas. Deur die vergelyking van gemete grondwaterinhoud teen hidrologiese model voorspelde grondwaterinhoude, is akkurate hidrologiese modelle opgestel vir verskillende punte in die landskap. Deur gebruik te maak van twee moontlike verwagte klimaat toestande, is gevind dat droogtes op ‘n roetine basis in die toekoms sal voorkom. Die navorsing maak dit moontlik om die beweging van water deur die landskap te verstaan en dra by tot die opstelling van toekomstige waterbestuur planne. Dit word moontlik gemaak deur die vooruitskatting van grondwater inhoude gebasseer op verwagte klimaatsveranderinge en huidige grondwater toestande. / Water Research Commission

O objetivo da presente pesquisa consiste em identificar feições macro e micromorfológicas (em escala de campo e do microscópio óptico, respectivamente) e evidências analíticas (parâmetros físicos e químicos) que indiquem possíveis mecanismos de translocações, perdas e acumulações de matéria no interior da cobertura pedológica, possivelmente responsáveis pela modificação do modelado em um transecto localizado na região de São Pedro (SP). O transecto estudado, denominado Espraiado, subdivide-se em 5 segmentos: segmento superior, segmento médio e segmentos inferiores a, b e c. O segmento superior apresenta baixas declividades e presença do Neossolo Quarzarênico, solo espesso e arenoso caracterizado pela sequência vertical de horizontes A, AE, E com bandas e C-1. O segmento médio apresenta declividades comparativamente médias e presença dos Argissolos Amarelo e Acinzentado, caracterizados pela espessura menor que a do Neossolo Quartzarênico e pela sequência de horizontes A, AE, E com bandas, Bt, C-2 e C-3. Os segmentos inferiores possuem as maiores declividades e solos com a maior presença de argila e a menor espessura do transecto: Cambissolo Háplico, com sequência de horizontes A, ABi, Bi, C-2 e C-3; e Neossolo Litólico, com sequência de horizontes A, C-2 e C-3. As feições identificadas, principalmente macro e micromorfológicas, indicam a ocorrência de processos químicos e mecânicos no interior da cobertura pedológica, desencadeados principalmente pela circulação da água no interior dos solos e responsáveis pela redistribuição e/ou remoção de material em todo o transecto. No Neossolo Quartzarênico, onde há provavelmente maior infiltração de água e dominância do fluxo interno vertical, foi encontrada maior presença das seguintes feições: bandas e interbandas, interpretadas como evidências de-iluviação de plasma; golfos nas partículas de quartzo, interpretados como evidências de dissolução de sílica; e feições relacionadas ao fenômeno de plasma infusion, o qual provoca a desintegração das partículas de areia em partículas menores. Nos Argissolos (Amarelo e Acinzentado) e no Cambissolo Háplico, onde há menor infiltração de água e provavelmente maior presença de fluxo interno lateral, estas feições aparecem em menor quantidade, mas dominam outras, tais como: bandas e interbandas, provavelmente associadas à perda de de plasma do horizonte subjacente; oríficos e concavidades superficiais provavelmente associados ao processo de piping, mosqueamentos que indicam processos de hidromorfia e, portanto, maior mobilidade do ferro reduzido, e feições relacionadas à mobilização de plasma e esqueleto nos macroporos. As únicas feições encontradas que indicam a deposição ou precipitação de elementos no sistema foram as bandas do Neossolo Quartzarênico (as quais indicam simultaneamente perda de matéria), e as denominadas “superfícies duplas" das partículas de quartzo. Desta forma, parece que a cobertura pedológica do transecto Espraiado caracteriza-se principalmente pela perda generalizada de matéria, provavelmente associada a uma perda de volume dos solos e a um rebaixamento do modelado local, assim como descrito em outras áreas tropicais. Assim, os resultados apresentados estão em desacordo com a idéia de oposição entre os processos pedogenéticos e morfogenéticos, comumente presente na visão tradicional das relações solo-relevo, uma vez que os processos deduzidos são possivelmente responsáveis não apenas por mudanças de características morfológicas da cobertura pedológica, mas também por mudanças no modelado. Além disto, a presença destes processos na área estudada parece estar de acordo com os princípios da teoria de etchplanação. / The objective of this research is to identify macro and micromorphological features (field and and optical microscopic scale, respectively) and analitycal evidences (physical and chemical parameters), indicative of translocations, losses and acumulations mechanisms inside the soils, that probably leads to changes in the form of a transect, localized in São Pedro region, São Paulo State, Brazil. The studied transect, called Espraiado, is divided into five segments: superior segment, medium segment and a, b and c inferior segments. The superior segment presents low slope angles and presence of quartz sand, that is a deep soil characterized of the vertical sequence of A, AE, E (with bands) and C-1 horizons. The medium segment has moderate slope angles and the presence of podzolic soils, that are shallower than quartz sand soil and follow vertical sequence of horizons: A, AE, E (with bands), Bt, C-2 and C-3. The inferior segments have the highest slope angles and soils with the highest clay content and the lowest thickness of the transect: cambic soil, that has vertical sequence of A, ABi, Bi, C-2 and C-3 horizons; or A, C-2 and C-3 horizons. The identified macro and micromorphological features suggest the occurrence of chemical and mechanical processes inside the pedological cover, mainly triggered for water circulation in soils. These processes are probably responsible for material translocation and/or remotion in the whole transect. In quartz sand soil, where there are probably high water infiltration rates and dominant internal vertical flux, there are the great amounts of the follow features: bands/interband, interpreted as plasma e-illuviation evidences, embayed quartz particles, interpreted as silica dissolution evidences, and plasma infusion, a phenomenon that leads to the desintegration of sand-sized particles and the formation of silt-sized particles. In podzolic and cambic soils ,where there are probably lower water infiltration rates soils and dominant internal lateral flux, there are fewer of these features and dominance of others, like bands/interbands probably related to plasma losses; holes and concavities probably related to piping processes, motlles suggesting hydromorfic processes that induce the mobility of reduced Fe, and features associated to plasma and skeleton mobility in macropores. Only two features suggest deposition or precipitation of elements in the soil system: bands, mainly in quartz sand soil, and the “double surfaces" of the quartz particles. It seems that pedological cover of the Espraiado transect is mainly characterized by general losses that lead to soil volume loss and landsurface lowering, as described in other tropical areas. Therefore, the presented results disagree with the opposition idea of pedogenetic and morphogenetic processes, presented in traditional views of soil-landforms relationships, since the deduced processes in this research are probably responsible for both soil and landform changes. Furthermore, the presence of the identified chemical processes in Espraiado transect appear to conform to concepts of etchplanation.

abstract: Ponderosa pine forests are a dominant land cover type in semiarid montane areas. Water supplies in major rivers of the southwestern United States depend on ponderosa pine forests since these ecosystems: (1) receive a significant amount of rainfall and snowfall, (2) intercept precipitation and transpire water, and (3) indirectly influence runoff by impacting the infiltration rate. However, the hydrologic patterns in these ecosystems with strong seasonality are poorly understood. In this study, we used a distributed hydrologic model evaluated against field observations to improve our understandings on spatial controls of hydrologic patterns, appropriate model resolution to simulate ponderosa pine ecosystems and hydrologic responses in the context of contrasting winter to summer transitions. Our modeling effort is focused on the hydrologic responses during the North American Monsoon (NAM), winter and spring periods. In Chapter 2, we utilized a distributed model explore the spatial controls on simulated soil moisture and temporal evolution of these spatial controls as a function of seasonal wetness. Our findings indicate that vegetation and topographic curvature are spatial controls. Vegetation controlled patterns during dry summer period switch to fine-scale terrain curvature controlled patterns during persistently wet NAM period. Thus, a climatic threshold involving rainfall and weather conditions during the NAM is identified when high rainfall amount (such as 146 mm rain in August, 1997) activates lateral flux of soil moisture and frequent cloudy cover (such as 42% cloud cover during daytime of August, 1997) lowers evapotranspiration. In Chapter 3, we investigate the impacts of model coarsening on simulated soil moisture patterns during the NAM. Results indicate that model aggregation quickly eradicates curvature features and its spatial control on hydrologic patterns. A threshold resolution of ~10% of the original terrain is identified through analyses of homogeneity indices, correlation coefficients and spatial errors beyond which the fidelity of simulated soil moisture is no longer reliable. Based on spatial error analyses, we detected that the concave areas (~28% of hillslope) are very sensitive to model coarsening and root mean square error (RMSE) is higher than residual soil moisture content (~0.07 m3/m3 soil moisture) for concave areas. Thus, concave areas need to be sampled for capturing appropriate hillslope response for this hillslope. In Chapter 4, we investigate the impacts of contrasting winter to summer transitions on hillslope hydrologic responses. We use a distributed hydrologic model to generate a consistent set of high-resolution hydrologic estimates. Our model is evaluated against the snow depth, soil moisture and runoff observations over two water years yielding reliable spatial distributions during the winter to summer transitions. We find that a wet winter followed by a dry summer promotes evapotranspiration losses (spatial averaged ~193 mm spring ET and ~ 600 mm summer ET) that dry the soil and disconnect lateral fluxes in the forested hillslope, leading to soil moisture patterns resembling vegetation patches. Conversely, a dry winter prior to a wet summer results in soil moisture increases due to high rainfall and low ET during the spring (spatially averaged 78 mm ET and 232 mm rainfall) and summer period (spatially averaged 147 mm ET and 247 mm rainfall) which promote lateral connectivity and soil moisture patterns with the signature of terrain curvature. An opposing temporal switch between infiltration and saturation excess runoff is also identified. These contrasting responses indicate that the inverse relation has significant consequences on hillslope water availability and its spatial distribution with implications on other ecohydrological processes including vegetation phenology, groundwater recharge and geomorphic development. Results from this work have implications on the design of hillslope experiments, the resolution of hillslope scale models, and the prediction of hydrologic conditions in ponderosa pine ecosystems. In addition, our findings can be used to select future hillslope sites for detailed ecohydrological investigations. Further, the proposed methodology can be useful for predicting responses to climate and land cover changes that are anticipated for the southwestern United States. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Geological Sciences 2012

Les particules en suspension transportées dans les réseaux hydrographiques résultent des processus de rivière et des apports depuis les versants. Nous avons étudié dans cette thèse la dynamique des tailles de particules le long du continuum versant-rivière afin d'apporter des éléments de réponse à la réflexion aujourd'hui menée sur les distances de transport et sur le concept de connectivité sédimentaire. Des observations de terrain sont menées à l'exutoire d'un bassin versant de tête (~20 km²). Elles mettent en évidence une corrélation positive entre débit liquide et taille des particules. L'établissement et la mise en oeuvre d'un protocole de mesure original montre que les particules sont agrégées. A cette échelle, les apports des versants semblent importants pour expliquer les variations de taille des particules. Des expériences de laboratoire utilisant un canal annulaire sont menées et indiquent qu'une partie de ces variations peut être attribuée à la désagrégation ou à la floculation des particules dans l'écoulement. Des variations de taille notables sont dues au type de sol. Elles sont moindres à la fin des évènements schématiques simulés en canal, suggérant que l'écoulement prend une part prépondérante pour expliquer les variations de taille des particules. Cet effet du type de sol a motivé l'étude des processus de versant, et en particulier ceux de la pluie. Des expériences de simulations de pluie menées en laboratoire (~1 m²) sur deux sols révèlent que l'augmentation de l'énergie cinétique de la pluie a tendance à générer des agrégats plus fins. Une paramétrisation du détachement par la pluie par fraction granulométrique est développée sur la base de ces expériences et implémentée au sein de deux modèles numériques d'érosion hydrique à base physique. Les simulations numériques confirment que cette tendance a des impacts sur les exports à l'échelle du versant. Enfin, des variations de granulométrie en lien avec l'énergie cinétique de la pluie sont perceptibles lors d'observations de terrain à l'échelle du versant (~ 100 m²), confirmant l'importance d'une description correcte du forçage pluviométrique. / The suspended particles of catchment networks are dependent on both river and hillslope erosion processes. During this thesis, the particle size dynamics was studied along this continuum in order to improve the understanding of particle delivery from hillslopes to the outlets of headwater catchments. Field measurements were conducted at the headwater catchment scale (~20 km²). The discharge displayed a positive correlation with the particle size. An original measurement protocol has been set up and it demonstrated that particles were mostly aggregated. The inputs from hillslopes were possibly involved in some of the variations of the measured particle size. Laboratory experiments carried out using an annular flume demonstrated that a part of these variations could be explained by disaggregation or flocculation within the flow. Important variations due to the soil type were observed. However, they were less pronounced in the falling limbs of the schematic flood events, suggesting that flow conditions progressively became more important than the soil signature. The latter encouraged the analysis of hillslope processes, among which a special attention was given to the rainfall effects. Rainfall simulation experiments (~1 m²) demonstrated for two soils that an increase in the rainfall kinetic energy resulted in smallest aggregates detached from the soil matrix. The importance of this mecanism at the hillslope scale (~ 100 m²) with regard to runoff selectivity was demonstrated developing a size-dependent detachment parametrisation included in two physically based numerical models. Finally, the effects of the rainfall kinetic energy on the particle size were observed during field measurements made at the plot scale as well, underlining the need to adequatly describe the rainfall forcing field at this scale.

Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / The hillslopes, interfluves, thalwegs are part of the fundamental components of the relief units. The importance of studying the influence of soil in the hillslope conformation is supported by Boulet, (1988 and 1992), when he understands that the relief evolution happens through the transformations (self development) of the soils where the hidric flows have a fundamental role. The issue studied in this research is based in the observation of the occurrence of some relative padronization in the profile shapes of the hillslopes located on Santa Maria Formation (Alemoa Member), in the Peripheral Sul-rio-grandense Depression, Santa Maria city, in Camobi neighborhood and also in Pains district. This research is aimed to comprehend the influence of the physical hidric parameters of the soil (pedological cover) in the hillslopes comformation of Santa Maria Formation (Alemoa Member), in the Peripheral Sul-rio-grandense Depression, in Santa Maria city, in the central area of Rio Grande do Sul state. In order to carry out this survey, the hypothetical-deductive method was adopted, according to (Lakatos, Marconi, 2001). It was also adopted as a theoretical methodological basis, the Boulet (1978) theory, which considers the structural analysis of the pedological cover. It is concluded that the physical hidric properties of the soil influences the conformation of the convex-concave profile of the studied hillslopes. / As vertentes juntamente com os interflúvios e os talvegues constituem os componentes fundamentais das unidades de relevo. A importância de se estudar a influência do solo na conformação das vertentes é defendida por Boulet, (1988 e 1992), o qual interpreta que a evolução do relevo se dá a partir das transformações (autodesenvolvimento) dos próprios solos, onde os fluxos hídricos desempenham papel fundamental. A problemática da presente pesquisa está assentada na observação da ocorrência de uma relativa padronização na forma do perfil das vertentes situadas na Formação Santa Maria (Membro Alemoa), na Depressão Periférica Sul-rio-grandense, município de Santa Maria, no bairro Camobi e distrito de Pains. O objetivo da pesquisa é compreender a influência que os parâmetros físico-hídricos do solo (cobertura pedológica) exercem na conformação das vertentes da Formação Santa Maria (Membro Alemoa), na Depressão Periférica Sul-rio-grandense, no município de Santa Maria, região central do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Para realização da pesquisa, adotou-se o método hipotético-dedutivo, segundo (Lakatos, Marconi, 2001). De acordo com os objetivos do trabalho, adotou-se também como base teórico-metodológica a proposta de Boulet (1978), que trata da análise estrutural da cobertura pedológica. Conclui-se que as propriedades físico-hídricas do solo influenciam na conformação do perfil convexo-côncavo das vertentes pesquisadas

O objetivo da presente pesquisa consiste em identificar feições macro e micromorfológicas (em escala de campo e do microscópio óptico, respectivamente) e evidências analíticas (parâmetros físicos e químicos) que indiquem possíveis mecanismos de translocações, perdas e acumulações de matéria no interior da cobertura pedológica, possivelmente responsáveis pela modificação do modelado em um transecto localizado na região de São Pedro (SP). O transecto estudado, denominado Espraiado, subdivide-se em 5 segmentos: segmento superior, segmento médio e segmentos inferiores a, b e c. O segmento superior apresenta baixas declividades e presença do Neossolo Quarzarênico, solo espesso e arenoso caracterizado pela sequência vertical de horizontes A, AE, E com bandas e C-1. O segmento médio apresenta declividades comparativamente médias e presença dos Argissolos Amarelo e Acinzentado, caracterizados pela espessura menor que a do Neossolo Quartzarênico e pela sequência de horizontes A, AE, E com bandas, Bt, C-2 e C-3. Os segmentos inferiores possuem as maiores declividades e solos com a maior presença de argila e a menor espessura do transecto: Cambissolo Háplico, com sequência de horizontes A, ABi, Bi, C-2 e C-3; e Neossolo Litólico, com sequência de horizontes A, C-2 e C-3. As feições identificadas, principalmente macro e micromorfológicas, indicam a ocorrência de processos químicos e mecânicos no interior da cobertura pedológica, desencadeados principalmente pela circulação da água no interior dos solos e responsáveis pela redistribuição e/ou remoção de material em todo o transecto. No Neossolo Quartzarênico, onde há provavelmente maior infiltração de água e dominância do fluxo interno vertical, foi encontrada maior presença das seguintes feições: bandas e interbandas, interpretadas como evidências de-iluviação de plasma; golfos nas partículas de quartzo, interpretados como evidências de dissolução de sílica; e feições relacionadas ao fenômeno de plasma infusion, o qual provoca a desintegração das partículas de areia em partículas menores. Nos Argissolos (Amarelo e Acinzentado) e no Cambissolo Háplico, onde há menor infiltração de água e provavelmente maior presença de fluxo interno lateral, estas feições aparecem em menor quantidade, mas dominam outras, tais como: bandas e interbandas, provavelmente associadas à perda de de plasma do horizonte subjacente; oríficos e concavidades superficiais provavelmente associados ao processo de piping, mosqueamentos que indicam processos de hidromorfia e, portanto, maior mobilidade do ferro reduzido, e feições relacionadas à mobilização de plasma e esqueleto nos macroporos. As únicas feições encontradas que indicam a deposição ou precipitação de elementos no sistema foram as bandas do Neossolo Quartzarênico (as quais indicam simultaneamente perda de matéria), e as denominadas “superfícies duplas” das partículas de quartzo. Desta forma, parece que a cobertura pedológica do transecto Espraiado caracteriza-se principalmente pela perda generalizada de matéria, provavelmente associada a uma perda de volume dos solos e a um rebaixamento do modelado local, assim como descrito em outras áreas tropicais. Assim, os resultados apresentados estão em desacordo com a idéia de oposição entre os processos pedogenéticos e morfogenéticos, comumente presente na visão tradicional das relações solo-relevo, uma vez que os processos deduzidos são possivelmente responsáveis não apenas por mudanças de características morfológicas da cobertura pedológica, mas também por mudanças no modelado. Além disto, a presença destes processos na área estudada parece estar de acordo com os princípios da teoria de etchplanação. / The objective of this research is to identify macro and micromorphological features (field and and optical microscopic scale, respectively) and analitycal evidences (physical and chemical parameters), indicative of translocations, losses and acumulations mechanisms inside the soils, that probably leads to changes in the form of a transect, localized in São Pedro region, São Paulo State, Brazil. The studied transect, called Espraiado, is divided into five segments: superior segment, medium segment and a, b and c inferior segments. The superior segment presents low slope angles and presence of quartz sand, that is a deep soil characterized of the vertical sequence of A, AE, E (with bands) and C-1 horizons. The medium segment has moderate slope angles and the presence of podzolic soils, that are shallower than quartz sand soil and follow vertical sequence of horizons: A, AE, E (with bands), Bt, C-2 and C-3. The inferior segments have the highest slope angles and soils with the highest clay content and the lowest thickness of the transect: cambic soil, that has vertical sequence of A, ABi, Bi, C-2 and C-3 horizons; or A, C-2 and C-3 horizons. The identified macro and micromorphological features suggest the occurrence of chemical and mechanical processes inside the pedological cover, mainly triggered for water circulation in soils. These processes are probably responsible for material translocation and/or remotion in the whole transect. In quartz sand soil, where there are probably high water infiltration rates and dominant internal vertical flux, there are the great amounts of the follow features: bands/interband, interpreted as plasma e-illuviation evidences, embayed quartz particles, interpreted as silica dissolution evidences, and plasma infusion, a phenomenon that leads to the desintegration of sand-sized particles and the formation of silt-sized particles. In podzolic and cambic soils ,where there are probably lower water infiltration rates soils and dominant internal lateral flux, there are fewer of these features and dominance of others, like bands/interbands probably related to plasma losses; holes and concavities probably related to piping processes, motlles suggesting hydromorfic processes that induce the mobility of reduced Fe, and features associated to plasma and skeleton mobility in macropores. Only two features suggest deposition or precipitation of elements in the soil system: bands, mainly in quartz sand soil, and the “double surfaces” of the quartz particles. It seems that pedological cover of the Espraiado transect is mainly characterized by general losses that lead to soil volume loss and landsurface lowering, as described in other tropical areas. Therefore, the presented results disagree with the opposition idea of pedogenetic and morphogenetic processes, presented in traditional views of soil-landforms relationships, since the deduced processes in this research are probably responsible for both soil and landform changes. Furthermore, the presence of the identified chemical processes in Espraiado transect appear to conform to concepts of etchplanation.