Temporal analysis of soil loss in Conservation Units of the Itapemirim River Basin
Name: FERNANDA LYRA
Publication date: 24/07/2025
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| FABRICIA BENDA DE OLIVEIRA | Examinador Externo |
| FRANCIELLE RODRIGUES DE OLIVEIRA | Examinador Externo |
| ROBERTO AVELINO CECILIO | Presidente |
Summary: Water erosion is one of the main processes of soil degradation, intensified by human activities and unplanned land occupation. In this context, Conservation Units (CUs) and their Buffer Zones (BZs) play a strategic role in containing these processes, especially in biomes such as the Atlantic Forest. This study aimed to analyze the spatiotemporal variability of soil loss between 1985 and 2023 in four CUs: Cachoeira da Fumaça State Park (PECF), Forno Grande State Park (PEFG), Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (MONAFF), and Mata das Flores State Park (PEMF), all located in southern Espírito Santo, along with their respective BZs. The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) was applied using high-resolution geospatial data, integrating climatic, topographic, and land-use variables. Annual soil loss maps were generated, and statistical tests (Mann-Kendall, Sen’s Slope, and Pettitt) were applied to annual means and discretized spatial series (pixel by pixel). The results indicated a significant trend of soil loss reduction within the CUs, particularly from the second decade of the 2000s onward. The BZs also showed a decline, but with greater spatial and statistical variability. It is concluded that CUs have been effective in controlling erosion, while BZs still require more specific management strategies.
Keywords: USLE, Temporal trend test, Geotechnologies.
