Effects of native vegetation recovery on soil loss

Abstract

Considering the economic and environmental damages caused by soil loss, it is clear the necessity of information about the effect that vegetation has on soil loss rate. The present paper uses the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation with the objective of investigating soil loss under a native vegetation recovery (Atlantic Forest) and present conditions in the Guandu river basin, located in the Southwest portion of Brazil. It was identified that reforesting 8.11% of the basin, it would promote 28.73% reduction in the mean annual soil loss compared to the actual land use. Although the paper uses a particular vegetation recovery situation (areas protected by the Brazilian Forest Code), the intention here was to clarify the role that any native vegetation protection exercises on soil loss.

KEYWORDS:

• Reforestation
• revised universal soil loss equation
• Brazil
• erosion
• land use and cover

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo [grant number 2019/24292-7].

Notes on contributors

Dimaghi Schwamback

Dimaghi Schwamback, Master of Science student in hydraulics and sanitation engineering at the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil. He is also an environmental engineer graduated from the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Brazil. Currently, he is interested in field topics related to soil loss, hydrology, infiltration, geoprocessing, and land cover.

Luana Lavagnoli Moreira

Luana Lavagnoli Moreira, Ph.D. student in at the Institute of Hydraulic Research, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil. She is also an environmental engineer and master of science in environmental engineering, both from the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Brazil. Currently, she is interested in field topics related to hydrology, modeling, water flow monitoring, and geoprocessing.

Daniel Rigo

Daniel Rigo, Professor in the environmental engineering department of the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Brazil. He is also a civil engineer graduated from the UFES, Master of Science in civil engineering and Ph.D. in ocean engineering, both from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. Currently, he is interested in field topics related to decision support systems, water quality, computational modeling, and water resources management.