Abstract
The simulation of a natural environment through computational techniques is a promising research theme that can append advantages for planning and decisions on environmental issues. Hydric erosion is triggered by the impact of rain drops on the soil surface. If rain-induced erosion is high, soil undergoes through hydraulic shearing and the yielded sediments are consequently transported. In the search for a better understanding of space-time dimensions of such natural phenomena, this work aimed to characterize the potential erosion of a selected area located in the Ribeira de Iguape River Hydrographic Basin. This was achieved using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) through Geotechnologies and computational routines. The period considered in the analysis spans between 1990 and 1999, within which areas with spatial coincidence of high erosive potential and high Pb and As content in soil (associated to a pre-existing, natural As anomaly) were compared. This multitemporal application showed the evolutionary trend of the erosive processes in the region, effectively those associated to the As and Pb anomalies. Areas with soil losses above 200 t/ha.year were identified, which ought to be considered in the process of land degradation and source of toxic elements under dispersion in the environment.
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