Soil loss in hydrographic basins in the microregion of Vão do Paranã – GO

Abstract

The process of land use and occupation in the Cerrado caused major changes in the environmental balance of the biome, reflected in the form of various environmental impacts. Among these is the loss of soils through erosion. Despite the fact that large portions of native vegetation are still recognized, when compared to the rest of the state, the micro-region of Vai do Paranã in Goiás has unique physical attributes, which makes it the scene of major degradation when it is associated with human misuse. With the intention of using the methodology of the Universal Soil Loss Equation - USLE to estimate annual soil loss in the São Domingos and Corrente river basins, in the Vai do Paranã, the attributes of hypsometry, slope, land use and its cover in the years 1985 and 2015. I was observed at this stage a greater concentration of attributes that expressed environmental vulnerability in the São Domingos river basin, which was also foud in the analysis of morphometric parameters, and with the application of the USLE, since it presented (although small) a higher estimate of annual soil loss, compared to the Corrente river basin. This fact may possibly be related to the presence of Conservation Units, which should minimize the advance of anthropization and its possible environmental impacts in the region.