Superficial and subsurface soil erosion processes: an integrated approach of geophysical, morphological, and physical soil analyses

Abstract

The soil is a vital resource for life on Earth, but its degradation has significant environmental,social, and economic impacts. Erosion is a physical process of soil degradation, which can beaccelerated by human activity. Among the types of erosion, water erosion, primarily caused byrainfall, is considered the most severe. There are different erosive features, including sheeterosion, rill erosion, and gullies, as well as subsurface erosive processes like piping, which aresoil tubes or tunnels that can be difficult to identify and quantify. Pipes act as conduits for water,solutes, gases, and sediments, and their formation is influenced by various physical andchemical soil factors. Although subsurface erosion is often challenging to observe directly, itplays a crucial role in initiating erosion and expanding soil runoff channels. The Sorocaba andMédio Tietê river basins in São Paulo are historically affected by erosive events, especially inthe lower Tietê sub-basin, where municipalities like Anhembi are located. These erosiveprocesses pose a threat to the region's water systems' security, including the Barra BonitaReservoir, which plays vital roles in various human activities. In this context, the general aimof this research is to investigate the origin and development of surface and subsurface erosiveprocesses in areas affected by large gullies in the municipality of Anhembi. Specifically, thisstudy aims to conduct geophysical, physical, and morphological soil analyses, aiming tocontribute to the promotion of more efficient and conservationist practices in soil managementand land use.