Dinâmica das perdas de água e solo associada ao uso de práticas conservacionistas no Assentamento Fazenda Engenho Novo São Gonçalo

Abstract

The specifics of soil present on many types of soils hinder water infiltration, erosion and shallow favor the functional dynamics limited to the soil system. This study evaluated the dynamics of water and soil losses through the use of conservation management, as possible alternative for family farming, on the Farm Settlement Engenho Novo (São Gonçalo - RJ ). Therefore, in an area with a gradient of 15 % of declivity and an elevation of 38 m, three Wichmeyer erosion plots were installed, with the following treatments: soil Without Coverage (T0), soil Covered ground with Kudzu Tropical (T1) and soil Covered with Kudzu Tropical Narrow Base Terraces Vegetated ridges with Guandu (T2). The monitoring matrix potential was made by granular matrix blocks (GMS`s) in the depths of 20 and 40 cm and rainfall was obtained by daily rainfall (24 hours), collected by rain gauges. To measure the loss of water and soil resulting from surface erosion, each plot was directly linked to a collection box, with capacity of 1.000 liters of water. The results showed that the system without cover (T0) operated with the matrix potential values near saturation, accounting for 88.7 % of water and 99.7 % loss of soil losses. Hedged systems by legumes Kudzu Tropical, both (T1) as in (T2), constantly operated with wide variations of matric potentials, demonstrating an efficient drainage, overcoming the physical limitations of the soil, when compared to the No Coverage (T0) system. For this reason, the conservation management, provided by green roofs with kudzu Tropical legumes responded with low rates of water and soil erosion losses, proving itself as a viable alternative to resettled farmers.