Susceptibilidad erosiva asociada al proceso de reconversión agrícola productiva, cuenca semiárida de Quillota. V Región de Valparaíso, Chile

Abstract

In the context of the agricultural productive conversion processes that have taken place in the northern and central regions of the country, fruit tree plantations have been established on hillsides and piedmont zones, often trespassing the morphodynamic thresholds advisable for productive use. This practice is granting the land a state of a greater susceptibility to erosion. By means of the model of Erosion Response Units (ERU) -Märker et al. 2001- a qualitative method that provides levels of erosion susceptibility considering the joint and analyzed variables of the system that influence this problem- the phenomenon of erodibility was examined based on the patterns of the process of conversion in the semiarid catchment of Quillota (32°52'0"S 71°16'0"W). The results showed that the soil -that was agriculturally converted associated to slop systems and alluvial cones- obtained low erodibility when they possess such characteristics as major vegetable density, minor gradient and south exposure; whereas the areas of major erodibility presented lower vegetable density, major gradient and north exposure. On the surfaces with minor and major erodibility handling practices like farming ridges in direction to the slope, contour terraces and hillsides with native vegetation were found; being the farming ridges those that caused the greatest erosion susceptibility. © 2014 Universidad de Tarapacá.