Spatial variability of soil quality indicators, a consequence of soil erosion

Soil quality spatial variability has a direct implication on soil productivity. One of the main variables responsible for soil quality variability in agricultural fields is soil erosion. Several authors have shown that in agricultural lands there exists a net down slope soil transportation due to several erosion processes as water, tillage, wind, etc. In a long-term analysis, soil erosion will reduce soil depth profile and this type of phenomena will have consequences on soil productivity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the spatial variability of soil productivity and to what extent this variability is due to soil erosion. For the studied site the hay production on the concavities was approximately 2.5 times higher than in the convexities and the experimental evidence suggests that tillage and water erosion has some responsibility on this topographically dependent, production.