Prediction of Soil Erodibility by Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy in a Neotropical Dry Forest Biome

The USLE and the RUSLE are two common erosion prediction models that used worldwide, soil erodibility (K-factor) is one parameter to calculate them. objectives of this study were investigate variability soil-erodibility factors under different soil-texture classes evaluate efficiency diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) in near-infrared range at predicting K-factors using a partial least squares regression analysis. was conducted Fluvisols dry tropical forest (the Caatinga). Sampling undertaken first 20 cm 80 sites distributed 15 m apart on 70 × 320 spatial grid. Results show clay fraction represented mainly by 2:1 phyllosilicates. Soil organic matter content low (<0.2%), which typical forests, reflected high values calculated K-factors. An empirical semivariogram dependence both Pedometric modeling showed DRS can be predict (R2adj = 0.53; RMSE 8.37 10−3 t h MJ−1 mm−1) 0.58; 6.78