Modelos digitais de elevação e predição do carbono orgânico do solo no planalto do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The requirement for quantitative soil information has increased as a consequence of the global scenarios. The digital soil mapping (DSM) seeks to produce consistent data with the current needs through the generation of functional soil maps in multi-scales. The aim of this study was to evaluate the altimetry quality and limitations of digital elevation model (DEM) in order to assist in choosing the most suitable DEM to derive terrain attributes (TA) to develop spatial prediction functions to be applied to digital mapping of soil organic carbon (SOC) of farm scale in the Plateau of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS). The study was conducted on a 937 ha area located in the municipality of Giruá, RS, Brazil. They collected 243 sampling points in the 0-5 cm layer and an accomplished planialtimetric survey (PS) considered in this study the truth of the ground of altitude values. DEM evaluated were: DEM-PS (generated from the PS), DEM-LETTER (generated by interpolating the level of topographic map curves), DEM-ASTER, DEM- SRTM and DEM-TOPODATA. The DEM were evaluated for precision altimetry through statistical test value of the square root of the mean square error (RMSE) and application of the Brazilian Cartographic Standard for defining the scale of each DEM based on the accuracy of the altitude. TA derived from each DEM were faced with the AT derived from the DEM-PS. The results showed that the DEM-PS presented the best quality of elevation data (RMSE = 1.93 m), followed by DEM-SRTM (RMSE = 5.95 m), DEM- (RMSE = 8.28 m), DEM-TOPODATA (RMSE = 9.78 m) and DEM-ASTER (RMSE = 15.57 m). The size of the area and gently rolling relief were the main factors that influenced the results. The DEM-PS is suited in scale 1: 10,000 Class D, while DEM-LETTER and DEM-SRTM are suited in scale 1: 50,000 class B, the DEM-TOPODATA the scale 1: 50,000 class D and the DEM-ASTER scale 1: 100,000 Class B. With regard to TA, the DEM-SRTM and DEM-TOPODATA present results closer to the DEM-PS and smaller RMSE values for each TA assessed. The prediction function constructed from the DEM-PS derived from the TA and vegetation index Landasat-7 obtained images explained only 16% of the variance in SOC area. The small spatial resolution of DEM-PS and images associated with the use only of these predictors were the main factors that influenced the results. Based on these results, the DEM-SRTM and DEM-TOPODATA can be used in DSM semi-detailed soil classes. In the case of the SOC DSM suggest the use of these DEM associated with field control points to verify the precision altimetry and the inclusion of variables related to soil management practices.