Process of physical soil degradation in urban areas

A gully is a large open incision in the ground, usually with steep walls and a flat bottom, connected or not to the drainage network, which is one of the main erosive features resulting from inadequate soil management. The aim of this book and the research was to characterise the process of physical degradation of the soil by erosion in an area close to the Alto Branco neighbourhood, located in the city of Campina Grande. Visits were made to the site for a preliminary assessment (diagnosis), where observations were made and two soil samples were collected, one from the surface and the other from the bottom of the gully for later chemical analysis. Photographic images were also taken for possible records and better characterisation of the area, as well as measurements of the extent and depth of the gully using tape measures. From analysing the results, it can be seen that the environmental degradation of the soil in the area is due to erosion and is classified as a small to medium-sized gully, with incompatible uses and occupations of the soil, compromising its chemical properties.