The objective of this work was to evaluate the soil loss of an area of springs in the Microbacia do Córrego do Tijuco, SP, Brazil. Spatial analysis of the universal soil loss equation (USLE) factors, in integrated with principal component analysis and geostatistics, was used. The average soil loss estimated for the area was 118.5 Mg ha‑1 per year, which is considered high. Near the urban zone, there was a high interaction of rainfall erosivity and conservation practices, which shows a high‑soil loss, due to the concentration of water from impervious urban layer with a high‑flow velocity. In the water partings, the performance of erodibility was prominent, in contrast to the topographic factor. Areas were observed with joint action of these factors, including sites with gentle slope, but with a high, natural potential of erosion. The interaction of multivariate and geostatistic analyses allows the area stratification, identifies locations with specific properties as to soil loss, and spatialises the erosion factors and their interactions along the landscape.
principal component analysis; geostatistics; erosive process
