Riparian forests are generally associated to sediment retention and consequently to the mitigation of off-site erosion, but few studies have investigated this effect. The purpose of this study was to analyze the efficiency of riparian forests on the retention of sediment from crop lands using the 137Cs technique. Sampling in an area located in Central Brazil, under intensive cotton farming in a conventional system, was performed in July 2005, using cross-sectional analyses. The 137Cs technique proved adequate for estimating the soil gains and losses in this kind of study; sediment deposition in the forest-covered riparian area was detected, evidencing the effectiveness of this formation in retaining sediments from crop land.
erosion; 137Cs; area of permanent preservation; sediment
