This study analyses the correlations among erosivity parameters and soil losses, between June 24, 1979 and October 10, 1994, in an Oxisol from the Unidade de Execução de Pesquisa de Âmbito Estadual at Dourados - EMBRAPA, Southern Mato Grosso, Brazil. Rainfall erosivity, runoff, and rainfall-runoff parameters were analysed through simple and multiple linear regression and nonlinear regression, to: (a) define an erosivity parameter for individual storms, aiming to improve the use of the USLE at that site; (b) obtain the erodibility factor for the soil plot. A set of 147 erosive individual storms was analysed and calculated using a computer program. The runoff volume parameter in the nonlinear form was correlated with the erosive capability of individual storms, overcoming all the other simple or composed, rainfall or rainfall-runoff parameters. Surprisinly, in this paper, the EI30 parameter showed a low relationship with the soil losses. Thus, the best erosivity parameter to estimate soil losses at that site was the 0.1444 (Vu)1.0728. The erodibility factors estimated for the parameters a (Vu)b and a + b.EI30 were, respectively, 0.1444 t ha-1 mm-1 and 0.0037 t ha h ha-1 MJ-1 mm-1.
soil erosion; soil management; mathematical modelling of soil erosion; modified universal soil loss equation