Relationship between soil size particle distribution and saprolite morphology with water infiltration in Neossolos Regoliticos in the Rio Grande do Sul Plateau edge/Relacao da granulometria do solo e morfologia do saprolito com a infiltracao de agua em Neossolos Regoliticos do rebordo do Planalto do Rio Grande do Sul

Neossolos Regoliticos (Regosols) are fragile from a natural resource perspective because of their small depth, stones and/or rocks presence, near surface lithic contact, fractures in saprolite and frequent occurrence in steep slopes. These soils requires more specific analysis for a better interpretation of their capacity to filtrate water, retain and transform solute and fluids, contributing to the maintenance of the water quality that reaches the groundwater. In that sense, this study generates information on water infiltration in five areas from the the Rio Grande do Sul plateau edge. Three profiles were described and analyzed for each Regosol and the water infiltration was performed whit the double rings method. Even showing the same taxonomic classification, the Regosols showed hydraulic variation behavior, even though when compared among the profiles from the same location. The data suggest that the water infiltration in the Regosols is affected by the saprolite fracture configurations, granulometry, relief conditions and soil use.