The study analyzed soil erosion by rain water in two land uses (primary forest and pasture derived from forest) from August 1988 to February 1992, in the Apiaú region, Roraima State, Brazilian Amazonia. For a standard slope of 20%, the results indicated that soil erosion in Brachiaria humidicola pasture (1,128 kg.ha\'.y1) was 7.5 times higher than that under primary forest (150 kg.ha\'.y1) in the same period. The runoff was 3.18 χ 10ft l.ha\'.y1 in the pasture and 1.13 χ 106 l.ha"\'.y"\' in the primary forest. Although located less than 1 km apart, the rain that reached the soil annually in the two systems was unequal (P < 0.001; toos136), reflecting the difference in cover between forest (1,538 mm) and pasture (2,109 mm). The results suggest that substitution of tropical forests by pastures in Amazonia increases soil erosion, and that the effects could be reflected in the regional and global social-economy.
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