The Study
Using geospatial analysis to detect soil loss in pasture in the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado)
This study uses satellite pictures and math to see how damaged grasslands are and how much soil is washing away. It found that places with more plants tend to lose less soil, but it can't prove that more plants stop soil from washing away — just that they go together.
Analysis score
Maximum 0 for a computational/algorithm study.
Where the score came from
In a part of Brazil, scientists used satellite pictures to see how much grass is growing in pastures and how much soil is being lost. They found that places with more plants lose less soil.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 50 / 100
Quality score
Based on clinical experience or non-systematic literature reviews. The lowest level of evidence as they are most susceptible to bias and personal perspective.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, because keeping soil in place helps farms stay healthy and produce more food over time.
- 256.87% of the land has medium damage.
- 382.46% of the land is losing soil, mostly between 20 and 40 kg per square meter per year.
- 4More plants mean less soil loss.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Australian Journal of Crop Science
Year
2025
Authors
Alisson Neves Harmyans Moreira, D. Casaroli, Rafaella Resende Andrade, Rafael Battisti, Angelina Harmyans Ciappina
Related Content
Claims (4)
If you keep chickens on the same pasture all the time without rotating it, the soil gets worse, the grass doesn't grow as well, and there are fewer bugs and plants for the chickens to eat.
Most of the pastureland in this part of Brazil's savanna is somewhat damaged — not the worst, but not healthy either — and this 'medium damage' covers more area than any other type.
Most of the eroded land in a Brazilian savanna watershed is in damaged pasture areas, and the biggest chunk of that land loses soil at a rate of 20 to 40 tons per hectare every year.
The more plants covering the ground in damaged savanna pastures in Brazil, the less soil gets washed away — and plants explain a big chunk of why some areas lose more soil than others.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.