Spatial Analysis of Soil Texture, Plasticity, and Eco‐Hydrological Implications in Sorocaba, Brazil

Soil is a highly complex and heterogeneous system resulting from the interaction of multiple environmental processes that act simultaneously over time and exhibit variable responses to anthropogenic influences. Soil texture is a fundamental property that exerts direct and indirect control over several geotechnical and eco‐hydrological attributes, strongly influencing the physical and mechanical performance of soils under different environmental conditions. Consequently, spatially distributed information on soil texture is essential for engineering investigations, land use planning, and environmental management. In Sorocaba (SP, Brazil), where the pedological classes Ferralsols and Podzols predominate, technical and scientific information regarding soil composition and hydrological dynamics is limited. Therefore, this study addressed soil texture, liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index, seeking to establish relationships between these parameters and geotechnical or eco‐hydrological characteristics. Soil samples were collected at georeferenced locations and at two different horizons, followed by laboratory analyses and geostatistical interpolation of sand, silt, and clay fractions using variogram‐based geoprocessing techniques. The results demonstrated a predominance of sandy‐textured soils (71.3% and 70.9% in the surface and subsurface horizons, respectively), indicating increased susceptibility to erosion and influencing water infiltration and retention patterns, thereby providing valuable support for civil and environmental engineering projects associated with regional climatic seasonality. These findings also contribute to an improved understanding of soil performance and sustainable territorial and hydrological resource management strategies.