Capacity of soil loss control in the Loess Plateau based on soil erosion control degree

doi:10.1007/s11442-016-1279-y

Abstract

Abstract:

The capacity of soil and water conservation measures, defined as the maximum quantity of suitable soil and water conservation measures contained in a region, were determined for the Loess Plateau based on zones suitable for establishing terraced fields, forestland and grassland with the support of geographic information system (GIS) software. The minimum possible soil erosion modulus and actual soil erosion modulus in 2010 were calculated using the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE), and the ratio of the minimum possible soil erosion modulus under the capacity of soil and water conservation measures to the actual soil erosion modulus was defined as the soil erosion control degree. The control potential of soil erosion and water loss in the Loess Plateau was studied using this concept. Results showed that the actual soil erosion modulus was 3355 t?km^-2?a^-1, the minimum possible soil erosion modulus was 1921 t?km^-2?a^-1, and the soil erosion control degree was 0.57 (medium level) in the Loess Plateau in 2010. In terms of zoning, the control degree was relatively high in the river valley-plain area, soil-rocky mountainous area, and windy-sandy area, but relatively low in the soil-rocky hilly-forested area, hilly-gully area and plateau-gully area. The rate of erosion areas with a soil erosion modulus of less than 1000 t?km^-2?a^-1 increased from 50.48% to 57.71%, forest and grass coverage rose from 56.74% to 69.15%, rate of terraced fields increased from 4.36% to 19.03%, and per capita grain available rose from 418 kg?a^-1 to 459 kg?a^-1 under the capacity of soil and water conservation measures compared with actual conditions. These research results are of some guiding significance for soil and water loss control in the Loess Plateau.

Key words: Loess Plateau, soil erosion control degree, control potential of soil erosion and water loss, RUSLE

Haidong GAO, Zhanbin Li, Lianlian JIA, Peng Li, Guoce XU, Zongping REN, Guowei PANG, Binhua ZHAO. Capacity of soil loss control in the Loess Plateau based on soil erosion control degree[J].Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2016, 26(4): 457-472.

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Vegetation coverage (%)	0-20	20-40	40-60	60-80	80-100
Forestland	0.25	0.12	0.06	0.02	0.004
Grassland	0.45	0.24	0.15	0.09	0.043

Zoning	Actual soil erosion modulus (t·km^-2·a^-1)	Minimum possible soil erosion modulus (t·km^-2·a^-1)	Decreasing range (%)
River valley-plain area	1377	978	28.98
Windy-sandy area	465	311	33.12
Forested area	3436	1863	45.78
Hilly-gully area	4997	2477	50.43
Plateau-gully area	5417	2611	51.80
Soil-rocky mountainous area	3824	2650	30.70
Whole Loess Plateau	3355	1921	42.74

Zoning	Under the actual condition (%)
Zoning	Slight erosion	Light or above	Slight erosion	Light or above
River valley-plain area	72.89	27.11	75.90	24.10
Windy-sandy area	87.27	12.73	90.38	9.62
Forested area	45.16	54.84	52.77	47.23
Hilly-gully area	31.66	68.34	43.57	56.43
Plateau-gully area	37.38	62.62	46.58	53.42
Soil-rocky mountainous area	40.81	59.19	46.94	53.06
Loess Plateau	50.48	49.52	57.71	42.29

Land use type	Under the actual condition		Under capacity of soil and water conservation measures
Land use type	Area (10⁴ ha)	Percentage (%)	Area (10⁴ ha)	Percentage (%)
Paddy field	58.75	0.91	58.74	0.91
Irrigated land	288.72	4.47	288.72	4.47
Dam farmland	28.63	0.44	28.63	0.44
Terrace	281.85	4.36	1229.31	19.03
Slope farmland	1443.91	22.35	0.00	0.00
Forestland	968.28	14.99	1248.72	19.33
Grassland	2697.69	41.75	3219.16	49.82
Others	693.63	10.73	388.18	6.01

River (hydrometric station)	Sediment load (10⁴ t)	Deposition (10⁴ t)	Erosion (10⁴ t)	SDR
Tuwei river (Gaojiachuan)	1713.51	271.09	1984.60	0.70
Dali river (Suide)	2174.56	1119.47	3294.03	0.56
Jialu river (Shenjiawan)	875.37	223.42	1098.79	0.64
Chabagou river (Caoping)	71.75	131.40	203.15	0.33
Wuding river (Baijiachuan)	4930.95	5555.41	10486.36	0.44
Gushanchuan river (Gaoshiya)	1208.44	298.25	1506.70	0.59
Huangfuchuan river (Huangfu)	3203.57	193.59	3397.16	0.87
Kuye (Wenjiachuan)	6779.99	274.16	7054.15	0.82