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

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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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory Base of Eco-hydraulic Engineering in Arid Area (Xi’an University of Technology), Xi’an, 710048, China

    Haidong Gao, Zhanbin Li, Peng Li, Guoce Xu, Zongping Ren & Binhua Zhao

  2. State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Agriculture on Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, 712100, Yangling, Shaanxi, China

    Haidong Gao & Zhanbin Li

  3. Upper and Middle Yellow River Bureau, Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources, Xi’an, 710021, China

    Lianlian Jia

  4. College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710127, China

    Guowei Pang

Authors
  1. Haidong Gao
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  2. Zhanbin Li
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  3. Lianlian Jia
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  4. Peng Li
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  5. Guoce Xu
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  6. Zongping Ren
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  7. Guowei Pang
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  8. Binhua Zhao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhanbin Li.

Additional information

Foundation: National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41401305; No.41330858; The Open Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, No.K318009902-14

Gao Haidong (1983–), PhD, specialized in soil erosion and remote sensing.

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Gao, H., Li, Z., Jia, L. et al. Capacity of soil loss control in the Loess Plateau based on soil erosion control degree. J. Geogr. Sci. 26, 457–472 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-016-1279-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-016-1279-y

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