Abstract
In this study, two adjacent gauged catchments on the Chinese Loess Plateau were selected, in which one catchment was afforested and one was restored with natural vegetation in 1954. The distributions of soil erosion rates were estimated between 2010 and 2020 with a high spatial resolution of 2 m in the paired catchments based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model (RUSLE) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The results showed that the simulated soil erosion rates in 2010–2020 averaged 12.58 and 8.56 t ha−1 a−1 for the grassland and forestland catchment, respectively. Moreover, areas with high soil erosion rates (> 80 t ha−1 a−1) were mainly distributed in the topography with steep slope gradients (>45°). Comparisons between simulated soil erosion rates and observed annual sediment loads indicated that the simulation results of the grassland catchment were lower than the observed values, while it was reversed in the forestland catchment. We conclude that the RUSLE model cannot simulate the gravity erosion induced by extreme rainfall events. For the forestland catchment, insufficient streamflow and dense vegetation coverage are crucial factors resulting in hindering the movement of sediments.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Asadi H, Raeisvandi A, Rabiei B, et al. (2012) Effect of land use and topography on soil properties and agronomic productivity on calcareous soils of a semiarid region, Iran. Land Degrad Dev 23(5): 496–504. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.1081
Bai YP (2021) Effect of land use pattern change on soil erosion in Small Watersheds of the Hilly and Gully regions on the Loess Plateau. Master thesis, Institute of soil and water conservation Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi. p 24. (In Chinese)
Borrelli P, Robinson DA, Fleischer LR, et al. (2017) An assessment of the global impact of 21st century land use change on soil erosion. Nat Commun 8(1): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02142-7
Bush SA, Stallard RF, Ebel BA, et al. (2020) Assessing plot-scale impacts of land use on overland flow generation in Central Panama. Hydrol Process 34(25): 5043–5069. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13924
Cai CF, Ding SW, Shi ZH, et al. (2000) Study of applying USLE and geographical information system IDRISI to predict soil erosion in small watershed. J Soil Water Conserv 14(2): 19–24. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.13870/j.cnki.dtbcxb.2000.02.005
Cerdà A (2000) Aggregate stability against water forces under different climates on agriculture land and scrubland in southern Bolivia. Soil Till Res 57: 159–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-1987(00)00155-0
Chen H, Cai QG. (2006) Impact of hillslope vegetation restoration on gully erosion induced sediment yield. Science in China Series D 49(2): 176–192. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-005-0177-4
Chen SX, Yang XH, Xiao LL, et al. (2014) Study of soil erosion in the southern hillside area of China based on RUSLE Model. Res Sci 36(6): 1289–1297. (In Chinese)
Cheng LL, Zhao WW, Zhang YH, et al. (2009) Effect of spatial distribution of rainfall erosivity on soil loss at catchment scale. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering 25(12): 69–73. (In Chinese)
Dang H, Li JH, Xu JS, et al. (2022) Differences in soil water and nutrients under catchment afforestation and natural restoration shape herbaceous communities on the Chinese Loess Plateau. For Ecol Manag 505(1): 119925. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119925
FAO (2020) Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020-Key Findings. https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8753en
Fu BJ, Zhao WW, Chen LD, et al. (2005) Assessment of soil erosion at large watershed scale using RUSLE and GIS: a case study in the Loess Plateau of China. Land Degrad Dev 16: 73–85. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.646
Fu BJ, Liu Y, Lv YH, et al. (2011) Assessing the soil erosion control service of ecosystems change in the Loess Plateau of China. Ecol Complex 8(4): 284–293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecocom.2011.07.003
Fu SH, Liu BY, Zhou GY, et al. (2015) Calculation tool of topographic factors. Science of Soil and Water Conservation 13(5): 105–110. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.16843/j.sswc.2015.05.018
Fu SH, Wu ZP, Liu BY, et al. (2013) Comparison of the effects of the different methods for computing the slope length factor at a watershed scale. Int Soil Water Conserv Res 1(2): 64–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-6339(15)30040-X
Fu SH, Zhang ZL, Wei X, et al. (2020) Scale effect on identifying priority watershed for comprehensive control of soil and water loss. Bulletin of Soil and Water Conservation 40(2): 148–153. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.13961/j.cnki.stbctb.2020.02.021
Gao GR (1988) Formation and development of the structure of collapsing loess in China. Eng Geol 25(2–4): 235–245. https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-7952(88)90029-4
Guo JH, Huang GH, Wang XQ, et al. (2018) Future changes in precipitation extremes over China projected by a regional climate model ensemble. Atmospheric Environ 188: 142–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.06.026
Huang CL (2021) Temporal and Spatial Variation of Soil Erosion and Its Main Controlling Factors in Loess Plateau in Recent 40 Years. PhD thesis, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi. p 15. (In Chinese)
Islam MR, Jaafar WZW, Hin LS, et al. (2018) Soil erosion assessment on hillslope of GCE using RUSLE model. J Earth Syst Sci 127(50): 50–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-018-0951-2
Jin Z, Li XR, Wang YQ, et al. (2016) Comparing watershed black locust afforestation and natural revegetation impacts on soil nitrogen on the Loess Plateau of China. Sci Rep 6: 25048. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep25048
Jin Z, Guo L, Lin H, et al. (2018) Soil moisture response to rainfall on the Chinese Loess Plateau after a long-term vegetation rehabilitation. Hydrol Process 32: 1738–1754. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13143
Jin Z, Guo L, Wang YQ, et al. (2019) Valley reshaping and damming induce water table rise and soil salinization on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Geoderma 339: 115–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.12.048
Jin Z, Guo L, Yu YL, et al. (2020) Storm runoff generation in headwater catchments on the Chinese Loess Plateau after long-term vegetation rehabilitation. Sci Total Environ 748: 141375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141375
Jin Z, Luo D, Yu YL, et al. (2022) Soil pH changes in a small catchment on the Chinese Loess Plateau after long-term vegetation rehabilitation. Ecol Eng 175: 106503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2021.106503
Lal R (2003) Soil erosion and the global carbon budget. Environ Int 29(4): 437–450. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0160-4120(02)00192-7
Li PF, Zang YZ, Ma DD, et al. (2020) Soil erosion rates assessed by RUSLE and PESERA for a Chinese Loess Plateau catchment under land-cover changes. Earth Surf Process Landf 45: 707–722. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4767
Li S, Wei FL, Wang Z, et al. (2021) Spatial Heterogeneity and Complexity of the Impact of Extreme Climate on Vegetation in China. Sustainability 13: 5748. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105748
Li Z, Zheng FL, Liu WZ (2012) Spatiotemporal characteristics of reference evapotranspiration during 1961–2009 and its projected changes during 2011–2099 on the Loess Plateau of China. Agric for Meteorol 154–155: 147–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2011.10.019
Liang JZ, Li D, Zhang J. et al. (1998) The phytocoenosis structure and diversity as affected by little watershed management. Res Soil Water Conserv 5(4): 98–106. (In Chinese)
Liu BY, Bi XG, Fu SH (2010) Beijing soil loss equation. Beijing: Science Press. (In Chinese)
Liu DH, Li Y. (2003) Mechanism of plant roots improving resistance of soil to concentrated flow erosion. J Soil Water Conserv 17(3): 34–37. (In Chinese)
Liu Q, Wang YQ, Zhang J, et al. (2013) Filling Gullies to Create Farmland on the Loess Plateau. Environ Sci Technol 47: 7589–7590. https://doi.org/10.1021/es402460r
Liu Y, Fu BJ, Lv YH, et al. (2012) Hydrological responses and soil erosion potential of abandoned cropland in the Loess Plateau, China. Geomorphology 138(1): 404–414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2011.10.009
Luo D, Jin Z, Yu YL, et al. (2021) Effects of Topography on Planted Trees in a Headwater Catchment on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Forests 12(6): 792–804. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12060792
Mah M, Douglas LA, Ringrose-Voase AJ (1992) Effects of crust development and surface slope on erosion by rainfall. Soil Sci 154(1), 37–43. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-199207000-00005
McCool DK, Brown LC, Foster GR, et al. (1987) Revised slope steepness factor for the universal soil loss equation. Trans Am Soc Agric Eng 30(5): 1387–1396. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.30576
Men MX, Yu ZR, Xu H (2008) Study on the spatial pattern of rainfall erosivity based on geostatistics in Hebei Province, China. Front Agric China 2: 281–289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11703-008-0042-2
Mengesha Z, Mohammed SM, Demeke S, et al. (2018) Assessment of soil erosion using RUSLE, GIS and remote sensing in NW Ethiopia. Geoderma Reg 12: 83–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2018.01.002
Meyer LD (1984) Evolution of the universal soil loss equation. J Soil Water Conserv 39(2): 99–104. https://doi.org/10.2307/3899641
Panagos P, Borrelli P, Poesen J, et al. (2015) The new assessment of soil loss by water erosion in Europe. Environ Sci Policy 54: 438–447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2015.08.012
Pelacani S, Märker M, Rodolfi G (2008) Simulation of soil erosion and deposition in a changing land use: A modelling approach to implement the support practice factor. Geomorphology 99(1): 329–340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.11.010
Pimentel D, Harvey C, Resosudarmo P, et al. (1995) Environmental and economic costs of soil erosion and conservation benefits. Science 267(5201): 1117–1123. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.267.5201.1117
Quansah C (1981) The effect of soil type, slope, rain intensity and their interactions on splash detachment and transport. Eur J Soil Sci 32(2): 215–224. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2389.1981.tb01701.x
Rangsiwanichpong P, Kazama S, Ekkawatpanit C, et al. (2019) Evaluation of cost and benefit of sediment based on landslide and erosion models. Catena 173: 194–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2018.10.010
Renard KG., GR Foster GA, Weesies DK, et al. (1997) Predicting soil erosion by water: a guide to conservation planning with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook No. 703: 404.
Sharpley AN, Williams JR (1990) EPIC-Erosion/Productivity impact calculator: 1. Model documentation. U.S. Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin No. 1768: 235. http://agrilife.org/epicapex/files/2015/05/EpicModelDocumentation.pdf
Shi ZH, Ai L, Li X, et al. (2013) Partial least-squares regression for linking land-cover patterns to soil erosion and sediment yield in watersheds. J Hydrol 498: 165–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.06.031
Squire GR, Hawes C, Valentine TA, et al. (2015) Degradation rate of soil function varies with trajectory of agricultural intensification. Agric Ecosyst Environ 202: 160–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2014.12.004
Sun JJ, Yu DS, Shi Z, et al. (2010) Comparison of between LAI and VFC in relationship with soil erosion in the red soil hilly region of south China. Acta Pedologica Sinica 47(6): 1060–1066. https://doi.org/10.1080/00949651003724790
Sun WY, Shao QQ, Liu JY, et al. (2014) Assessing the effects of land use and topography on soil erosion on the Loess Plateau in China. Catena 121: 151–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2014.05.009
Thomas J, Joseph S, Thrivikramji KP. (2018) Assessment of soil erosion in a tropical mountain river basin of the southern Western Ghats, India using RUSLE and GIS. Geosci Front 9(3): 893–906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2017.05.011.
Wang Y, Cai YL, Pan M (2014) Soil erosion simulation of the Wujiang River Basin in Guizhou province based on GIS, RUSLE and ANN. Geology in China 41(5): 1735–1747. (In Chinese)
Wischmeier WH, Smith DD (1978) Predicting rainfall erosion losses-a guide to conservation planning. Agricultural Handbook, US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. No. 537.
Xu JX (1998) A study of physico-geographical factors for formation of hyper concentrated flows in the Loess Plateau of China. Geomorphology 24(2): 245–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(98)00021-X
Zhang JX, Zhang B, Zhang H, et al. (2011) Landscape Pattern Change and Soil Erosion Research—Take Malian River Basin in Loess Plateau as an Example. Journal of Natural Resources 26(9): 1513–1525. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/CNKI:SUN:ZRZX.0.2011-09-007
Zhang JX, Wang N, Wang YF, et al. (2021a) Responses of soil erosion to land Su, changes in the largest tableland of the loess plateau. Land Degrad Dev 32(13): 3598–3613. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3962
Zhang S, Xiong DH, Wu H, et al. (2021b) Research on spatial variation of soil erosion in Sunshui river basin based on RUSLE model. J Soil Water Conserv 35(5): 24–30. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.13870/j.cnki.stbcxb.2021.05.004
Zhang WB, Fu JS (2003) Rainfall erosivity estimation under different rainfall amount. Resources Science 25(1): 36–41. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.3321/j.issn:1007-7588.2003.01.006
Zhang XP, Zhang L, Zhao J, et al. (2008) Responses of streamflow to changes in climate and land use/cover in the Loess Plateau, China. Water Resour Res 45(7): 12. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007WR006711
Zheng FL, Wang B (2014) Soil Erosion in the Loess Plateau Region of China. Chapter 3 in book Restoration and Development of the Degraded Loess Plateau, China. pp 35–46. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54481-4_6
Zhou PH (1991) Overview of the problem about the reducing sediment benefits of the water and soil conservation in the Loess Plateau. Bulletin of Soil and Water Conservation 11: 1–3. (In Chinese)
Zhou PH, Wang ZL (1992). A study on rainstorm causing soil erosion in the Loess Plateau. J Soil Water Conserv 6: 1–5 (In Chinese).
Zhou ZC, Shangguan ZP, Zhao D (2006) Modeling vegetation coverage and soil erosion in the Loess Plateau Area of China. Ecol Modell 198(1): 263–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2006.04.019
Zhu XM (1960) The influence of vegetation on water and soil loss in loess region. Acta Petrologica Sinica 8: 110–120.
Ziadat FM, Taimeh AY (2013) Effect of rainfall intensity, slope, land use and antecedent soil moisture on soil erosion in an arid environment. Land Degrad Dev 24(6): 582–590. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2239
Zuo DP, Xu ZX, Yao WY, et al. (2016) Assessing the effects of changes in land use and climate on runoff and sediment yields from a watershed in the Loess Plateau of China. Sci Total Environ 544: 238–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.11.060
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB40000000) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41790444).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yang, Sq., Luo, D., Han, H. et al. Soil erosion differences in paired grassland and forestland catchments on the Chinese Loess Plateau. J. Mt. Sci. 20, 1336–1348 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-022-7623-z
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-022-7623-z