Acta Geographica Sinica ›› 2015, Vol. 70 ›› Issue (9): 1503-1515.doi: 10.11821/dlxb201509012

• Ecology and Environment • Previous Articles     Next Articles

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

Haidong GAO1(), Zhanbin LI1,2(), Peng LI1, Lianlian JIA3, Guoce XU1, Zongping REN1, Guowei PANG4, Binhua ZHAO1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory Base of Eco-hydraulic Engineering in Arid Area, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China
    2. State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Agriculture on Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
    3. Upper and Middle Yellow River Bureau, Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources, Xi'an 710021, China
    4. College of Urban and Environmental Science, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China
  • Received:2015-02-04 Revised:2015-06-08 Online:2015-09-20 Published:2015-09-20

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 rate of the minimum possible soil erosion modulus under the 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 were 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) on the Loess Plateau in 2010. In terms of zones, the control degree was relatively high in the valley plain zones, soil and rock mountainous zones, and windy sand zones, but relatively low in the soil and rock hilly forest zones, hilly gully zones and plateau gully zones. In terms of river basins, the soil erosion control degree was relatively high in the Dahei River, Huangfu River, Qingshui River, Kuye River and Pianguan River basins, but relatively low in the Qingjian River, Wuding River, Jialu River, and Yanhe River basins. The rate of erosion zones 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%, ratio of terraced fields increased from 4.36% to 19.03%, and per capita grain yield rose from 418 kg·a-1 to 459 kg·a-1 under the soil and water conservation measures compared with actual conditions.

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