• Journal of Natural Resources
  • Vol. 35, Issue 6, 1369 (2020)
Yan-zai WANG1、*, Yi-fan DONG2、3, and Zheng-an SU2
Author Affiliations
  • 1College of Geography and Tourism, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
  • 2Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards & Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS, Chengdu 610041, China;
  • 3Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
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    DOI: 10.31497/zrzyxb.20200610 Cite this Article
    Yan-zai WANG, Yi-fan DONG, Zheng-an SU. Assessment of soil erosion change under land use and reforestation scenarios[J]. Journal of Natural Resources, 2020, 35(6): 1369 Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    Soil erosion can lead to deterioration of soil health because it degrades soil quality and disrupts both mechanical and chemical processes in the soil. In semiarid regions of northern China, soil erosion is dominated by water and wind erosion, and these two erosion types could occur contemporaneously. To understand appropriate mitigation strategies for soil erosion, we must determine the magnitude and relative influence of water and wind erosion, which varies greatly between regions. Both land use adjustment and reforestation are efficient measures to control soil loss. Many studies have explored the soil erosion reduction based on land use adjustment and reforestation. Bashang region, located in the typical semiarid, agropastoral ecotone of North China, was generally considered a region with severe wind and water erosion. In this study, under five scenarios of land use adjustment, assessment of water erosion and wind erosion in Bashang was conducted using USLE and wind erosion model. Our results show that, (1) regional wind erosion rates, water erosion rates and total erosion rates in Bashang are 8.83±5.15 t·ha-1·a-1, 4.37±6.62 t·ha-1·a-1 and 13.22±8.18 t·ha-1·a-1, respectively. Under five scenarios of land use adjustment, if reforestation practices are not included, (2) the reduction rates of wind erosion, water erosion and total erosion are 4.9%-9.9%, 2.9%-8.3% and 4.3%-9.3%, respectively. However, under the five scenarios, if reforestation practices are included, the reduction rates of wind erosion, water erosion and total erosion are 6.3%-13.8%, 5.2%-16.2% and 5.9%-14.3%, respectively. Thus, the soil erosion reduction rates just due to reforestation were 1.35%-3.93%, 2.27%-7.83% and 1.65%-5.00%, respectively for wind erosion, water erosion and total erosion. (3) We also found that, the reductions of wind erosion have logarithmic relation with the increase of forest land area, the reductions of water erosion have exponential relation with the increase of forest land area, correspondingly, and the reduction of total erosion have linear relation with the increase of forest land area (P<0.01). Our results indicate that, land use adjustment is an efficient measure for mitigating soil erosion, however, the reforestation practices after land use adjustment are important for reduction of soil loss, especially for reduction of water erosion in the study region.
    Yan-zai WANG, Yi-fan DONG, Zheng-an SU. Assessment of soil erosion change under land use and reforestation scenarios[J]. Journal of Natural Resources, 2020, 35(6): 1369
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