Effect of conversion of farmland to forest or grassland on soil erosion intensity changes in Yanhe River Basin, Loess Plateau of China

Abstract

Dynamic changes of soil erosion affected by conversion of farmland to forest or grassland in the Yanhe River Basin were analyzed based on the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE). The RUSLE variables were selected and calculated reasonably using the GIS technique. Results show that: 1) After the conversion of farmland to forest or grassland, soil erosion decreased greatly. Compared with soil erosion in period of 1986 to 1997, the soil erosion amount had been reduced on the average by 30.6% by 2000; 2) Of the different land uses, slope farmland, especially the steep slope land had the greatest impact on soil erosion. The conversion of forest or grassland was the main driving force for the reduction of soil erosion; 3) In the short term, soil erosion was mainly controlled by C-factor, implying that the adjustment of land use structure might be an effective approach to reduce soil erosion.

Key words： conversion of farmland to forest or grassland; RUSLE; ArcGIS; Loess Plateau

Acknowledgements

This study was partially supported by the “Study of the Experimental Model of Regional Soil and Water Loss (2004SZ01204)” of the specific program of harnessing the Yellow River of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission and by the “Process and Trend Analysis on Regional Water and Soil Loss (2007CB407203)” of the National Basic Research Program of China.

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