Transforming slope farmland to terraces has been an effective measure to improve crop yield per unit and control soil and water loss. Based on the theory of internal and external effects of transforming slope farmland to terraces, this paper constructs the mathematical model for quantitatively evaluating ecological鄄economic coupling status. Taking the Yangou watershed of Yan忆an city which is located in the core area of the hilly鄄gully region of Loess Plateau as a case, using spatial data of land use and DEM, crop yield and soil erosion modeling data, and monitoring and survey data, this paper quantitatively assesses and analyzes ecological鄄economic coupling effects of transforming slope farmland to terraces. The results show that: ( 1) it is feasible to evaluate ecological鄄economic coupling effects of transforming slope farmland to terraces from the internal and external aspects. Soil erosion cost per economic yield unit ( Ecological鄄economic coupling index) can quantitatively and effectively reflects ecological鄄economic coupling level. ( 2) Assuming beans and corn are cultivated on the slope farmland, the changing trend of ecological鄄economic coupling index shows that it ascends as the topographic gradient rises. This indicates that the higher topographic gradient, the more soil erosion cost of per economic yield unit. Topographic gradient 5毅 and 15毅 are two important thresholds. There is no need to transform slope farmland below 5毅. However, slope farmland between 5毅 and 15毅 should be the key object of transformation to terraces. Slope farmland above 15毅 needs to be converted to forest and grassland. ( 3) Transforming slope farmland to terraces has dramatically http: / / www.ecologica.cn enhanced ecological鄄economic coupling level of cultivated land in the Yangou watershed. Before and after transforming slope farmland to terraces, the ecological鄄economic coupling index is 1. 805 t / 100 yuan, 0郾 853 t / 100 yuan, respectively, decreased by 52.73%. As the transformation from slope farmland to terraces and the enhancement of vegetation coverage rate, the flood runoff and sediment transport modulus have sharply declined, and the soil and water loss situation has been obviously improved.
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