A multiscale soil loss evaluation index

Fu, Bojie; Zhao, Wenwu; Chen, Liding; Lü, Yihe; De, Wang

doi:10.1007/s11434-006-0448-2

Cited by 24 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…It is important to quantify the effects of land use patterns on soil erosion to develop effective soil erosion control through orientated spatial planning of land use. Fu et al (2006) proposed a multi-scale soil loss evaluation index (expressed as SL), which reflects the effects of spatial land use patterns on soil erosion. This index is based on the C-factor of RUSLE and a scale-pattern-process theory in landscape ecology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comparison between soil loss evaluation index and the C-factor of RUSLE: a case study in the Loess Plateau of China

Zhao

Chen

2012

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Land use and land cover are most important in quantifying soil erosion. Based on the C-factor of the popular soil erosion model, Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and a scale-pattern-process theory in landscape ecology, we proposed a multi-scale soil loss evaluation index (SL) to evaluate the effects of land use patterns on soil erosion. We examined the advantages and shortcomings of SL for small watershed (SL sw ) by comparing to the C-factor used in RUSLE. We used the Yanhe watershed located on China's Loess Plateau as a case study to demonstrate the utilities of SL sw . The SL sw calculation involves the delineations of the drainage network and sub-watershed boundaries, the calculations of soil loss horizontal distance index, the soil loss vertical distance index, slope steepness, rainfall-runoff erosivity, soil erodibility, and cover and management practice. We used several extensions within the geographic information system (GIS), and AVSWAT2000 hydrological model to derive all the required GIS layers. We compared the SL sw with the C-factor to identify spatial patterns to understand the causes for the differences. The SL sw values for the Yanhe watershed are in the range of 0.15 to 0.45, and there are 593 sub-watersheds with SL sw values that are lower than the Cfactor values (LOW) and 227 sub-watersheds with SL sw values higher than the C-factor values (HIGH). The HIGH area have greater rainfall-runoff erosivity than LOW area for all land use types. The cultivated land is located on the steeper slope or is closer to the drainage network in the horizontal direction in HIGH area in comparison to LOW area. The results imply that SL sw can be used to identify the effect of land use distribution on soil loss, whereas the C-factor has less power to do it. Both HIGH and LOW areas have similar soil erodibility values for all land use types. The average vertical distances of forest land and sparse forest land to the drainage network are shorter in LOW area than that in HIGH area. Other land use types have shorter average vertical distances in HIGH area than that LOW area. SL sw has advantages over C-factor in its ability to specify the subwatersheds that require the land use patterns optimization by adjusting the locations of land uses to minimize soil loss.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comparison between soil loss evaluation index and the C-factor of RUSLE: a case study in the Loess Plateau of China

Zhao

Chen

2012

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Specifically, researchers explored the mechanisms of how land use patterns affected soil water, nutrients and soil erosion processes Chen et al, 2007;Feng et al, 2010;Fu et al, 2014). Moreover, soil loss evaluation indexes at different scales and methods for the coupling study of landscape patterns and water-soil losses were also proposed (Fu et al, 2006b;Fu et al, 2010). Different factors such as land use, soil properties, climate, vegetation characteristics, disturbance and landforms were found to play different roles in the process of water and soil loss at varied scales (Fu et al, 2011;Gao et al, 2013).…”

Section: Landscape Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hence, domestic ecologists have cast doubt on the uncritical use of existing landscape metrics (Li et al, 2004;Chen et al, 2008;Liu et al, 2011b). Several new landscape metrics and theories have been proposed to establish quantitative relationships between landscape patterns and ecological processes (Chen et al, 2003;You et al, 2005;Fu et al, 2006b;Wu et al, 2012b). Among them, the source-sink landscape theory proposed by Chen (2003;) is a representative sample.…”

Section: Landscape Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated studies of physical geography in China: Review and prospects

Pan

2016

J. Geogr. Sci.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Modern physical geography in China grew from Chinese traditional geography and has been profoundly influenced by the geographical disciplines of Euro-America and Russia. Since the 1950s, integrated studies of physical geography in China have made remarkable progress in the fields of comprehensive physical geographical regionalization, land studies, landscape ecology, and land surface geographical processes. During the past few decades, under the background of global change and rapid socio-economic transformation, a series of environmental and resources problems have boomed in China. To solve these problems and promote the development of integrated studies of physical geography, the following issues were proposed as research priorities: (1) coupling of land surface patterns and processes; (2) integrated research on regional responses and adaptation to global change; (3) analysis of human dimensions of the earth system; (4) ecosystem service research from a geographical perspective; (5) integration of multi-source data and model development; (6) integrated studies on unique geographical units; and (7) important global issues and relevant international programs.

show abstract

“…So far, broader scale soil erosion issues have been increasingly addressed by four approaches in a general sense (Bou Kheir et al, 2006;Verstraeten, 2006;De Vente et al, 2008): 1) Scaling-up from field plot to watershed and then to regional scale (Kirkby et al, 1996;Fu et al, 2006). 2) Integrated macro-scopic method.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A GIS-based modeling approach for fast assessment of soil erosion by water at regional scale, loess plateau of China

Yang

2010

Chin. Geogr. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The objective of this study is to develop a unique modeling approach for fast assessment of massive soil erosion by water at a regional scale in the Loess Plateau, China. This approach relies on an understanding of both regional patterns of soil loss and its impact factors in the plateau area. Based on the regional characteristics of precipitation, vegetation and land form, and with the use of Landsat TM and ground investigation data, the entire Loess Plateau was first divided into 3 380 Fundamental Assessment Units (FAUs) to adapt to this regional modeling and fast assessment. A set of easily available parameters reflecting relevant water erosion factors at a regional scale was then developed, in which dynamic and static factors were discriminated. ArcInfo GIS was used to integrate all essential data into a central database. A resulting mathematical model was established to link the sediment yields and the selected variables on the basis of FAUs through overlay in GIS and multiple regression analyses. The sensitivity analyses and validation results show that this approach works effectively in assessing large area soil erosion, and also helps to understand the regional associations of erosion and its impact factors, and thus might significantly contribute to planning and policymaking for a large area erosion control in the Loess Plateau.

show abstract

A multiscale soil loss evaluation index

Cited by 24 publications

References 15 publications

A comparison between soil loss evaluation index and the C-factor of RUSLE: a case study in the Loess Plateau of China

A comparison between soil loss evaluation index and the C-factor of RUSLE: a case study in the Loess Plateau of China

Integrated studies of physical geography in China: Review and prospects

A GIS-based modeling approach for fast assessment of soil erosion by water at regional scale, loess plateau of China

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About