Abstract
Soil and water conservation practices (SWCPs) are widely used to control soil and water loss. Quantifying the effect of SWCPs and climate change on soil and water erosion is important for regional environmental management. In this study, the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) and the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) were employed to investigate the patterns of surface runoff and soil erosion with different SWCPs in the hilly region on the Loess Plateau of China. The impact of climate change under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios was considered from 2020 to 2050. Surface runoff grew with the increased rainfall and rainfall erosivity, while soil erosion presented large variations between years due to uneven distribution of rainfall and rainfall erosivity under two scenarios. Different SWCPs significantly reduced surface soil and water loss. Compared with bare slopes, the reduction rates were 15–40% for surface runoff and 35–67% for soil erosion under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios, respectively. The combination of shrub and horizontal terracing was recommended due to its low water cost for sediment control among seven SWCPs.
Highlights
Soil erosion is a global problem of land degradation which may adversely influence natural and human-affected ecosystems [1]
Rainfall resulting in surface runoff and soil erosion is called erosive rainfall [59]
Soulis et al [60] applied the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-curve number (CN)) method to analyze the direct runoff generation mechanism in a Mediterranean experimental watershed in Greece and found a strong correlation between the CN values obtained from measured runoff and the rainfall depth
Summary
Soil erosion is a global problem of land degradation which may adversely influence natural and human-affected ecosystems [1]. Approximately five billion tons of topsoil and 67 thousand hm of cultivated land are lost each year in China as a result of soil erosion [5]. The Loess Plateau is one of the most important agricultural regions in China, with serious soil erosion [6]. The use of fertilizers in the farmlands with soils prone to erosion risk may affect groundwater and surface water quality. The release of heavy metals such as Zn, Cr, Cd, Hg, and Pb from soil erosion may pose a risk for human health [9]
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