Abstract
Dynamic change in soil erosion is an important focus of regional ecological restoration research. Here, the dynamic changes of soil erosion and its driving forces in the Dahei Mountain ecological restoration area of northern China were analyzed by LANDSAT TM remote sensing captured via geographic information system (GIS) technologies during three typical periods in 2004, 2008 and 2013. The results showed the following: (1) a decrease in intensive erosion and moderate erosion areas, as well as an increase in light erosion areas, was observed during two periods: one from 2004 to 2008 and the other from 2008 to 2013. (2) Between 2004 and 2008, the variation in the range of slight erosion was the largest (24.28%), followed by light erosion and intensive erosion; between 2008 and 2013, the variation in the range of intensive erosion area was the largest (9.89%), followed by slight erosion and moderate erosion. (3) Socioeconomic impact, accompanied by natural environmental factors, was the main driving force underlying the change in soil erosion within the ecological restoration area. In particular, the socioeconomic factors of per capita forest area and land reclamation rate, as well as the natural environmental factor of terrain slope, significantly influenced soil erosion changes within the ecological restoration area.
Highlights
Soil erosion, a global environmental concern, restricts human survival and development [1, 2] and has received widespread attention [3, 4]
Light erosion area increased by 520.5 km2, accounting for 11.66% of the total area; the moderate erosion area decreased by 370.52 km2, accounting for 8.3%; and the intensive erosion area decreased by 1044.12 km2, accounting for 23.39%
The light erosion area increased by 44.19 km2, accounting for 0.99% of the total area; the moderate erosion area decreased by 372.29 km2 (8.34%), and the intensive erosion area decreased by 311.59 km2, accounting for 6.98%
Summary
A global environmental concern, restricts human survival and development [1, 2] and has received widespread attention [3, 4]. Soil erosion is the process of soil transfer within a specific time and place and is influenced by both natural factors and human activity [5]. Many countries have increasingly engaged in scientific efforts to solve this problem. Researchers have systematically studied factors such as types of soil erosion, amounts of soil erosion, and changes in soil erosion and have attempted to simulate and predict this process [6, 7].
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