Spatial–temporal evolution patterns of soil erosion in the Yellow River Basin from 1990 to 2015: impacts of natural factors and land use change

Abstract

This study optimized the slope and slope length factor (LS) and crop management factor (P) of the RUSLE model and then introduced the gravity centre model to analyze the spatial–temporal variation patterns of soil erosion in Yellow River Basin from a new perspective. Results showed that: (1) The improved model of RUSLE with optimized factors of LS and P had better applicability in Yellow River Basin; (2) The average erosion intensity was 2777.5 t/a, which belonged to moderate erosion. The soil erosion intensity of the Yellow River Basin showed an overall trend of increasing firstly (1990–2005) and then decreasing (2005–2015). (3) During 1990–2015, the gravity centre of soil erosion moved to the southwest, indicating that the increment and increasing rate of soil erosion in the southwest parts of the Yellow River Basin were greater than that in the northeast parts. (4) The intensity of soil erosion aggravated with the increasing slope. The sandy soil, chestnut soil, light-grey calcium soil and fluvo aquic soil had severe erosion intensity due to the regional climate and their own physical–chemical structure. The woodland and shrubbery land were more susceptible to soil erosion.