Influence of varied drought types on soil conservation service within the framework of climate change:insights from the Jinghe River Basin,China

Severe soil erosion and drought are the two main factors affecting the ecological security of the Loess Plateau,China.Investigating the influence of drought on soil conservation service is of great importance to regional environmental protection and sustainable development.However,there is little research on the coupling relationship between them.In this study,focusing on the Jinghe River Basin,China as a case study,we conducted a quantitative evaluation on meteorological,hydrological,and agricultural droughts(represented by the Standardized Precipitation Index(SPI),Standardized Runoff Index(SRI),and Standardized Soil Moisture Index(SSMI),respectively)using the Variable Infiltration Capacity(VIC)model,and quantified the soil conservation service using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation(RUSLE)in the historical period(2000-2019)and future period(2026-2060)under two Representative Concentration Pathways(RCPs)(RCP4.5 and RCP8.5).We further examined the influence of the three types of drought on soil conservation service at annual and seasonal scales.The NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections(NEX-GDDP)dataset was used to predict and model the hydrometeorological elements in the future period under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios.The results showed that in the historical period,annual-scale meteorological drought exhibited the highest intensity,while seasonal-scale drought was generally weakest in autumn and most severe in summer.Drought intensity of all three types of drought will increase over the next 40 years,with a greater increase under the RCP4.5 scenario than under the RCP8.5 scenario.Furthermore,the intra-annual variation in the drought intensity of the three types of drought becomes smaller under the two future scenarios relative to the historical period(2000-2019).Soil conservation service exhibits a distribution pattern characterized by high levels in the southwest and southeast and lower levels in the north,and this pattern has remained consistent both in the historical and future periods.Over the past 20 years,the intra-annual variation indicated peak soil conservation service in summer and lowest level in winter;the total soil conservation of the Jinghe River Basin displayed an upward trend,with the total soil conservation in 2019 being 1.14 times higher than that in 2000.The most substantial impact on soil conservation service arises from annual-scale meteorological drought,which remains consistent both in the historical and future periods.Additionally,at the seasonal scale,meteorological drought exerts the highest influence on soil conservation service in winter and autumn,particularly under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios.Compared to the historical period,the soil conservation service in the Jinghe River Basin will be significantly more affected by drought in the future period in terms of both the affected area and the magnitude of impact.This study conducted beneficial attempts to evaluate and predict the dynamic characteristics of watershed drought and soil conservation service,as well as the response of soil conservation service to different types of drought.Clarifying the interrelationship between the two is the foundation for achieving sustainable development in a relatively arid and severely eroded area such as the Jinghe River Basin.

Research on Soil Conservation and Improvement Technology in Zhaoyang District

The environment of tobacco-growing soil directly affects the yield and quality of tobacco leaves.In order to solve problems of tobacco-growing soil degradation,low organic matter content and unbalanced soil nutrient supply and promote sustainable and healthy development of tobacco production,this paper comprehensively discussed conservation and improvement techniques of tobacco-growing soil based on existing problems in Zhaoyang District,aiming to provide reference for tobacco-growing soil conservation.

Fertilization and Soil Ploughing Practices under Changing Physical Environment Lead to Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics under Conservation Agriculture in Rice-Wheat Cropping System: A Scoping Review

Ploughing and fertilization practices in rice-wheat system have deteriorated the soil carbon (C) pools. Conservation agriculture (CA) based management approaches have proven to enhance C sequestration and reverse the loss of soil-organic-carbon (SOC), which further enhances soil fertility. Different fractions of SOC pools react to the alterations in management practices and indicate changes in SOC dynamics as compared to total C in the soil. Higher SOC levels in soil have been observed in case of reduced/no-till (NT) practices than conventional tillage (CT). However, between CT and zero tillage/NT, total SOC stocks diminished with an increase in soil depth, which demonstrated that the benefits of SOC are more pronounced in the topsoil under NT. Soil aggregation provides physical protection to C associated with different-sized particles, thus, the improvement in soil aggregation through CA is an effective way to mitigate soil C loss. Along with less soil disturbance, residual management, suitable crop rotation, rational application of manures and fertilizers, and integrated nutrient management have been found to be effective in not only improving soil C stock but also enhancing the soil health and productivity. Thus, CA can be considered as a potential method in the build-up of SOC of soil in rice-wheat system.

Current Status and Challenges of the Water and Soil Conservation in Hotan County, Xinjiang

In order to thoroughly analyze the current status and challenges faced by the water and water conservation in Hotan County of Xinjiang,the use situation of water resources,the effectiveness and shortcomings of water and soil conservation work in the region are reviewed.Hotan County has achieved several remarkable achievements in the soil and water conservation project,daily management and maintenance,and ecological restoration projects.Some measures,such as terrace construction,slope protection engineering,and the construction of windproof and sandwood belts,have also had a positive impact on improving the quality of surface water resources while effectively curbing soil erosion.But there are also lack of operating policy detailed rules and implementation plans,and planning and design of some water and soil conservation projects lack of integrity and systematicness,application and promotion of new technologies,and soil loss management and ecological recovery effect assessment lack of comprehensive assessment indicators and methods.It has caused some water and soil conservation works to fail to be effectively implemented.In this regard,countermeasures and suggestions are put forward,such as strengthening the planning and management of water and soil conservation,promoting the technology and measures of water and soil conservation,increasing investment and funding support,and strengthening publicity education and personnel training.

Driving forces and their interactions of soil erosion in soil and water conservation regionalization at the county scale with a high cultivation rate

Soil erosion control based on county scale Soil and Water Conservation Regionalization(SWCR)is an essential component of China's ecological civilization construction.In SWCR,the quantitative analysis of the spatial heterogeneity and driving factors of soil erosion among different regions is still lacking.It is of great significance for soil erosion control to deeply examine the factors contributing to soil erosion(natural,land use,and socioeconomic factors)and their interaction at the county and regional levels.This study focused on a highly cultivated area,Hechuan District of Chongqing in the Sichuan Basin.The district(with 30 townships)was divided into four soil and water conservation regions(Ⅰ-Ⅳ)using principal component and hierarchical cluster analysis.The driving factors of soil erosion were identified using the geographical detector model.The results showed thatⅰ)the high cultivation rate was a prominent factor of soil erosion,and the sloping farmland accounted for 78.4%of the soil erosion in the study area;ⅱ)land use factors demonstrated the highest explanatory power in soil erosion,and the average interaction of land use factors explained 60.1%of soil erosion in the study area;ⅲ)the interaction between natural factors,socioeconomic factors,and land use factors greatly contributes to regional soil erosion through nonlinear-enhancement of double-factor enhancement.This study highlights the importance of giving special attention to the effects of land use factors on soil erosion at the county scale,particularly in mountainous and hilly areas with extensive sloping farmland and a high cultivation rate.

Results and Application of Soil and Water Conservation Monitoring in the Yellow River Basin

Since water and soil conservation monitoring in the Yellow River Basin entered a new stage at the end of the 20th century,the monitoring scope has been expanding,the monitoring accuracy has been improving,the monitoring content and indicators have been increasing,and the monitoring technology and methods have been improving.This paper mainly analyzes the status of soil and water conservation monitoring in the Yellow River Basin,as well as the construction of the monitoring system and related research,in order to provide a reference for watershed management and development and the scientific research of water and soil conservation.

Study on the Forest Vegetation and Its Water and Soil Conservation Value in Fuxian Lake Drainage Area in Yunnan Province

By using French SPOT5 satellite remote sensing image to contrast on the spot,the forest vegetation in Fuxian Lake basin was categorized into 23 forest types,6 vegetation subtypes,5 vegetation types,and the areas were respectively calculated.The tree species structure and the coverage degree of every kind of forest vegetation were investigated,and the characteristics of forest vegetation were analyzed.The results showed that the soil conservation amount of forest in Fuxian Lake basin was 137.50×106 t/a,and the soil conservation value was 622.30×106 yuan/a.Moreover,the water source conservation value was 506.84×106 yuan/a.

Substantive Characteristics of Water and Soil Conservation and Ecological Civilization Construction in China

Water and soil conservation is an important part of eco-civilization con-struction. It is a major part of eco-construction and lifeline of social and economy development. Therefore, water and soil conservation is of great significance in maintaining eco-safety. The research concluded status quo and characters of water and soil losses in China and analyzed water and soil conservation and construction of eco-civilization from the perspectives of water and soil conservation and con-struction of eco-civilization.

Soil structure characters of different soil and water conservation plantations in typical black soil region

A study was conducted to determine the characters of soil structure in different water and soil conservation forests in Keshan County,northwest of Heilongjiang Province,China.The soil bulk density,the ratio of non-capillary porosity and capillary porosity（NCP/CP）,and the generalized soil structure index（GSSI） were measured for Fraxinus mandshurica,Larix gmelini,Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica,and Picea koraiensis plantations as well as the abandoned land（as control） adjacent to the forests in typical black soil region.Results show that at soil depth of 0–30cm,the soil bulk density of F.mandshurica forest and L.gmelini forest was lower than that of P.sylvestris var.mongolica forest and P.koraiensis forest,with the relative decrease of 8.04%–11.01%.The soil bulk density of L.gmelini forest was significantly different from that of the P.sylvestris var.mongolica forest and P.koraiensis forest.The NCP/CP values of the four types of plantations were all higher（59.75%–128.82% relatively） than that of abandoned land（p〈0.05）,indicating that the soil aeration and permeability under forest were enhanced,especially under L.gmelini forest.GSSI values of the four types of forests were also relatively higher（2.98%–4.36%） than abandoned land（p〈0.05）,indicating that those soil and water conservation forests,especially the F.mandshurica forest and P.koraiensis forest,can promote soil condition to approximate ideal soil structure.The result of this study can provide theoretical basis for scientifically evaluating the effects of vegetation restoration on soil quality in typical black soil region.

Effect of Mulberry(Morus alba Linn) on Soil and Water Conservation

Rational development and utilization of hilly land is an effective measure for raising land productivity, developing countryside economy, increasing peasants＇ income, conserving soil and water, and improving eco-environment. The growth and root distribution of mulberry trees were studied. Various indexes including soil physical characters and hydrological status, water infiltration rate, water and soil loss and soil erosion amount were tested. The results indicated that mulberry trees had the effects of intercepting rainfall, improving soil infiltration rate, decreasing soil erosion amount, and conserving water and soil

Analysis on Countermeasures of Water and Soil Conservation and Eco-environment Construction in China

With economy development,human destruction of eco-environment is deteriorating,which has become a key treatment nationwide.What＇s more,eco-environment construction is proceeding and multi-eco-environment projects are developing.Water and soil conservation and eco-environment construction should be a strategic task long-term insisted on,which is a part of agricultural construction.The research analyzed the relationship between water and soil conservation with eco-environment,concluded the process of ecological civilization construction in promoting water and soil conservation,and proposed countermeasures,laying foundation for water and soil conservation and ecological construction.

Study on Relative Soil and Water Conservation Benefits of Ridge Tillage in Different Terrain Conditions in the Black Soil Area of Northeast China

Ridge tillage, which is a very common and important tillage measure in the black soil area of northeast China, has some soil and water conservation bene- fits, but has little attention. It is very important to explore the spatial distribution of the ridge direction of the arable land and its soil and water conservation benefits in different terrain conditions in the black soil area. So Binxian County of Heilongjiang Province was selected as the study area, and 168 field investigation units were ex- tracted by stratified sampling method and investigated. According to equations of slope gradient factor and slope gradient in ridge direction, and based on the soft- ware of Arcmap, SPSS and Excel, the investigation data of soil and water loss in Binxian County were analyzed and counted, The results show that in plain, hilly and mountainous areas, the average ground slope gradients are 1.92°, 6.20° and 8.27° respectively, and the average slope gradients along ridge direction are 1.33°, 4.52°and 6.45° respectively, which account for about 70%, 73% and 78% of the average ground slope gradients in the same terrain condition; the relative quantities of soil erosion in the present ridge tillage condition account for about 55%, 69% and 67% respectively of that in down-slope ridge tillage conditions, so the present ridge tillage has obviously relative soil and water conservation benefits. Based on these results, the reasons of the present ridge tillage status were analyzed, and some reform measures were proposed. The results could not only help to comprehend the spatial distribution and soil and water conservation benefits of ridge tillage in the black soil area of Northeast China, but also provide scientific references for the layout of local soil and water conservation measures.

An Experimental Analysis of Water and Soil Conservation Effected by Micro-landscape Structure

[Objective] This comparative experiment was to explore the soil loss con- trol effects under cultivation combination of different soil and vegetation types, and to provide scientific basis for the upcoming pilot project of ecological recovery. [Method] Both the rudiment of water locomotion functioned by micro-landscape structures and different spatial combinations of various landscape constituents are considered, thus, the combination of multi-soil type, crop species and site conditions is designed in three different experimental sites. [Result] Soil loss estimates in experiments in South Wello significantly depended on various soil type, slope, vegetation and type of con- servation structure; grass cover tremendously reduces soil loss; legume cultivation performed better than cereal cultivation in soil loss control. [Conclusion] By conduct- ing the data analysis of the experiment, a scientific reference is proposed to the agri- culture planting and protective mode for the alleviation of water and soil loss in Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

Exploration of Water and Soil Conservation's Function in Construction of Eco-environment

Eco-environment lays foundation for human existence and development, and social and economy evolvement. Therefore, it is a fundamental principle to pro- tact and construct eco-environment and achieve sustainable development. With ur- ban development, and destruction on natural environment, however, the issue of water and soil losses has become a serious problem, affecting people＇s life and production. The research, therefore, explored the role of water and soil conservation in ecological civilization construction, including bomprehensive treatment of water storage and sand reduction, improving agricultural structure and advancing rural econ- omy, relieving the conflict between supply and demand of water resources, improv- ing eco-environment in mountainous regions and accelerating eco-construction.

Influence of Conservation Tillage on Soil Aggregates Features in North China Plain

Tillage greatly influences the aggregation and stability of soil aggregates. This study investigated the effects of conservation tillage on soil aggregate characteristics. During a four-year study period （2001-2005）, soils were sampled from no-tillage （NT）, rotary tillage （RT）, and conventional tillage （moldboard tillage, CT） plots at the Luancheng Agriculture and Ecology Experimental Station in Hebei Province, China, and the amount, size distribution, and fractal dimension of the aggregates were examined by dry and wet sieving methods. The results indicated that NT significantly increased the topsoil （0-5 cm） bulk density （BD）, while RT maintained a lower BD as CT. Dry sieving results showed that NT had higher macro-aggregate content （R0.25）, and a larger mean weight diameter （MWD） and geometric mean diameter （GMD） than other treatments in the 0-10 cm layer, while RT showed no difference from CT. In wet sieving, results showed that most of the aggregates were unstable, and the MWD and GMD of water-table aggregates showed the trend of NT 〉 RT 〉 CT. At 0-5 cm layer, the fractal dimension （D） of water-stable aggregates under NT was lower than it was under RT and CT. At 5-10 cm, RT yielded the highest D, and showed stability. After four years, NT increased the aggregation and the stability of soil aggregates; while due to intense disturbance, the aggregation and stability of the upper layer （0-10 cm） under RT and CT decreased.

Benefits of Conservation Agriculture on Soil and Water Conservation and Its Progress in China

Conservation agriculture has been practised for three decades and has been spread widely. There are many nomenclatures surrounding conservation agriculture and differ to each other lightly. Conservation agriculture （CA） is a system approach to soil and water conservation, high crop productivity and profitability, in one word, it is a system approach to sustainable agriculture. Yet, because conservation agriculture is a knowledge-intensive and a complex system to learn and implement, and also because of traditions of intensive cultivation, adoption rates have been low, since to date, only about seven percent of the world＇s arable and permanent cropland area is farmed under conservation agriculture. The practice and wider extention of conservation agriculture thus requires a deeper understanding of its ecological underpinnings in order to manage its various elements for sustainable intensification, where the aim is to conserve soil and water and improve sustainability over the long term. This paper described terms related to conservation agriculture, presented the effects of conservation agriculture on soil and water conservation, crop productivity, progress and adoption of CA worldwide, emphasized obstacles and possible ways to increase CA adoption to accelerate sustainable development of China agriculture.

Water and Soil Conservation in Taiwan Based on Theoretical Research of Water and Soil Ecology

Taiwan has always attached great importance to management of mountain slopes, and its steepslope water and soil conservation system has been a reference for the water and soil conservation in hot and rainy regions. From the perspective of water and soil ecology theory, new forms of water and soil loss emerged since the industrialization and urbanization of Taiwan, also known as hidden water and soil loss, such as soil hardening, change of original landform, destruction of ecological landscape etc.. These losses should be controlled through water and soil conservation measures such as initial involvement, dynamic analysis, systematic treatment and disaster avoidance, all production and construction activities should follow three elements(water, soil and vegetation) and their correlation laws, in order to maintain water and soil ecological balance. By integrating water and soil ecological concepts, water and soil conservation in Taiwan will make more progress.

Forest soil conservation based on eco-service provision unit method and its value in Anji County,Huzhou,Zhejiang,China

We propose an eco-service provision unit method for estimating the benefit and spatial differences of forests in controlling soil erosion.A total of 197 eco-service provision units were grouped on 1424.43 km2 of forest according to differences in vegetation,slope,soil,and rainfall.The amount of soil conservation and its economic value were estimated.The forests in Anji County prevent4.08 9 105 tons of soil from eroding annually,thereby avoiding 1.36 9 104 tons of nutrient loss（on-site cost） and preventing 149 tons of nutritive elements from entering water systems（off-site cost）.From an economic perspective,the soil nutrient conservation in the forests of Anji County generated an annual benefit of 43.37 million RMB（Chinese Currency,6.20 RMB = US$1）.On average,each hectare of ecological forest contributed up to 436 RMB annually because of soil conservation.Ecological complexes with higher rainfall intensity,such as broadleaf forest and red soil on slope gradients [25°,contributed the highest soil conservation benefits.This study identified and quantified the dominant contributors and magnitudes of soil conservation provided by forests.This information can benefit decision making regarding differentiated ecological compensation policies.

Relationship Between Soil and Water Conservation Practices and Soil Conditions in Low Mountain and Hilly Region of Northeast China

The soil and water conservation practices of ecological restoration(ER),fish scale pit(FP),furrow and ridge tillage across the slope(FR),shrub strips(SS),and vegetation-covered ridge(VR)are characteristic of the Jixing small watershed of the low mountain and hilly region of Jilin Province,Northeast China.This study aims to elucidate the effects of soil and water conservation practices on soil conditions after the short-term implementation of practices.Soil samples were collected from five soil and water conservation sites(ER,FP,FR,SS,and VR)and two controls(BL and CT)to investigate their properties.To evaluate the influence of soil and water conservation practices on soil quality,an integrated quantitative index,soil quality index(QI),was developed to compare the soil quality under the different soil and water conservation practices.The results show that not all soil and water conservation practices can improve the soil conditions and not all soil properties,especially soil organic carbon(SOC),can be recovered under soil and water conservation practice in short-term.Moreover,the QI in the five soil and water conservation practices and two controls was in the following order:ER>VR>BL>FR>CT>SS>FP.ER exhibited a higher soil quality value on a slope scale.In the low mountain and hilly region of Northeast China,ER is a better choice than the conversion of farmlands to planted grasslands and woodlands early in the soil and water conservation program.

Dynamic Mechanisms for Evolution of Mountain Rural Settlements and Soil Conservation in Upper Yangtze River Basin

This paper presents the logic relationship between rural settlement reconstruction and soil conservation in the Upper Yangtze River. Firstly, by introducing the concepts of ＂flow＂ and ＂intercepted flow＂, we probe into the dynamic mechanism on interaction between ecological and environmental system, and then point out that the ＂intercepting sites＂ are physical conditions for establishment of human settlements in mountains. Secondly, by using ecological theories, ＂flow＂, ＂source＂, and ＂sink＂, material cycle and energy flow in mountains have been discussed. Thirdly, according to dissipative structure theory and thermodynamic laws, a hypothesis has been proposed that ＂entropy flow＂ is a dynamic force for settlement evolution. Finally, it is argued that a project for soil conservation is set to control and utilize flows so rural settlements can be supported and farmers＇ life improved.