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.

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.

Regions and Their Typical Paradigms for Soil and Water Conservation in China

China is experiencing conflicts between its large population and scarce arable land,and between a demand for high productivity and the severe soil erosion of arable land.Since 1949,China has committed to soil and water conservation(SWC),for which eight regions and 41 subregions have been developed to improve the environment and increase land productivity.To obtain information from the regional planning and strategies for SWC and to explore whether SWC practices simultaneously contribute to soil conservation,ecosystem functioning,and the livelihoods of local farmers,and to summarize the successful experiences of various SWC paradigms with distinct characteristics and mechanisms of soil erosion,this paper systematically presents seven SWC regions(excluding the Tibetan Plateau region)and 14 typical SWC paradigms,focusing on erosion mechanisms and the key challenges or issues in the seven regions as well as on the core problems,main objectives,key technologies,and the performance of the 14 typical paradigms.In summary,the 14 typical SWC paradigms successfully prevent and control local soil erosion,and have largely enhanced,or at least do not harm,the livelihoods of local farmers.However,there remain many challenges and issues on SWC and socioeconomic development that need to be addressed in the seven SWC regions.China,thus,still has a long way to go in successfully gaining the win-win objective of SWC and human aspects of development.

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.

A review of soil and water conservation in China

The preservation and sustainable development of soil and water resources isone of the basic principles for the development of China. Throughout the course of history, all thesocial improvement and economic development are deeply concerned with soil loss and ecologicalenvironmental protection. It is now a common sense that soil and water conservation is the safetyinsurance for national ecology and its development. For the past long period of time, soil and waterloss has been recognized as 'the No.1 killer' to the ecological environment. The nation is on thestags of the critical conditions for its development. China has massive mountain and upland areawith complicated geological conditions and accelerated human destruction and serious soil and waterloss. Based on rich historical documents, renovating experience and detailed analysis of the datacollected in field experiments and field surveys for soil and water conservation, this paper aims toreview the general characteristics of soil and water loss, to explore the relationship between soiland water conservation and sustainable economic development, and to provide relevant strategies forsoil and water conservation in China.

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.

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.

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.

Effects of Groundwater with Various Salinities on Evaporation and Redistribution of Water and Salt in Saline-sodic Soils in Songnen Plain,Northeast China

Groundwater mineralization is one of the main factors affecting the transport of soil water and salt in saline-sodic areas.To investigate the effects of groundwater with different levels of salinity on evaporation and distributions of soil water and salt in Songnen Plain,Northeast China,five levels of groundwater sodium adsorption ration of water(SARw)and total salt content(TSC mmol/L)were conducted in an oil column lysimeters.The five treated groundwater labeled as ST0:0,ST0:10,ST5:40,ST10:70 and ST20:100,were prepared with NaCl and CaCl2 in proportion,respectively.The results showed the groundwater evaporation(GWE)and soil evaporation(SE)increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of groundwater salinity.The values of GWE and SE in ST10:70 treatment were the highest,which were 2.09 and 1.84 times the values in the ST0:0 treatment with the lowest GWE and SE.There was a positive linear correlation between GWE and the Ca^(2+)content in groundwater,with R^(2)=0.998.The soil water content(SWC)of ST0:0 treatment was significantly(P<0.05)less than those of other treatments during the test.The SWC of the ST0:0 and ST0:10 treatments increased with the increase of soil depth,while the other treatments showed the opposite trend.Statistical analysis indicated the SWC in the 0–60 cm soil layer was positively correlated with the groundwater TSC and its ion contents during the test.Salt accumulation occurred in the topsoil and the salt accumulation in the 0–20 cm soil layer was significantly(P<0.05)greater than that in the subsoil.This study revealed the effects of the salinity level of groundwater,especially the Ca^(2+)content and TSC of groundwater,on the GWE and distributions of soil water and salt,which provided important support for the prevention and reclamation of soil salinization and sodificaton in shallow groundwater regions.

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

Responses of runoff to changes in climate and human activities in the Liuhe River Basin, China

Since the 1950s,numerous soil and water conservation measures have been implemented to control severe soil erosion in the Liuhe River Basin(LRB),China.While these measures have protected the upstream soil and water ecological environment,they have led to a sharp reduction in the downstream flow and the deterioration of the river ecological environment.Therefore,it is important to evaluate the impact of soil and water conservation measures on hydrological processes to assess long-term runoff changes.Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT)models and sensitivity analyses based on the Budyko hypothesis,this study quantitatively evaluated the effects of climate change,direct water withdrawal,and soil and water conservation measures on runoff in the LRB during different periods,including different responses to runoff discharge,hydrological regime,and flood processes.The runoff series were divided into a baseline period(1956-1969)and two altered periods,i.e.,period 1(1970-1999)and period 2(2000-2020).Human activities were the main cause of the decrease in runoff during the altered periods,contributing 86.03%(-29.61 mm),while the contribution of climate change was only 13.70%(-4.70 mm).The impact of climate change manifests as a decrease in flood volume caused by a reduction in precipitation during the flood season.Analysis of two flood cases indicated a 66.00%-84.00%reduction in basin runoff capacity due to soil and water conservation measures in the upstream area.Soil and water conservation measures reduced the peak flow and total flood volume in the upstream runoff area by 77.98%and 55.16%,respectively,even with nearly double the precipitation.The runoff coefficient in the reservoir area without soil and water conservation measures was 4.0 times that in the conservation area.These results contribute to the re-evaluation of soil and water conservation hydrological effects and provide important guidance for water resource planning and water conservation policy formulation in the LRB.

Sediment sources and their impacts on a check dam-controlled watershed, Loess Plateau, China

Soil erosion is a major issue in Loess Plateau,China,and quantitative analyses of sediment sources are crucial for soil erosion control.In this study,a combination of flood couplet analysis and composite fingerprint identification was used for historical reconstructions of soil erosion in sediment source areas in Loess Plateau.Each flood couplet was constructed based on sediment 137Cs activity,and past soil erosion was calculated using soil bulk density and storage capacity curves.The contribution rates of the sediment sources were calculated using the fingerprinting method,and the amount of erosion in the sediment source areas was estimated.The best fingerprint combination(Cr,Ni,V,and TOC)enabled a 97.2%recognition of sediment sources from 29 flood events(1956–1990)in the Loess Plateau.The contribution rates of gullies,farmland,grassland,and shrubland were 44.89%,26.38%,10.49%,and 18.24%,respectively.These four land use types contributed 1,227,751,512,and 279 tons of sediments,respectively.Re-vegetation decreased soil erosion(1966–1983),whereas deforestation increased soil erosion(1956–1965 and 1984–1990).Rational soil and water conservation measures on slopes and check dam construction in gullies are therefore suggested to mitigate erosion.

Long-term improvements in water conservation functions at Qilian Mountain National Park, northwest China

Water conservation is one of the most important ecosystem functions.This study uses the InVEST model to examine the water conservation function of the Qilian Mountain National Park(QMNP),an important water supply area in northwest China.We analyzed the spatiotemporal water conservation patterns of QMNP from 1988 to 2019.It showed that the water conservation capacity in QMNP has increased over the past 32 years,reaching a peak of 6.495×108 m3 in 2019.The area with an increased water conservation capacity is 12 times larger than the area with a reduced capacity.We also examined how climatic,land-use,vegetation coverage,and topographical factors influence water conservation functions.We found that precipitation is the main climatic factor in water conservation.The water conservation function also varies with land-cover type,with forests having the highest capacity,followed by grasslands.Lastly,topographical factors,including altitude and slope,also shape the spatial patterns of water conservation functions in QMNP.

Effects of Terracing and Agroforestry on Soil and Water Loss in Hilly Areas of the Sichuan Basin, China

Soil erosion in hilly areas of the Sichuan Basin is a serious concern over sustainable crop production and sound ecosystem. A 3-year experiment was conducted using the method of runoff plots to examine the effects of terracing and agroforestry in farmland systems on soil and water conservation of slope fields in the hilly areas in Jianyang County, Sichuan Province, Southwestern China. A power function (Y = aXb) can statistically describe the relationship between water runoff (Y) and rainfall (X). The regression equation for the treatment of sloping terraces with crops (Plot 2) is remarkably different from that for the treatment of sloping terraces with grasses and trees (Plot 1) and the conventional up- and down-slope crop system (Plot 3) regarding equation coefficients, while regression equations are similar between Plot 1 and Plot 3. Water runoff amount and runoff coefficient of slope fields increased by 21.5～41.0 % and 27.5～69.7 % respectively, compared to those of sloping terraces, suggesting that terracing notably reduced the water runoff in the field. In the case of sloping terraces, lower amount of water runoff was observed on sloping terraces with crops than on sloping terraces with grasses and trees. Sediment yields on the slope fields in the normal year of rainfall distribution were notably higher (34.41～331.67 % and 37.06～403.44 % for Plot 1 and Plot 2, respectively) than those on sloping terraces, implying that terracing also plays a significant role in the reduction in soil erosion. It is suggested that terracing with crops is significantly effective for soil and water conservation in cultivatedfarmland, while the conventional practice of up- and down- slope cultivation creates high rates of water runoff and soil sediment transport. Terracing with grasses and fruit trees shows a less reduction in water runoff than terracing with crops, which was observed in the 3-year experiments.

Function of Soils in Regulating Rainwater in Southern China: Impacts of Land Uses and Soils

One of the most important functions of soils is to regulate rainwater and mitigate flooding and associated damages; this function can be estimated by the rainwater regulation ratio （η）, i.e., percent of regulated rainwater. Fifteen experimental plots were set up on the hills in Yingtan of Jiangxi Province, southern China. These plots were under three land use patterns, cultivated cropland, noncultivated land, and orchard interplanted with cash crops. With aid of an artificial rainfall simulator and Guelph method, rainfall, runoff, soil infiltration, and so on were measured in situ. Results showed that the orchard interplanted with cash crops was more effective in regulating rainwater than the other two land use patterns. When the maximum infiltration intensity was three times higher than the observed mean,η was higher than 70% for all plots. 77 was related to land use, slope gradient, and soil properties such as soil infiltration, organic carbon, bulk density, and texture. There is still more room to improve capacity of rainwater drainage （underground percolation） than that of rainwater storage in soils. Therefore, enhancing soil permeability is vital to improve the rainwater regulation efficiency in soils.

Analysis of Coupling between Soil and Water Conservation and Economic-social Development

The coupling relation exists in water and soil conser-vation and economic-social development. The article analyses the relation of soil and water conservation and economic-social development stages as well as the coupling analytical method. Then calculates the expecting income by dispersing Markov decision and calculates the correlation coefficient and the re-lationship degree. The article obtains the relationship of soil and water conservation investments and all kinds of incomes. Finally, it analyzes the important meaning in socio-economic development of water and soil conservation.

Changes in Ecosystem Service of Soil Conservation Between 2000 and 2010 and Its Driving Factors in Southwestern China

Human activities significantly alter ecosystems and their services; however, quantifying the impact of human activities on ecosystems has been a great challenge in ecosystem management. We used the Universal Soil Loss Equation and county-level socioeconomic data to assess the changes in the ecosystem service of soil conservation between 2000 and 2010, and to analyze its spatial characteristics and driving factors in the southwestern China. The results showed that cropland in the southwestern China decreased by 3.74%, while urban land, forest, and grassland areas increased by 46.78%, 0.86%, and 1.12%, respectively. The soil conservation increased by 1.88 × 10^(11) kg, with deterioration only in some local areas. The improved and the degraded areas accounted for 6.41% and 2.44% of the total land area, respectively. Implementation of the Sloping Land Conversion Program and urbanization explained 57.80% and 23.90% of the variation in the soil conservation change, respectively, and were found to be the main factors enhancing soil conservation. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake was one of the factors that led to the degradation of soil conservation. Furthermore, industrial adjustment, by increasing shares of Industry and Service and reducing those of Agriculture, has also promoted soil conservation. Our results quantitatively showed and emphasized the contributions to soil conservation improvement made by implementing ecological restoration programs and promoting urbanization. Consequently, these results provide basic information to improve our understanding of the effects of ecological restoration programs, and help guide future sustainable urban development and regional industrial restructuring.

Soil and water loss in the Lancang River-Mekong River watershed (in Yunnan section, China) and its control measures

According to a lot of hydrological and environmental monitoring data, the condition of soil and water loss in the Lancang River Mekong River watershed (in Yunnan section, China) is described. The occurrence and development of soil and water loss is analyzed. The conclusion is that: (1) generally, the situation of soil and water loss in the Lancang River Mekong River watershed (in Yunnan section, China) is light, however, soil and water loss in some regions is serious, especially in the middle reach area of the river; (2) soil and water loss in the Lancang River Mekong River (in Yunnan section, China) watershed presents developing tendency and it is mainly caused by human beings. In accordance with these results, the control measures for soil and water loss are discussed.