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.

Temporal and spatial variation and prediction of water yield and water conservation in the Bosten Lake Basin based on the PLUS-InVEST model

To comprehensively evaluate the alterations in water ecosystem service functions within arid watersheds,this study focused on the Bosten Lake Basin,which is situated in the arid region of Northwest China.The research was based on land use/land cover(LULC),natural,socioeconomic,and accessibility data,utilizing the Patch-level Land Use Simulation(PLUS)and Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs(InVEST)models to dynamically assess LULC change and associated variations in water yield and water conservation.The analyses included the evaluation of contribution indices of various land use types and the investigation of driving factors that influence water yield and water conservation.The results showed that the change of LULC in the Bosten Lake Basin from 2000 to 2020 showed a trend of increasing in cultivated land and construction land,and decreasing in grassland,forest,and unused land.The unused land of all the three predicted scenarios of 2030(S1,a natural development scenario;S2,an ecological protection scenario;and S3,a cultivated land protection scenario)showed a decreasing trend.The scenarios S1 and S3 showed a trend of decreasing in grassland and increasing in cultivated land;while the scenario S2 showed a trend of decreasing in cultivated land and increasing in grassland.The water yield of the Bosten Lake Basin exhibited an initial decline followed by a slight increase from 2000 to 2020.The areas with higher water yield values were primarily located in the northern section of the basin,which is characterized by higher altitude.Water conservation demonstrated a pattern of initial decrease followed by stabilization,with the northeastern region demonstrating higher water conservation values.In the projected LULC scenarios of 2030,the estimated water yield under scenarios S1 and S3 was marginally greater than that under scenario S2;while the level of water conservation across all three scenarios remained rather consistent.The results showed that Hejing County is an important water conservation function zone,and the eastern part of the Xiaoyouledusi Basin is particularly important and should be protected.The findings of this study offer a scientific foundation for advancing sustainable development in arid watersheds and facilitating efficient water resource management.

Influence of ecological function protection zone on the water conservation in Gansu-Qinghai Contiguous Region of the upper Yellow River

The implementation of Ecological Function Protection Zone(EFPZ)policy is significant for the ecological restoration and conservation of soil and water in the territory space.This manuscript analyzed and quantified the impact of EFPZ on the regional water conservation function,based on land use data from 2005,2008,2010,2015 and 2020,by conducting a counterfactual simulation along with the GeoSOS-FLUS model and the InVEST model.The results demonstrate that the delineation of EFPZ can significantly influence the water conservation.(1)From 2010 to 2020,as the EFPZ was implemented,the water conservation in the study area was increasing year by year,with a growth rate of 0.03×10^(8) m^(3)∙a^(-1).On the other hand,the simulated water conservation capacity without the implementation of EFPZ decreased year by year,with a decrease rate of 0.01×10^(8) m^(3)∙a^(-1).(2)The EFPZ accounts for only 23%of the total area,but the contribution rate of water conservation reaches 80%.The actual values of water conservation and average water yield per unit pixel in the EFPZ show an increasing trend both internally and externally,while the counterfactual simulation values exhibit a decreasing trend.(3)The water conservation is much higher within the EFPZ than without EFPZ.The implementation of EFPZ has a significant effect on the improvement of the water conservation capacity in Maqu EFPZ and Yellow River Source EFPZ.The protection effectiveness should be enhanced in Qilian Mountain EFPZ and afforestation activities need to be carefully considered in Loess Plateau EFPZ.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Effect of Typical Vegetation Restoration Pattern on Soil and Water Conservation in Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley of Yunnan Province

In Yuanmou dry-hot valley of Yunnan Province,three typical vegetation restoration patterns including production forest transformed from sloping fields to terracing,ecological afforestation within the gully and ecological aforestation in gully head and slope were selected to compare their effects on soil and water conservation.Soil and water loss,soil infiltration rate and the soil moisture dynamics of soil profile with the depth of 0-100 cm of these three patterns and their controls were observed by established standard observation plots in rainy season.The results showed that the soil and water loss of ecological afforestation and production forest terrace reduced by over 30% and 60% compared with their controls（without growth of any vegetation）respectively,showing significant control effect on the soil and water loss.Vegetation restoration also apparently increased the infiltration rate of soil（increased by 100%-200%）.In rainy season,the soil moisture content of ecological afforestation and production forest terrace increased by over 30% and 100% compared with their controls.This indicated that vegetation restoration will not lead to soil aridity during the rainy season;vegetation restoration not only reduced the loss of surface water and soil fine particles,but also enhanced the infiltration of precipitation.These two effects made the soil moisture content increase throughout the profile.

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.

A study of the soil water potential threshold values to trigger irrigation of ‘Shimizu Hakuto’ peach at pivotal fruit developmental stages

Water management is an important practice that affects fruit size and quality.Effective implementation of irrigation scheduling requires knowledge of the appropriate indicators and thresholds,which are established manly based on the effects of water deficits on final fruit quality.Few studies have focused on the real-time effects of water status on fruit and shoot growth.To establish soil water potential (ψ_(soil)) thresholds to trigger irrigation of peach at pivotal fruit developmental stages,photogrammetry,^(13)C labelling,and other techniques were used in this study to investigate real-time changes in stem diameter,fruit projected area,net leaf photosynthetic rate (P_(n)),and allocation of photoassimilates to fruit under soil water potential conditions ranging from saturation to stress in 6-year-old Shimizu hakuto’peach.Stem growth,fruit growth,and P_n exhibited gradually decreasing sensitivity to water deficits during fruit developmental stages I,II,and III.Stem diameter growth was significantly inhibited whenψ_(soil)dropped to-8.5,-7.6,and-5.4 k Pa,respectively.Fruit growth rate was low,reaching zero when theψ_(soil)was-9.0 to-23.1,-14.9 to-21.4,and-16.5 to-23.3 k Pa,respectively,and P_ndecreased significantly when theψ_(soil)reached-24.2,-22.7,and-20.4 kPa,respectively.In addition,more photoassimilates were allocated to fruit under moderateψ_(soil)conditions (-10.1 to-17.0 k Pa) than under otherψ_(soil)values.Our results revealed threeψ_(soil)thresholds,-10.0,-15.0,and-15.0 kPa,suitable for triggering irrigation during stages I,II,and III,respectively.These thresholds can be helpful for controlling excessive tree vigor,maintaining rapid fruit growth and leaf photosynthesis,and promoting the allocation of more photoassimilates to fruit.

Plastic mulch increases dryland wheat yield and water-use productivity,while straw mulch increases soil water storage

Amplifying drought stress and high precipitation variability impair dryland wheat production.These problems can potentially be minimized by using plastic mulch(PM)or straw mulch(SM).Therefore,wheat grain yield,soil water storage,soil temperature and water-use productivity of PM and SM treatments were compared with no mulch(CK)treatment on dryland wheat over a period of eight seasons.Compared to the CK treatment,PM and SM treatments on average significantly increased grain yield by 12.6 and 10.5%,respectively.Compared to the CK treatment,SM treatment significantly decreased soil daily temperature by 0.57,0.60 and 0.48℃ for the whole seasons,growing periods and summer fallow periods,respectively.In contrast,compared to the CK treatment,PM treatment increased soil daily temperature by 0.44,0.51 and 0.27℃ for the whole seasons,growing periods and summer fallow periods,respectively.Lower soil temperature under SM allowed greater soil water storage than under PM.Soil water storage pre-seeding was 17%greater under the SM than under the PM treatment.Soil water storage post-harvest was similar for the PM and SM treatments,but evapotranspiration was 4.5%higher in the SM than in the PM treatment.Consequently,water-use productivity was 6.6%greater under PM than under the SM treatment.Therefore,PM treatment increased dryland wheat yield and water-use productivity,while straw mulch increased soil water storage.

Water retention behavior and shear strength of artificially cemented granite residual soil subjected to free drying

Artificially cemented soils have been widely used as filling materials in highway and railway construction.The shear strength evolution of filling materials upon moist variation can determine the stability of subgrade and embankments.This study conducted water retention tests,MIP tests,and multi-stage triaxial shear tests on cement-treated granite residual soil(GRS)to determine its water retention curve(WRC)upon free drying,pore structure,and peak shear strength qf,respectively.The water retention behavior and shear strength evolution upon free drying were modeled based on the dual-porosity structure of cement-treated GRS and the effective stress principle,respectively.Results show that the drying-WRC is bimodal and higher cement dosage yields a more severe decrease in the water retention capacity within a specific suction range.For a given confining pressure,the peak shear strength qf increased with increasing cement dosage or suction value s.The peak shear strength qf also solely depends on the suction value in the peak stress state.In addition,the cement-treated GRS has a bimodal pore size distribution curve,and its macro-and micro-void ratios remain almost unchanged after free drying.The bimodal drying-WRC of the cement-treated GRS can be modeled by differentiating the water retention mechanisms in macro-and micro-pores.Moreover,using the macro-pore degree of saturation as the effective stress parameterχ=S_(rM),the q_(f)–p′_(f)relationship(where p′_(f)is the effective mean pressure at failure)under various suction and stress conditions can be unified,and the q_(f)–s relationships at various net confining pressuresσ_(3),net can be well reproduced.These findings can help design subgrade and embankments constructed by artificially cemented GRS and assess their safe operation upon climate change.

Effects of gravel on the water absorption characteristics and hydraulic parameters of stony soil

The eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains in China are a typical mountainous region of soil and gravel,where gravel could affect the water movement process in the soil.This study focused on the effects of different gravel contents on the water absorption characteristics and hydraulic parameters of stony soil.The stony soil samples were collected from the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains in April 2023 and used as the experimental materials to conduct a one-dimensional horizontal soil column absorption experiment.Six experimental groups with gravel contents of 0%,10%,20%,30%,40%,and 50%were established to determine the saturated hydraulic conductivity(K_(s)),saturated water content(θ_(s)),initial water content(θ_(i)),and retention water content(θ_(r)),and explore the changes in the wetting front depth and cumulative absorption volume during the absorption experiment.The Philip model was used to fit the soil absorption process and determine the soil water absorption rate.Then the length of the characteristic wetting front depth,shape coefficient,empirical parameter,inverse intake suction and soil water suction were derived from the van Genuchten model.Finally,the hydraulic parameters mentioned above were used to fit the soil water characteristic curves,unsaturated hydraulic conductivity(K_(θ))and specific water capacity(C(h)).The results showed that the wetting front depth and cumulative absorption volume of each treatment gradually decreased with increasing gravel content.Compared with control check treatment with gravel content of 0%,soil water absorption rates in the treatments with gravel contents of 10%,20%,30%,40%,and 50%decreased by 11.47%,17.97%,25.24%,29.83%,and 42.45%,respectively.As the gravel content increased,inverse intake suction gradually increased,and shape coefficient,K_(s),θ_(s),andθ_(r)gradually decreased.For the same soil water content,soil water suction and K_(θ)gradually decreased with increasing gravel content.At the same soil water suction,C(h)decreased with increasing gravel content,and the water use efficiency worsened.Overall,the water holding capacity,hydraulic conductivity,and water use efficiency of stony soil in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains decreased with increasing gravel content.This study could provide data support for improving soil water use efficiency in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains and other similar rocky mountainous areas.

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.