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Effects of land use on soil erosion and nitrogen loss in the hilly area of the Loess Plateau, China
Author(s) -
Fu B. J.,
Meng Q. H.,
Qiu Y.,
Zhao W. W.,
Zhang Q. J.,
Davidson D. A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.572
Subject(s) - surface runoff , environmental science , loess plateau , loess , erosion , soil loss , nitrogen , plateau (mathematics) , china , agronomy , hydrology (agriculture) , soil science , geology , geography , ecology , biology , mathematical analysis , mathematics , geotechnical engineering , archaeology , geomorphology , paleontology , physics , quantum mechanics
This study examines the effects of land use and slope angle on runoff, soil loss and nitrogen loss from hillslopes of the Loess Plateau in China. Farmland, wasteland and four forest treatments (sea buckthorn+poplar, immature sea buckthorn, mature sea buckthorn, and immature Chinese pine) were the types of land use that were compared. The results showed that July was the critical period for runoff, soil loss and nitrogen loss from farmland. Farmland was the most susceptible land use. Sea buckthorn+poplar, immature sea buckthorn, and mature sea buckthorn limited the runoff, soil loss and nitrogen loss. Farmland on slopes over 15 degrees should be abandoned because of the high erosion rate and nitrogen loss. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.