Abstract
Based on field runoff plots observation and sample analysis, the effect of slope gradient on soil organic carbon loss was studied under natural rainfall conditions in loess hilly region. The results showed that with slope gradient increasing (from 10° to 30°), the changing trend of soil erosion intensity (A) was A 20°>A 30°>A 15°>A 10°>A 25°, suggesting that slope gradient between 20° and 25° was a critical degree ranger to exist. Soil organic carbon loss was mainly influenced by soil erosion intensity, appearing the same trend as did soil erosion intensity with increasing slope gradient. Soil erosion results in organic carbon enrichment in sediment. Average enrichment ratios of five runoff plots varied from 2.27 to 3.74, and decreased with increasing erosion intensity and slope gradient. The decrease of surface runoff and soil erosion is the key to reduce soil organic carbon loss.
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Foundation item: Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (90502007) and the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program 2007CB407206)
Biography: JIA Songwei (1979–), male, Ph. D. candidate, research direction: soil erosion and soil organic carbon loss.
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Jia, S., He, X. & Wei, F. Soil organic carbon loss under different slope gradients in loess hilly region. Wuhan Univ. J. of Nat. Sci. 12, 695–698 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11859-006-0300-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11859-006-0300-1