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Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology ›› 2023, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (9): 2421-2428.doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.202309.013

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Compound erosion effect of snowmelt, wind, and rainfall on sloping farmlands of Chinese typical Mollisol region

ZHAO Yajun1, ZHENG Fenli1,2*, AN Xiaobing1, SHI Hongqiang1, HU Wentao1, ZHANG Jiaqiong1,2   

  1. 1State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming in Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shannxi, China;
    2Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
  • Received:2023-04-26 Revised:2023-07-18 Online:2023-09-15 Published:2024-03-16

Abstract: Research on the processes and mechanisms of compound soil erosion by multiple forces can provide scientific guidance for precisely controlling cropland soil erosion. Based on the seasonal alternation of freezing-thawing, snowmelt, wind, and rainfall erosion forces on sloping farmlands under natural conditions from November to next October of each year, we used a set of indoor simulation experiments of multi-force superimpositions to analyze the compound soil erosion processes of snowmelt (1 and 2 L·min-1), wind (12 m·s-1), and rainfall (100 mm·h-1). We further discussed the erosion effects of multi-force superimpositions. The results showed that, under single snowmelt erosion, an increase in snowmelt flow had a greater effect on sloping snowmelt erosion intensity than that of sloping runoff rate. When sloping snowmelt flow increased from 1 L·min-1 to 2 L·min-1, sloping runoff rate and erosion intensity increased by 2.7 and 4.0 times, respectively. Under snowmelt-wind superimposition erosion, previous sloping snowmelt erosion inhibited late wind erosion occurrence. As sloping snowmelt flow increased from 1 L·min-1 to 2 L·min-1, the inhibiting action subsequently increased and wind erosion intensity caused by previous snowmelt reduced by more than 50%. Both wind erosion and snowmelt-wind superimposed erosion intensified late rainfall erosion. The early wind erosion increased rainfall erosion by 24.5%. The snowmelt-wind superimposed effect increased the later slope rainfall erosion by 132.8% and 465.4% under 1 and 2 L·min-1 snowmelt runoff rates, respectively. The compound soil erosion amount driven by multiple force superimposition was not the sum of the corresponding erosion amount caused by single erosion force, with promoting or inhibiting effects of erosion force superimposition. The erosion effect of snowmelt-wind superposition was negative, but that of wind-rainfall superposition and snowmelt-wind-rainfall superpositions were positive.

Key words: compound soil erosion, snowmelt erosion, wind erosion, rainfall erosion, black soil region of Northeast China