Abstract: Soil conservation capability is closely related to land use/cover change (LUCC). Based on 3S technology and by using Markov matrix, US universal soil loss equation (USLE), contingent valuation method, shadow project method, and opportunity cost method, this paper analyzed the characteristics of LUCC in southern Loess Plateau from 1980 to 2005, and quantitatively estimated the soil conservation capability and its ecological benefits under different land use types. In the study area, cultivated land and construction land changed significantly from 1980 to 2005. During this period, 1123.80 km² cultivated land in this area was converted to construction land, and the total soil conservation capability was declined from 20.43×10.8 t in 1980 to 19.94×10.8 t in 2005. The soil conservation capability per unit area of different land use types was in the order of construction land < cultivated land < unutilized land < grassland < forestland. In 1980 and 2005, the total soil conservation value in the study area was 674.27 billion Yuan and 1064.80 billion Yuan, respectively, and forestland, grassland, and cultivated land played leading roles in the soil conservation.

Key words: light detection and ranging (LiDAR), gap characteristics, mid-subtropics, evergreen broad-leaved forest.