Effects of Crop Rotation and Topography on Soil Erosion and Nutrient Loss under Natural Rainfall Conditions on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Chenhui Li, Wenhai Shi and Mingbin Huang ()
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Chenhui Li: College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Wenhai Shi: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Mingbin Huang: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, Xianyang 712100, China

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 2, 1-16

Abstract: Erosive rainfall results in the loss of both soil and nutrients, which indirectly triggers soil deterioration and a reduction in land productivity. However, how rainfall affects runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss under different crop rotation patterns and topographic factors remains unclear. This experiment observed nine runoff-erosion plots on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) from 2019 to 2020 to determine the effects of crop type, rotation pattern, and slope gradient and length on runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss. Runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss were highest for the fallow plots; values for these variables for spring corn and winter wheat plots were not significantly different. Crop rotation generated greater runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss compared to non-rotation. Soil erosion and associated nutrient loss increased, but not significantly, with slope for gradients of 0.5°, 1°, and 3°, while runoff and associated nutrient loss did not increase. In addition, soil erosion and associated nutrient loss were significantly greater for slope lengths of 20 m vs. 50 m. A structural equation model showed rainfall characteristics significantly impacted runoff and soil erosion and subsequently affected nutrient loss. This study increases the understanding of runoff, soil erosion, and nutrient loss from cropland with gentle slopes on the CLP.

Keywords: crop rotation; runoff and sediment; nitrogen and phosphorus losses; Chinese Loess Plateau (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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