A GIS-based Modeling Approach for Fast Assessment of Soil Erosion by Water at Regional Scale, Loess Plateau of China

• Published in: Chinese geographical science Vol. 20; no. 5; pp. 423 - 433
• Main Authors: Hu, Liangjun, Yang, Haijun, Yang, Qinke, Li, Rui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg SP Science Press 01.10.2010; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Earth and Environmental Science; Erosion control; Geographic information systems; Geography; GIS; Landsat; Policy and planning; Remote sensing; Sediment yield; Sensitivity analysis; Soil erosion; 中国黄土高原; 区域尺度; 土壤侵蚀; 基础地理信息系统; 建模方法; 快速评估; China; soil erosion assessment; soil erosion by water; regional scale; GIS-based modeling; Loess Plateau
• ISSN: 1002-0063; 1993-064X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11769-010-0416-2

The objective of this study is to develop a unique modeling approach for fast assessment of massive soil erosion by water at a regional scale in the Loess Plateau, China. This approach relies on an understanding of both regional patterns of soil loss and its impact factors in the plateau area. Based on the regional characteristics of precipitation, vegetation and land form, and with the use of Landsat TM and ground investigation data, the entire Loess Plateau was first divided into 3 380 Fundamental Assessment Units （FAUs） to adapt to this regional modeling and fast assessment. A set of easily available parameters reflecting relevant water erosion factors at a regional scale was then developed, in which dynamic and static factors were discriminated. Arclnfo GIS was used to integrate all essential data into a central database. A resulting mathematical model was established to link the sediment yields and the selected variables on the basis of FAUs through overlay in GIS and multiple regression analyses. The sensitivity analyses and validation results show that this approach works effectively in assessing large area soil erosion, and also helps to understand the regional associations of erosion and its impact factors, and thus might significantly contribute to planning and policymaking for a large area erosion control in the Loess Plateau.