Abstract:
Objective The karst peak-cluster depression basin in southwestern Guangxi, as one of the five major ecologically fragile areas in China, poses challenges for soil erosion assessment due to its unique topography. Traditional models are inadequate for this region, necessitating the consideration of rocky desertification factors and the impact of depressions on soil erosion. This study aims to accurately assess soil erosion in this area from 2000 - 2020 and to reveal its driving mechanisms.
Method The RUSLE model was modified by incorporating rocky desertification factors and soil loss tolerance considerations. The Mann-Kendall (MK) trend analysis was used to explore spatio-temporal trends in soil erosion from 2000 - 2020. Furthermore, a geographical detector was employed to quantify the explanatory power of various factors on the spatial distribution of soil erosion.
Result ① By utilizing the rocky desertification factor and revising the soil loss tolerance model, while excluding the influence of depressions, the average soil erosion modulus decreased by 4.22 t hm−2 a−1, resulting in an improvement in the accuracy of the model. ② From 2000 - 2020, soil erosion showed a fluctuating downward trend, with a reduction rate of approximately 0.07 t hm−2 a−1. The overall erosion amount decreased by approximately 8.2%. ③ Land use explained soil erosion the most, followed by vegetation coverage and rainfall. The driving factors exhibited significant interactions, with the strongest interaction observed between land use and lithology.
Conclusion Soil erosion in the karst region of southwestern Guangxi continuously improved from 2000 - 2020. By incorporating rocky desertification factors and soil loss tolerance considerations into the refined model, there was a noticeable decrease in both soil erosion area and erosion modulus. The main driving factors also changed. In the future, soil erosion control efforts in southwestern Guangxi should be given to land use patterns and their interactions with lithology and soil types, to provide important reference for formulating scientific and effective soil and water conservation measures.