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Purpose <p>Land-use types influence near-surface soil characteristics, which in turn affects soil erodibility. However, limited studies have addressed the variation in soil erodibility near the Qilian Mountains. Existing assessments of soil erodibility largely rely on remote sensing, with limited in-situ data available.</p> Methods <p>This study employed an in-situ soil sampling approach to investigate soil erodibility across five land-use types near the Qilian Mountains—grassland, shrubland, forest, sandy desert, and gravel desert. Soil erodibility was quantified using multiple indicators, including soil organic carbon (SOC), soil structural stability (SSI), clay ratio (CR), wind-erodible fraction of soil (EF), water erosion erodibility factor (K), and the comprehensive soil erodibility index (CSEI).</p> Results <p>Soil particle size distribution showed a unimodal pattern, with fine particles (2–50&#xa0;μm) dominating grassland, shrubland, and forest, and coarse particles (100–250&#xa0;μm) in deserts. Sand content increased with depth in grassland but decreased in shrubland and forest. SOC declined with depth and was lowest in sandy desert. Deserts had lower SSI but higher CR and EF, reflecting unstable aggregation. The K factor ranked: sandy desert &gt; gravel desert &gt; shrubland &gt; forest &gt; grassland. SOC and SSI mainly controlled CSEI in vegetated land, while CR and SSI dominated in deserts. Erosion resistance followed: grassland &gt; forest &gt; shrubland &gt; sandy desert &gt; gravel desert.</p> Conclusion <p>These findings highlight vegetation-driven SOC-structure interactions as critical erosion buffers, advocating prioritized conservation of vegetated ecosystems and adaptive management near the Qilian Mountains to mitigate soil degradation.</p>

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Soil erodibility factors across different land-use types in the arid mountain region of Northwest China: Insights from in-situ soil sampling

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月16日

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  • Shue Wei,
  • Yongyong Zhang,
  • Wenrong Kang,
  • Shumin Wang,
  • Haixian Wang

摘要

Purpose

Land-use types influence near-surface soil characteristics, which in turn affects soil erodibility. However, limited studies have addressed the variation in soil erodibility near the Qilian Mountains. Existing assessments of soil erodibility largely rely on remote sensing, with limited in-situ data available.

Methods

This study employed an in-situ soil sampling approach to investigate soil erodibility across five land-use types near the Qilian Mountains—grassland, shrubland, forest, sandy desert, and gravel desert. Soil erodibility was quantified using multiple indicators, including soil organic carbon (SOC), soil structural stability (SSI), clay ratio (CR), wind-erodible fraction of soil (EF), water erosion erodibility factor (K), and the comprehensive soil erodibility index (CSEI).

Results

Soil particle size distribution showed a unimodal pattern, with fine particles (2–50 μm) dominating grassland, shrubland, and forest, and coarse particles (100–250 μm) in deserts. Sand content increased with depth in grassland but decreased in shrubland and forest. SOC declined with depth and was lowest in sandy desert. Deserts had lower SSI but higher CR and EF, reflecting unstable aggregation. The K factor ranked: sandy desert > gravel desert > shrubland > forest > grassland. SOC and SSI mainly controlled CSEI in vegetated land, while CR and SSI dominated in deserts. Erosion resistance followed: grassland > forest > shrubland > sandy desert > gravel desert.

Conclusion

These findings highlight vegetation-driven SOC-structure interactions as critical erosion buffers, advocating prioritized conservation of vegetated ecosystems and adaptive management near the Qilian Mountains to mitigate soil degradation.