1.Co -Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China,Nanjing Forestry University/Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab;of Soil Erosion and Ecological Restoration,Nanjing 210037,China
2.Soil and Water Conservation Monitoring Center Station;of Huaihe River Basin,The Huaihe River Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources,Bengbu,Anhui 233001,China
Objective This study explores the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of terrace-to-slope conversion patches in hilly areas and analyzes their impacts on soil erosion and major influencing factors, thereby providing a theoretical basis for the coordinated development of agricultural modernization and ecological economy. Methods Rongcheng City in the hilly region of the Jiaodong Peninsula was selected as the study area. Based on high-resolution remote sensing images, 1∶10 000 digital topographic maps, and multi-year field survey data, the geographical center of gravity model was applied to investigate the distribution of terrace-to-slope conversion patches from 2014 to 2024. The Chinese Soil Loss Equation (CSLE) and the geodetector method were then used to analyze the variations in soil erosion and its driving factors after terrace-to-slope conversion. Results (1) From 2014 to 2024, the total area of terrace-to-slope conversion in the study area reached 1 468.91 hm². This process included a rapid growth stage from 2014 to 2016, a slow growth stage from 2017 to 2021, and a stable growth stage from 2022 to 2024. Yaxi Town and Xiazhuang Town exhibited the largest areas of terrace-to-slope conversion patches. (2) Terrace-to-slope conversion caused abrupt changes in microtopography, terrace measures, and vegetation cover. In the first year after conversion, the soil erosion modulus surged by 4 to 17 times, with a peak value of 24 340.4 t/(km2 · a), and the proportion of moderate and above erosion reached 18.57%. Five years after conversion, soil erosion tended to stabilize, with mild erosion accounting for 52.93% to 62.51%. However, erosion levels remained higher than those before conversion. (3) Slope gradient, vegetation cover, and per capita economic forest area in rural areas showed the strongest explanatory power for soil erosion after terrace-to-slope conversion, with q-values of 0.38, 0.24, and 0.139, respectively. Moreover, the interaction between slope gradient and vegetation cover exhibited the highest explanatory power, with a q-value of 0.725. Conclusion In the hilly region of the Jiaodong Peninsula, soil erosion tends to stabilize in the fifth year after terrace-to-slope conversion. However, influenced by factors such as slope gradient, vegetation cover, and human activities, soil erosion levels still differ from the original state before conversion. Therefore, during the implementation of terrace-to-slope conversion, it is necessary to further optimize the integrated design of topography, waterways, production roads, and soil and water conservation measures from both ecological and economic perspectives, so as to achieve precise management and long-term ecological protection.
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