Objective This study aims to investigate the mechanisms by which crop planting affects tillage erosion and hydraulic erosion on sloping farmland, thereby providing countermeasures and recommendations for soil erosion control and ecological restoration of sloping farmland in the region. Methods Taking the sloping farmland in the arid valley of Xide County, Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, as the research object, this study conducted simulated tillage and scouring experiments, combined with the magnetic tracer method, to measure tillage displacement and erosion rates in maize fields, buckwheat fields, and bare land and analyzed the characteristics of runoff and sediment yield under different crop types and flow conditions. Results (1) Crop cultivation significantly reduced soil tillage displacement and erosion rate, and the average tillage displacement (11.82 cm) and erosion rate (38.15 t/hm²) of maize fields were only 44.8% and 50.3% of those of bare land (26.38 cm and 75.85 t/hm²), respectively. (2) Crop cultivation markedly delayed slope runoff yield time. At a flow rate of 10 L/min, the runoff yield times of maize and buckwheat fields (30 min and 33 min) were more than 1.5 times longer than that of bare land (12 min). (3) Crop cultivation significantly reduced runoff and sediment yield rates, and the runoff and sediment reduction effects were more pronounced at medium and low flow rates (7.5 L/min and 5 L/min). Conclusion Crop cultivation plays a crucial role in reducing tillage erosion and hydraulic erosion. Crops enhance soil shear strength and infiltration capacity through soil stabilization and enhanced infiltration, thereby reducing loose material sources.
FanJ R, YangC, BaoW K, et al. Distribution scope and district statistical analysis of dry valleys in Southwest China[J]. Mountain Research, 2020,38(2):303-313.
LuoF Y, ZhangZ H, GeQ L, et al. Effects of crop types on tillage erosion in the dry valleys of Jinsha River Basin[J]. Research of Soil and Water Conservation, 2023,30(2):22-28.
HuangM S, YanJ Z, WuY, et al. Analysis on the change of soil and water conservation capacity and its driving factors in southwest alpine-canyon area[J]. Journal of Southwest University (Natural Science Edition), 2025,47(11):121-135.
XuH C, ZhangJ H, DaiJ D, et al. Review and prospect of tillage erosion research[J]. Advances in Earth Science, 2019,34(12):1288-1300.
[9]
KaminskyiV, KolomiietsL, BulgakovV, et al. An investigation into the state of agricultural lands under water erosion conditions[J]. Agronomy Research, 2021,19(2):458-471.
[10]
LiS, ZhaoB, WuH, et al. Three decades of tillage driven topsoil displacement and soil erosion attenuation on Loess Plateau slope farmlands[J]. Agriculture, 2025,15(10):1084.
TengP J, LeiW Y, WangB, et al. Influences of different crop root systems on physical properties and rhizosphere soil properties in black soil[J]. Soils and Crops, 2024,13(4):391-403.
WangY, ZhangJ H, ZhangZ H, et al. Impacts of long-time upslope tillage systems on soil water-stable aggregates on a steep hillslope[J]. Research of Soil and Water Conservation, 2016,23(1):44-49.
ZhangZ H, ZhangJ H, WangY, et al. Magnetic characteristics of two soils and their effects on magnetic tracer test[J]. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2016,30(1):58-61.
[19]
LobbD A, QuineT A, GoversG, et al. Comparison of methods used to calculate tillage translocation using plot-tracers[J]. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2001,56(4):321-328.
[20]
ZhangJ H, SuZ A, NieX J. An investigation of soil translocation and erosion by conservation hoeing tillage on steep lands using a magnetic tracer[J]. Soil and Tillage Research, 2009,105(2):177-183.
PanW, WangQ. A review of the research on the mechanism of plant root system strengthening soil erosion resistance[J]. Technology of Soil and Water Conservation, 2024(4):65-68.
[23]
LiJ, LiL, WangW, et al. Hydrological and erosion responses of steep spoil heaps to taproot and fibrous root grasses under simulated rainfalls[J]. Journal of Hydrology, 2023,618:129169.
[24]
WangY, ZhangJ H, ZhangZ H, et al. Impact of tillage erosion on water erosion in a hilly landscape[J]. Science of the Total Environment, 2016,551:522-532.
DaiJ D, ZhangZ H, ZhangJ H, et al. Effect of tillage erosion on characteristics of hydraulic erosion in the dry-hot valley region[J]. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2021,35(1):116-124,131.
[27]
TagarelliV, CotecchiaF, BottiglieriO. Preliminary field data of selected deep-rooted vegetation effects on the slope-vegetation-atmosphere interaction: results from an in-situ test[J]. Ital. Geotech. J,2022,1(22):62-83.
[28]
MengT, SunP. Variations of deep soil moisture under different vegetation restoration types in a watershed of the Loess Plateau, China[J]. Scientific Reports, 2023,13:4957.
ZhaoP Z, ChenX W, WangE H. Responses of accumulation-loss patterns for soil organic carbon and its fractions to tillageand water erosion in black soil area[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2017,28(11):3634-3642.
HouN, WangY, ZhaoH, et al. Effects of tillage erosion on sediment yield of purple soil under different slopes[J]. Mountain Research, 2021,39(4):495-505.
[33]
陈梦圆.紫色土耕作侵蚀与有机碳分布过程模拟[D].四川绵阳:西南科技大学,2023.
[34]
ChenM Y. Process simulation of tillage erosion and organic carbon distribution in purple[D]. Mianyang, Sichuan: Southwest University of Science and Technology, 2023.
[35]
张泽洪.干热河谷区坡面水蚀与耕作侵蚀的交互作用机制[D].北京:中国科学院大学,2017.
[36]
ZhangZ H. The interaction mechanism between slope water erosion and tillage erosion in dry hot valley areas[D]. Beijing: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2017.
[37]
张校棱.耕作强度对紫色土坡面水文连通性及侵蚀产沙的影响研究[D].成都:四川农业大学,2023.
[38]
ZhangX L. The effects of tillage intensity on hydrological connectivity and erosion and sand production of purple soil slope[D]. Chengdu: Sichuan Agricultural University, 2023.
FanH Z, ZhangJ H, WangY, et al. Tillage erosion impacts on soil aggregate associated carbon in mountainous region slope farmland of Northern Sichuan[J]. Transactions of the Chinese Society for Agricultural Machinery, 2015,46(11):157-164.
WuG Q, DaiQ H, WangY, et al. Response of runoff and sediment yield from maize slope farmland in karst areas to slope gradient[J]. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2024,38(6):13-22.
WeiR T, AnJ P, CaiX F, et al. Simulation study on runoff and sediment of sloping farmland under different crop planting patterns[J]. Journal of Guizhou Normal University: Natural Sciences,2024,42(1):19-26,75.
XiH, TangJ D, SiD M, et al. Effects of slope on the runoff and sediment yield in purple soil sloping farmland of Chongqing[J]. Science of Soil and Water Conservation, 2022,20(4):19-25.
[49]
刘静.土壤-根系复合体对紫色土坡地耕作位移量的影响[D].成都:四川农业大学,2020.
[50]
LiuJ. Impact of soil-root composites on soil displacement by tillage on the hillslopeof purple soil[D]. Chengdu: Sichuan Agricultural University, 2020.
[51]
WangY, ZhangZ H, ZhangJ H, et al. Effect of surface rills on soil redistribution by tillage erosion on a steep hillslope[J]. Geomorphology, 2021,380:107637. ()