Objective The black soil region of northeast China is a major grain-producing area. Long-term cultivation has caused severe soil erosion, and gully erosion exacerbates cultivated land fragmentation, posing a threat to sustainable agricultural development. However, the impact of gully erosion on cultivated land fragmentation lacks quantitative research. Methods In the typical Songnen black soil distribution region, 50 small watersheds across nine counties were selected. Land use and gully erosion were interpreted based on sub-meter resolution satellite imagery. Multiple landscape indicators were applied to assess the degree of cultivated land fragmentation, its spatial variation, and major influencing factors, and to quantify the contribution rate of gully erosion to cultivated land fragmentation. Results 1) The comprehensive cultivated land fragmentation index in the study area ranged from 0.371 to 0.993, with the overall fragmentation degree at a moderate level, showing significant spatial heterogeneity. The areas with the highest fragmentation degree were distributed in the central region. 2) The cultivated land fragmentation index was influenced by multiple factors. It increased significantly with gully density, average slope, precipitation, and proportion of forest area, while decreasing significantly with the proportion of cultivated land area. Road networks exhibited a pronounced ″amplification effect″ on cultivated land fragmentation caused by gully erosion, further exacerbating the negative impact of gully erosion on the spatial integrity of cultivated land. 3) The development of gully erosion significantly intensified cultivated land fragmentation, but its degree of impact exhibited spatial differences. In over 60% of the small watersheds, the contribution rate of gully erosion to fragmentation was below 20%. In approximately 10% of the small watersheds, gully erosion became the dominant factor of fragmentation, with a contribution rate exceeding 50%. 4) In areas with low levels of cultivated land fragmentation, the contribution rate of gully erosion was relatively high. In areas with highly fragmented cultivated land, the impact of gully erosion was weaker. Conclusion Gully erosion is a key influencing factor of cultivated land fragmentation in the black soil region of northeast China. Its impact is closely linked to the overall cultivated land fragmentation level and environmental characteristics. The research findings can provide a scientific basis for cultivated land conservation and sustainable agricultural development in the black soil region.
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