LAND USE LAND COVER CHANGES AND THEIR IMPACTS ON ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN THE NZHELELE RIVER CATCHMENT, SOUTH AFRICA

We used the RUSLE model and geographical detector method to evaluate and identify the dominant factors and variability in the Yellow River basin. We found that in the period of low rainfall and vegetation coverage, the interaction of rainfall and slope can enhance their impact on the distribution of soil erosion, while the combination of vegetation and slope was the dominant interacting factor in other periods, and the dominant driving factors of soil erosion variability were rainfall.

Soil erodibility (K) is one of the key factors of soil erosion. Selecting the optimal estimation method of soil erodibility is critical to estimate the amount of soil erosion, and provide the base for sustainable land management. This research took the Loess Plateau of China as a case study, estimated soil erodibility factor with different methods, selected the best texture-based method to estimate K, and aimed to understand the indirect environmental factors of soil erodibility.

In this study, we focused on exploring the spatial distribution and temporal variation of desert riparian forests and their influencing factors based on field experiment and remote sensing data. Our result revealed how the environmental factors shape the spatial distribution and temporal variation of desert riparian forest in the downstream Heihe river. The results of this study provide support for the effective restoration of desert riparian forest in the hyperarid zone.