ABSTRACT

Accelerated soil erosion is one of the most serious environmental problems in the world. In China, millions of tons of topsoil are eroded and transported every year, which not only degrades soil resources but also causes detrimental environmental consequences. Soil erosion affects productivity by changing soil properties, and particularly by destroying topsoil structure, reducing soil volume and water holding capacity, reducing infiltration, increasing runoff and washing away nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter (Meyer et al. 1985; Oyedele 1996). The resulting sediments act as carriers of pollutants including heavy metals, pesticides, and others.