ABSTRACT
The general situation of soil erosion and its control in the Pearl River drainage area is introduced and research on soil erosion control in Guangdong Province is reviewed. One widely used soil erosion control strategy in southern China is vegetation restoration to rebuild topsoil quickly on seriously eroded or barren lands. Another strategy is to develop an efficient plantation forestry system to reduce soil erosion. In plantation forestry, site management options (site preparation, understory management, harvest residue management) affect soil erosion greatly. Alternative techniques must be found and used to reduce soil erosion and sustain productivity of short rotation plantations, such as eucalyptus plantations. Tree species selection and adequate fertilization have proved to be essential for vegetation restoration on seriously eroded lands. How to mix fast growing pioneer trees such as eucalyptus and acacias with slow growing indigenous species is a very important question for long term vegetation restoration on these lands. Balanced fertilization to rebuild biological nutrient cycling system and soil fertility is also very important. Examples of micronutrient deficiency effects on gully erosion lands are introduced.
