Responses of soil moisture to vegetation restoration type and slope length on the loess hillslope

Soil moisture, a critical variable in the hydrologic cycle, is highly influenced by vegetation restoration type. However, the relationship between spatial variation of soil moisture, vegetation restoration type and slope length is controversial. Therefore, soil moisture across soil layers (0-400 cm depth) was measured before and after the rainy season in severe drought (2015) and normal hydrological year (2016) in three vegetation restoration areas (artificial forestland, natural forestland and grassland), on the hillslopes of the Caijiachuan Catchment in the Loess area, China. The results showed that artificial forestland had the lowest soil moisture and most severe water deficit in 100-200 cm soil layers. Water depletion was higher in artificial and natural forestlands than in natural grassland. Moreover, soil moisture in the shallow soil layers (0-100 cm) under the three vegetation restoration types did not significantly vary with slope length, but a significant increase with slope length was observed in deep soil layers (below 100 cm). In 2015, a severe drought hydrological year, higher water depletion was observed at lower slope positions under three vegetation restoration types due to higher transpiration and evapotranspiration and unlikely recharge from upslope runoff. However, in 2016, a normal hydrological year, there was lower water depletion, even infiltration recharge at lower slope positions, indicating receiving a large amount of water from upslope. Vegetation restoration type, precipitation, slope length and soil depth during a rainy season, in descending order of influence, had significant effects on soil moisture. Generally, natural grassland is more beneficial for vegetation restoration than natural and artificial forestlands, and the results can provide useful information for understanding hydrological processes and improving vegetation restoration practices on the Loess Plateau     

Deep profile soil moisture distribution characteristics for different microtopographies on the semi-arid Loess Plateau,China

Soil moisture is a limiting factor for vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau, China. Micro-topography may cause heterogeneities in the distribution of soil moisture, but little is known about its effect on deep soil moisture. Our study aims to explore the distribution and impact of soil moisture within the upper 10 m of soil for different microtopographies. Taking undisturbed slope as the control, five micro-topographies were selected. Soil moisture over a depth of 0-10 m from 2017 to 2019 was investigated, and soil particle size and soil organic matter were measured. Variance analysis and multiple comparisons were used to analyze the difference in soil moisture for different microtopographies and multiple-linear regression was used to analyze the influence of micro-topography on soil moisture. There are significant differences in soil moisture within the different layers underlying the examined micro-topographies, while the inter-annual variation in soil water storage for the selected microtopographies increase with increased rainfall. The depth of influence of micro-topographic vegetation on soil moisture exceeded 1000 cm for a gully(GU), 740 cm for a sink hole(SH), 480 cm for a scarp(SC), 360 cm for an ephemeral gully(EG) and 220 cm for a platform(PL). Micro-topography will cause the heterogeneous distribution of soil moisture in the shallower layers, which changes the vegetation distribution differences between micro-topographies. This may be the survival strategy of herbaceous vegetation in response to climate change in the Loess Plateau. For future vegetation restoration efforts, we need to pay attention to the influence of microtopography on soil moisture.     

Soil carbon stock and flux in plantation forest and grassland ecosystems in Loess Plateau,China

Carbon sequestration occurs when cultivated soils are re-vegetated. In the hilly area of the Loess Plateau, China, black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia) plantation forest and grassland were the two main vegetation types used to mitigate soil and water loss after cultivation abandonment. The purpose of this study was to compare the soil carbon stock and flux of these two types of vegetation which restored for 25 years. The experiment was conducted in Yangjuangou catchment in Yan′an City, Shaanxi Province, China. Two adjacent slopes were chosen for this study. Six sample sites were spaced every 35–45 m from summit to toe slope along the hill slope, and each sample site contained three sampling plots. Soil organic carbon and related physicochemical properties in the surface soil layer(0–10 cm and 10–20 cm) were measured based on soil sampling and laboratory analysis, and the soil carbon dioxide(CO2) emissions and environmental factors were measured in the same sample sites simultaneously. Results indicated that in general, a higher soil carbon stock was found in the black locust plantation forest than that in grassland throughout the hill slope. Meanwhile, significant differences in the soil carbon stock were observed between these two vegetation types in the upper slope at soil depth 0–10 cm and lower slope at soil depth 10–20 cm. The average daily values of the soil CO2 emissions were 1.27 μmol/(m2·s) and 1.39 μmol/(m2·s) for forest and grassland, respectively. The soil carbon flux in forest covered areas was higher in spring and less variation was detected between different seasons, while the highest carbon flux was found in grassland in summer, which was about three times higher than that in autumn and spring. From the carbon sequestration point of view, black locust plantation forest on hill slopes might be better than grassland because of a higher soil carbon stock and lower carbon flux.     

Age-related changes of carbon accumulation and allocation in plants and soil of black locust forest on Loess Plateau in Ansai County,Shaanxi Province of China

The effects of reforestation on carbon(C) sequestration in China′s Loess Plateau ecosystem have attracted much research attention in recent years. Black locust trees(Robinia pseudoacacia L.) are valued for their important use in reforestation and water and soil conservation efforts. This forest type is widespread across the Loess Plateau, and must be an essential component of any planning for C sequestration efforts in this fragile ecological region. The long-term effects of stand age on C accumulation and allocation after reforestation remains uncertain. We examined an age-sequence of black locust forest(5, 9, 20, 30, 38, and 56 yr since planting) on the Loess Plateau to evaluate C accumulation and allocation in plants(trees, shrubs, herbages, and leaf litter) and soil(0–100 cm). Allometric equations were developed for estimating the biomass of tree components(leaf, branch, stem without bark, bark and root) with a destructive sampling method. Our results demonstrated that black locust forest ecosystem accumulated C constantly, from 31.42 Mg C/ ha(1 Mg = 10~6 g) at 5 yr to 79.44 Mg C/ha at 38 yr. At the ′old forest′ stage(38 to 56 yr), the amount of C in plant biomass significantly decreased(from 45.32 to 34.52 Mg C/ha) due to the high mortality of trees. However, old forest was able to accumulate C continuously in soil(from 33.66 to 41.00 Mg C/ha). The C in shrub biomass increased with stand age, while the C stock in the herbage layer and leaf litter was age-independent. Reforestation resulted in C re-allocation in the forest soil. The topsoil(0–20 cm) C stock increased constantly with stand age. However, C storage in sub-top soil, in the 20–30, 30–50, 50–100, and 20–100 cm layers, was age-independent. These results suggest that succession, as a temporal factor, plays a key role in C accumulation and re-allocation in black locust forests and also in regional C dynamics in vegetation.     

Response of Soil Moisture to Rainfall Event in Black Locust Plantations at Different Stages of Restoration in Hilly-gully Area of the Loess Plateau,China

Precipitation plays an important role in the water supplies that support ecological restoration by sustaining large-scale artificial plantations in arid and semiarid regions, especially black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia) plantations(RP plantations), which are widely planted due to R. pseudoacacia being an excellent pioneer species. Characterizing the response of soil moisture to rainfall events at different stages of restoration is important for assessing the sustainability of restoration in RP plantations. In this study, we quantified the response of soil moisture to rainfall events at different years of restoration(15, 20 and 30 yr) representing different restoration stages in RP plantations in a typical hilly-gully area, i.e., the Yangjuangou Catchment, of the Loess Plateau, China. Over the growing season(June to September) of 2017, smart probes were placed at nine depths(10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, and 180 cm below the soil surface) to obtain volumetric soil water information at 30-min intervals in the three RP plantations. The advance of the wetting front was depicted, and the total cumulative water infiltration was measured. Soil moisture was mainly replenished by eight heavy rainfall events(mean rainfall amount = 46.3 mm), accounting for 88.7% of the rainfall during the growing season. The mean soil moisture content profiles of RP plantations at the three restoration stages were ordered as 30-yr(14.07%) 20-yr(10.12%) 15-yr(8.03%), and this relationship displayed temporal stability. Soil moisture was primarily replenished by rainfall at the 0-60 cm soil depth, and soil moisture remained stable below the 100-cm soil depth. The rainfall regime influenced the advancement of the wetting front. Here, a single rainfall event of 30 mm was the rainfall threshold for infiltration into the 60-cm soil layer. The total infiltration time ranged from 310.5-322.0 h, but no significant differences were found among RP plantations at different restoration stages. Young and old RP plantations had more total infiltration(more than 228.2 mm) and deeper infiltration depths(80-100 cm) than middle-aged plantations. The RP plantation at the intermediate restoration stage exhibited minimal total infiltration(174.2 mm) and a shallow infiltration depth(60 cm) due to the soil physical structure of the plot, which may have limited rain infiltration. More stand conditions that may affect infiltration should be considered for priority afforestation areas.     

黄土高原生态退耕的时空分异特征

生态退耕是调整陆地生态系统结构与功能以应对土地利用过度干扰的重要途径之一,因此科学掌握退耕格局与耕地格局演变对黄土高原生态环境治理与生态修复具有深远意义。本文以位于黄土高原的延安市为典型区,从生态退耕的整体特征、地形因素及区域差异等角度,探究生态退耕以来其耕地变化及退耕状况的空间分异特征。结果表明：生态退耕致使延安市耕地面积由2000年的11 752.80 km²减少为2013年的9149.93 km²,退耕面积为2756.85 km²,退耕指数为22.15%,且退耕耕地主要转化为林地、草地,占退耕面积的95.29%;耕地与退耕面积主要分布于6~15°、15~25°坡度及第II级（925~1115 m）、第III级（1115~1275 m）,且2005-2013年的生态退耕速率均高于2000-2005年的生态退耕速率;县域退耕面积及退耕程度均呈现由北向南依次递减的分异特征,而退耕重心与耕地重心均在延安市几何中心以北的安塞县与宝塔区边界,且生态退耕的重心由东北向西南方向迁移,耕地重心则由北向南迁移。本文通过对延安市生态退耕的时空分异特征分析可为黄土高原更加科学合理地推进生态保育与生态文明建设提供参考。     

三北工程区植被恢复对土壤风蚀的影响及植被恢复潜力研究

三北地区是我国重要的生态屏障,分析2000—2019年三北防护林体系建设工程（简称：三北工程）区植被恢复时空变化状况,厘定人类活动与气候要素对植被恢复的贡献,探究植被恢复对土壤风蚀影响,评估植被恢复潜力空间,可为三北防护林体系建设工程未来规划管理和科学施策提供参考。本文在选取植被覆盖度和植被净初级生产力表征植被恢复状况基础上,利用地面数据,结合模型模拟,定量评估了2000—2019年三北防护林体系建设工程区植被恢复程度及其对土壤风蚀的影响,并对植被恢复潜力进行探究。研究结果表明：(1) 2000—2019年植被恢复程度高、较高的面积,占总面积的35.29%和13.16%,主要分布在黄土高原区及北部区域和风沙区与东北华北平原农区的部分地区。人类活动与气候因素对植被恢复贡献率为10.45%和89.55%;(2)土壤风蚀以轻度侵蚀和微度侵蚀为主,呈逐年下降趋势,剧烈侵蚀面积减少了66.45%,防风固沙服务得到进一步提升。植被恢复程度与土壤风蚀模数呈负相关关系,植被恢复程度较好有助于降低土壤风蚀模数;(3)三北工程区森林、草地和荒漠生态系统仍有8.16%的恢复潜力,内蒙古高原北部部分地区、哈顺...     

Analysis of comprehensive benefits of transforming slope farmland to terraces on the Loess Plateau: A case study of the Yangou Watershed in Northern Shaanxi Province, China

De-farming slope farmland has been an effective measure in recent years to improve environment and prevent soil and water loss on the Loess Plateau.There are different views about the defarming method,and also various de-farming patterns have been put into practice.This paper takes the Yangou Watershed in Shaanxi Province of China as a case for studying the comprehensive benefits of transforming slope farmland to terraces.Based on the day-by-day meteorological data of the Yan'an station in 2005 and the data...     

Rural landscape types and recreational value spatial analysis of valley area of Loess Plateau: A case of Hulu Watershed,Gansu Province,China

Rural landscape is a complex of natural landscape and human landscape, with various values. The recreational value of rural landscape is a kind of comprehensive benefit with economic, social and ecological, which is provided by the rural landscape as a recreational resource. Loess Plateau is located at the junction of northern and northwestern of China, with serious water and soil erosion and fragile ecological environment. Jingning County is the national poor county, belonging to Liupanshan concentrated poverty areas. Hulu Watershed in Jingning is the typical valley area of Loess Plateau. In the past few decades, Jingning facing the fragile ecology and poverty, has been focusing on apple industry, forming unique rural landscape, exploring an ecological development path, and making much progress in green industrialization and urbanization. The author, according to the apple tree's growing stages, divided the rural landscape of Hulu Watershed into 15 types and analyzed its spatial patterns. The recreational value of Hulu Watershed was evaluated at 1.8 × 10~8–3.6 × 10~8 yuan(RMB) in 2014, by Travel Cost Method and Contingent Valuation Method. The territorial differentiational features of recreational value were that the higher value landscape types concentrated in the surrounding areas of towns and central villages, and the areas along the traffic and river had more development potentiality. The main influence factors were the construction of rural landscape and the development of recreation industry. And the development paths of different landscape types were also proposed. The research conclusions can provide reference for the landscape exploration and recreation industry development in the similar underdeveloped areas in the valley area of Loess Plateau with fragile ecology and poverty.     

PREDICTION OF SEDIMENT REDUCING BENEFIT UNDER DIFFERENT RAINFALL CONDITIONS AND CONTROL DEGREES ON THE LOESS PLATEAU DEGREES ON THE LOESS PLATEAU

Soilerosionisoneofthemostseriousenvironmentalproblemsinthepresentworld.Itnotonlyrestrictstheproductionofagriculturebadly,butalsothreatensthenaturalenvironmentonwhichhumanbeinglive.Andthismakethemankindconfrontedwithtremendouschallenge.OntheLoessPlateau,soilandwaterlossisterrible,environmentisweak,anditshighsandyieldmakestheriverwayinthelowerreachesoftheHuanghe(Yellow)Riverfilledup,riverbeddrivenup,floodthreatprickedup,andresultsingreathiddentroublestothecontrollingoffloodandtherunningofirrig…     

SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF SOIL ORGANIC CARBON IN RESERVED DESERTIFICATION AREA——A Case Study in Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, China

1INTRODUCTIONDesertification is one of the most serious land degrada-tion, which results in the deterioration of physical, che-mical, and biological characteristics of soils (UNEP, 1992). Soil organic carbon (SOC) was considered to be a key index in evaluation of soil quality, soil degradation and soil C sequestration(SCHLENGSINGER etal., 1990; FENG etal., 2002; WANG etal., 2003). Many researchers have reported the correlations among desertification restoration, soil C s…     

近30年来中国陆地蒸散量和土壤水分变化特征分析

 对NOAH陆面模式模拟的近30年中国陆地蒸散量和土壤含水量,按照6大片区和5种生态系统类型进行了统计分析。讨论全国以及各大区不同生态系统类型蒸散和土壤含水量的变化,研究不同类型蒸散和土壤含水量的关系。中国陆地蒸散量总体呈增加的趋势,年内蒸散量最大的月份是7月,年末和年初蒸散量较小。而我国中南、西南、华东、东北和西北蒸散量变化趋势和全国的总趋势一致,呈增加的趋势。华北地区蒸散量近30年来总体趋势是下降的,华北蒸散量最大的年份是上世纪90年代。在所有生态系统类型中,林地蒸散最大的有东北、华东、西南和中南4区;而华北和西北草地在各类型中蒸散量所占比例最高。6大片区对比,林地蒸散水量最大的地区是西南和中南,最小的西北;草地蒸散水量最大的地区是西南,最小的是东北区;农田蒸散水量最高的是华东,最低的是西北;荒漠蒸散量最大的片区是西北;湿地蒸散最大的是东北。80年代以来,全国土壤含水量总体呈下降的趋势。从各片区的情况看,仅西北地区稍有增加,其余5区土壤含水量皆是下降的。植被覆盖度和土壤水分是影响蒸散量最重要的因子,在植被覆盖较差时,土壤水分和蒸散量相关性较好。     

Different Responses of Vegetation to Frozen Ground Degradation in the Source Region of the Yellow River from 1980 to 2018

Frozen ground degradation under a warming climate profoundly influences the growth of alpine vegetation in the source region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This study investigated spatiotemporal variations in the frozen ground distribution, the active layer thickness(ALT) of permafrost(PF) soil and the soil freeze depth(SFD) in seasonally frozen soil from 1980 to 2018 using the temperature at the top of permafrost(TTOP) model and Stefan equation. We compared the effects of these variations on veg...     

A GIS-based modeling approach for fast assessment of soil erosion by water at regional scale,loess plateau of China

The objective of this study is to develop a unique modeling approach for fast assessment of massive soil erosion by water at a regional scale in the Loess Plateau, China. This approach relies on an understanding of both regional patterns of soil loss and its impact factors in the plateau area. Based on the regional characteristics of pre- cipitation, vegetation and land form, and with the use of Landsat TM and ground investigation data, the entire Loess Plateau was first divided into 3 380 Fundamental Asses...     

Synergistic effects of vegetation layers of maize and potato intercropping on soil erosion on sloping land in Yunnan Province,China

Intercropping, as an overyielding system, can decrease soil erosion on sloping land through the presence of dense canopy covers. However, the structure mechanism in canopy is still unclear. We conducted a two-year field experiment on runoff plots, exploring whether the interaction between vegetation layers reduce soil erosion in maize and potato intercropping systems. The maize, potato, and weed layers in the intercropping system were removed by a single layer, two layers and three layers, respectively(total of 8 treatments including all layers removed as the control). Then, throughfall, runoff and sediment were measured at the plot and row scale on a weekly basis. Based on the difference between each treatment and the control, we calculated and found a relative reduction of runoff and sediment by any combination of the two vegetation layers greater than the sum of each single layer. In 2016 and 2017, the highest relative reduction of runoff reached 15.65% and 46.73%, respectively. Sediment loss decreased by 33.96% and 42.77%, respectively. Moreover, runoffand sediment reduced by the combination of all vegetation layers(no layers removed) was also larger than the sum of that by each single layer. In 2016 and 2017, the highest relative reduction of runoff reached 7.32% and 3.48%, respectively. So, there were synergistic effects among multi-level(two or three layers) vegetation layers in terms of decreasing soil erosion on sloping land. Maize redistributes more throughfall at the maize intra-specific row and the maize and potato inter-specific, which is favorable for the synergistic effect of reducing soil erosion. This finding shows an important mechanism of maize and potato intercropping for soil and water conservation, and may promote the application of diverse cropping systems for sustainable agriculture in mountainous areas.     

西北地区土壤资源特征及其开发利用与保护

在分析西北地区土壤分布规律的基础上,研究了不同类型区土壤的资源特征及其在开发利用中存在的问题,认为黄土地区土壤土质疏松、粉砂含量高、富含碳酸钙是水土流失的物质基础;干旱区广为分布的荒漠土壤资源的性能低劣、绿洲区水土资源的利用比例失调是造成土地荒漠化、土壤盐渍化的根本原因;而高原土壤的粗骨性、土层浅薄、有效肥力低则加速了草场的退化和沙漠化.提出了西北地区土壤资源的合理利用与生态环境保护相协调的途经,即搞好农田基本建设,采用旱作技术节水和合理用水,扩大林草植被,保护天然草场和林木.并认为西北土壤资源的开发利用要在充分发挥其生产潜力的同时,首先应遵循生态规律,开发与保护并重,防止土壤资源衰竭和破坏.     

Changes in the depths of seasonal freezing and thawing and their effects on vegetation in the Three-River Headwater Region of the Tibetan Plateau

Frozen ground degradation plays an important role in vegetation growth and activity in high-altitude cold regions. This study estimated the spatiotemporal variations in the active layer thickness(ALT) of the permafrost region and the soil freeze depth(SFD) in the seasonally frozen ground region across the Three Rivers Source Region(TRSR) from 1980 to 2014 using the Stefan equation, and differentiated the effects of these variations on alpine vegetation in these two regions. The results showed that the average ALT from 1980 to 2014 increased by23.01 cm/10 a, while the average SFD decreased by 3.41 cm/10 a, and both changed intensively in the transitional zone between the seasonally frozen ground and permafrost. From 1982-2014, the increase in the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)and the advancement of the start of the vegetation growing season(SOS) in the seasonally frozen ground region(0.0078/10 a, 1.83 d/10 a) were greater than those in the permafrost region(0.0057/10 a,0.39 d/10 a). The results of the correlation analysis indicated that increases in the ALT and decreases in the SFD in the TRSR could lead to increases in the NDVI and advancement of the SOS. Surface soil moisture played a critical role in vegetation growth in association with the increasing ALT and decreasing SFD. The NDVI for all vegetation types in the TRSR except for alpine vegetation showed an increasing trend that was significantly related to the SFD and ALT. During the study period, the general frozen ground conditions were favorable to vegetation growth, while the average contributions of ALT and SFD to the interannual variation in the NDVI were greater than that of precipitation but less than that of temperature.     

Modelling plant canopy effects on water-heat exchange in the freezingthawing processes of active layer on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The effect of vegetation on the water-heat exchange in the freezing-thawing processes of active layer is one of the key issues in the study of land surface processes and in predicting the response of alpine ecosystems to climate change in permafrost regions. In this study, we used the simultaneous heat and water model to investigate the effects of plant canopy on surface and subsurface hydrothermal dynamics in the Fenghuoshan area of the QinghaiTibet Plateau by changing the leaf area index(LAI) and keeping other variables constant. Results showed that the sensible heat, latent heat and net radiation are increased with an increase in the LAI. However, the ground heat flux decreased with an increasing LAI. The annual total evapotranspiration and vegetation transpiration ranged from-16% to 9% and-100% to 15%, respectively, in response to extremes of doubled and zero LAI, respectively. There was a negative feedback between vegetation and the volumetric unfrozen water content at 0.2 m through changing evapotranspiration. The simulation results of soil temperature and moisture suggest that better vegetation conditions are conducive to maintaining the thermal stability of the underlying permafrost, and the advanced initial thawing time and increasing thawing rate of soil ice with the increase in the LAI may have a great influence on the timing and magnitude of supra-permafrost groundwater. This study quantifies the impact of vegetation change on surface and subsurface hydrothermal processes and provides a basic understanding for evaluating the impact of vegetation degradation on the water-heat exchange in permafrost regions under climate change.     

Vegetation-environment relationships between northern slope of Karlik Mountain and Naomaohu Basin, East Tianshan Mountains

Based on data from 22 sample plots and applying the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA),this paper discusses the vegetation-environment relationships between the northern slope of Karlik Mountain and Naomaohu Basin,which is situated in the easternmost end of the Tianshan Mountains,Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China.For the zonal vegetation,community diversity of mountain vegetation is higher than that of the desert vegetation due to environmental factors.The CCA ordination diagram revealed that the composition and distribution of vegetation types are mainly determined by altitude,soil pH and soil salt content.With increasing elevation,the soil pH and total salt content decrease but the contents of soil organic matter,soil water,total nitrogen and total phosphorus increase gradually.In the CCA ordination diagrams,the sample plots and main species can be divided into five types according to their adaptations to the environmental factors.Type I is composed of desert vegetation distributed on the low mountains,hills,plains and deserts below an elevation of 1900 m;type II is distributed in the mountain and desert ecotone with an elevation of 1900-2300 m,and includes steppe desert,desert steppe and wetland meadow;type III is very simply composed of only salinized meadow;type IV is distributed above an elevation of 2300 m,containing mountain steppe,meadow steppe,subalpine meadow and alpine meadow;type V only contains salinized meadow.The results show that with increasing elevation,species combination changes from the xerophytic shrubs,semi-shrubs and herbs distributed in the low altitude zone with arid climate to the cold-tolerant perennial herbs growing in the high altitudinal zone with cold climate.     

Distribution,failure risk and reinforcement necessity of check-dams on the Loess Plateau: a review

Check-dams are the most important measure to control the soil and water loss in highly erodible catchments on the Chinese Loess Plateau.Based on the data of check-dams from 1950 to 2014,our study roundly analyzed the regional distribution,function and the problems of check-dams on the Loess Plateau.A total of 17,094 check-dams with a storage capacity of over 100,000 m³ and an average density of 0.027 counts km^-2 were installed on the Loess Plateau.Check-dams’densities varied greatly in the Qinghai Province,Gansu Province,Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,Shaanxi Province,Shanxi Province and Henan Province.The highest density of check-dams reached 0.088 counts km^-2 in Shaanxi Province,whereas the lowest density of check-dams was only 0.005 counts km^-2 in Qinghai Province.However,after decades of operation,3025 large check-dams and 2257 medium check dams are dangerous and have security risks,which are seriously threatening downstream safety.The dangerous rate of checkdams is high.Specifically,the check-dams in Shanxi and Qinghai Province have the highest dangerous rates,with both exceeding 53%.Therefore,there is an urgent need for carrying out reinforcement of the dangerous check-dams.The results are helpful to policymakers to extend and develop check-dams.