Soil Erosion Control and Human Activities On the Loess Plateau, China

The Loess Plateau lies in the North of China and is one of the most serious regions of soil erosion in the world. Severe loss of soil and water not only has its devastating effect on farming, forestry, stock-breeding and ecological environment of the area concerned, but also is the root of poverty for local people. The Loess Plateau has a long cultivation history, hence population growth, vegetation degeneration and plugging constitute the chief reason for serious soil and water loss on Loess Plateau. This paper analyses the relationships between soil erosion and human activities, and discusses some effective methods adopted in China in soil erosion control, research directions and future perspectives on Loess Plateau.