Spatial distribution pattern and risk assessment of degradation degree
of sloping cropland in the typical black soil region
Abstract
Clearing the status of sloping cropland degradation in typical black
soil region is the basis for restoring and reconstructing degraded black
soil. To date, the spatial distribution pattern of degree of soil
degradation is lacking. In this paper, we predicted the spatial
distribution of degree of soil degradation based on the soil degradation
index (SDI). We compared the accuracy of Ordinary Kriging (OK) and
Sequential Gaussian Simulation (SGS) with different simulation times.
SGS was also used to evaluate the degradation risk of sloping cropland
in typical black soil region of Northeast China. The results showed
that: SDI ranged from 0.013 to 0.864, with a mean value of 0.445. The
realization with 200 times by SGS was the best, with an increasing
pattern of SDI from north to south in the study area. Mildly degraded
soil, moderate degraded soil, severe degraded soil, and extremely severe
degraded soil accounted for 35.3%, 52.4%, 12.1%, and 0.2% of total
sloping cropland, respectively. The potential degradation risk and
high-risk areas were about 53.4% and 23.1% of the total sloping
cropland, respectively. The result of risk assessment could serve for
making decisions by relevant departments.