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Soil Erosion and Soil and Water Conservation, 2nd Edition
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Soil Erosion and Soil and Water Conservation, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Water".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 26 November 2025 | Viewed by 5579

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Peng Li

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Guest Editor
Institute of Water Resources and Hydro-Electric Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, China
Interests: soil and water conservation; erosion dynamics; hydrological process in arid regions; utilization of soil and water resources; ecological restoration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jianye Ma

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Water Resources and Hydro-Electric Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, China
Interests: soil erosion; soil and water conservation; isotopic hydrology; ecological restoration; plant roots
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Binhua Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’ an 710048, China
Interests: simulation and regulation of water and sediment dynamic processes in basins
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil erosion is a global environmental problem, leading to reductions in land productivity, water scarcity, and ecological system degradation, thereby threating food security. Therefore, the work of soil and water conservation has emerged as a priority for some countries. However, soil erosion and soil and water conservation are a complicated process, and extensive research is needed to elucidate their underlying mechanisms and to take appropriate conservation measures.

In recent years, researchers have conducted extensive work on soil erosion processes and mechanisms, the effect of vegetation when engineering measures for erosion reduction, and the development of soil erosion models. Systematic studies have been carried out on hydrodynamics, soil properties, and accompanying processes, and abundant achievements have been made.

We invite contributions, including analyses and empirical work, that focus on soil erosion and soil and water conservation, carried out either globally or in specific regions. We also encourage empirical research on hydrological factors, climate change, and human activities that could affect soil erosion and soil and water conservation. Other original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: hydrology, ecohydrology, climate change, soil quality, vegetation restoration, soil and water conservation ecological services, carbon sinks, the application of artificial intelligence in soil and water conservation, and desertification control.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Peng Li
Dr. Jianye Ma
Dr. Binhua Zhao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soil erosion
  • soil and water conservation
  • ecohydrology
  • climate change
  • vegetation restoration
  • gully engineering

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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0 pages, 2725 KB  
Article
Quantifying Soil Erosion Processes Based on Micro-ΔDEM
by Na Ta, Chenguang Wang, Shixiang Zhao and Qingfeng Zhang
Water 2025, 17(17), 2557; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17172557 - 28 Aug 2025
Viewed by 881
Abstract
The spatial distribution traits of microtopography exert a profound influence on the generation of runoff and sediment. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism through which microtopography alterations, triggered by diverse factors, impact soil erosion remains largely elusive. In light of that, this study simulated conventional [...] Read more.
The spatial distribution traits of microtopography exert a profound influence on the generation of runoff and sediment. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism through which microtopography alterations, triggered by diverse factors, impact soil erosion remains largely elusive. In light of that, this study simulated conventional farming practices on the Loess Plateau: artificial backhoe, artificial digging, and contour tillage (CT), with no tillage (CK) designated as the control group. The objective was to meticulously investigate the variations in microtopography, runoff, and sediment yield under disparate treatment conditions, rainfall intensities (60 mm/h and 90 mm/h), and slope gradients (5°, 10°, and 20°). The principal findings were as follows: With the amplification of rainfall intensity, the elevation change rate and fractal dimension of various treatments generally exhibited an upward trend, whereas the structural ratio showed a downward tendency. As the slope gradient increased, the elevation change rate and structural ratio of different treatments typically increased. However, the fractal dimension displayed no conspicuous alteration at a rainfall intensity of 60 mm/h and a decreasing trend at 90 mm/h. Under different rainfall intensity scenarios, a robust linear correlation existed between the fractal dimension and both runoff and sediment yield (R2 > 0.73), rendering it an outstanding parameter for estimating these variables within the scope of this research. Path analysis revealed that the indirect effect of microtopography on sediment yield, which was mediated by runoff, constituted 77.80–96.47% of the direct effect. Moreover, under different rainfall intensities, the alterations in runoff and sediment yield ensuing from unit-scale changes in the fractal dimension varied significantly. Specifically, at a rainfall intensity of 90 mm/h, these changes were 1.70-fold and 3.75-fold those at 60 mm/h, respectively. Overall, the CT treatment engendered the lowest runoff and sediment yield, along with the highest fractal dimension, thereby emerging as the most efficacious measure for soil and water conservation in this study. The research outcomes offer valuable perspectives for further elucidating the mechanisms through which tillage practices impinge upon soil erosion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Erosion and Soil and Water Conservation, 2nd Edition)
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27 pages, 16782 KB  
Article
Response of Grain Yield to Extreme Precipitation in Major Grain-Producing Areas of China Against the Background of Climate Change—A Case Study of Henan Province
by Keding Sheng, Rui Li, Fengqiuli Zhang, Tongde Chen, Peng Liu, Yanan Hu, Bingyin Li and Zhiyuan Song
Water 2025, 17(15), 2342; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152342 - 6 Aug 2025
Viewed by 880
Abstract
Based on the panel data of daily meteorological stations and winter wheat yield in Henan Province from 2000 to 2023, this study comprehensively used the Mann–Kendall trend test, wavelet coherence analysis (WTC), and other methods to reveal the temporal and spatial evolution of [...] Read more.
Based on the panel data of daily meteorological stations and winter wheat yield in Henan Province from 2000 to 2023, this study comprehensively used the Mann–Kendall trend test, wavelet coherence analysis (WTC), and other methods to reveal the temporal and spatial evolution of extreme precipitation and its multi-scale stress mechanism on grain yield. The results showed the following: (1) Extreme precipitation showed the characteristics of ‘frequent fluctuation-gentle trend-strong spatial heterogeneity’, and the maximum daily precipitation in spring (RX1DAY) showed a significant uplift. The increase in rainstorm events (R95p/R99p) in the southern region during the summer is particularly prominent; at the same time, the number of consecutive drought days (CDDs > 15 d) in the middle of autumn was significantly prolonged. It was also found that 2010 is a significant mutation node. Since then, the synergistic effect of ‘increasing drought days–increasing rainstorm frequency’ has begun to appear, and the short-period coherence of super-strong precipitation (R99p) has risen to more than 0.8. (2) The spatial pattern of winter wheat in Henan is characterized by the three-level differentiation of ‘stable core area, sensitive transition zone and shrinking suburban area’, and the stability of winter wheat has improved but there are still local risks. (3) There is a multi-scale stress mechanism of extreme precipitation on winter wheat yield. The long-period (4–8 years) drought and flood events drive the system risk through a 1–2-year lag effect (short-period (0.5–2 years) medium rainstorm intensity directly impacted the production system). This study proposes a ‘sub-scale governance’ strategy, using a 1–2-year lag window to establish a rainstorm warning mechanism, and optimizing drainage facilities for high-risk areas of floods in the south to improve the climate resilience of the agricultural system against the background of climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Erosion and Soil and Water Conservation, 2nd Edition)
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Review

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27 pages, 3704 KB  
Review
Radionuclide Tracing in Global Soil Erosion Studies: A Bibliometric and Systematic Review
by Yinhong Huang, Yong Yuan, Yang Xue, Jinjin Guo, Wen Zeng, Yajuan Chen and Kun Chen
Water 2025, 17(17), 2652; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17172652 - 8 Sep 2025
Viewed by 494
Abstract
Radionuclide tracer technology, as a state-of-the-art tool for quantifying and monitoring soil erosion processes, has attracted much attention in global sustainable land management research in recent years. However, existing studies are fragmented in methodological applications, lack systematic knowledge integration and interdisciplinary perspectives, and [...] Read more.
Radionuclide tracer technology, as a state-of-the-art tool for quantifying and monitoring soil erosion processes, has attracted much attention in global sustainable land management research in recent years. However, existing studies are fragmented in methodological applications, lack systematic knowledge integration and interdisciplinary perspectives, and lack global research trends and dynamic evolution of key themes. This study integrates Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace to conduct bibliometric and knowledge mapping analysis of 1692 documents (2000–2023) in the Web of Science Core Collection, focusing on the overall developmental trends, thematic evolution, and progress of convergence and innovation. The main findings of the study are as follows: (1) China, the United States, and the United Kingdom are in a “three-legged race” at the national level, with China focusing on technological application innovation, the United States on theoretical breakthroughs, and the United Kingdom contributing significantly to methodological research; (2) “soil erosion” and “137Cs” continue to be the core themes, while “climate change” and “human impact” on soil erosion and its reflection in radionuclide tracing became the focus of attention; and (3) multi-scale radionuclide tracing (watershed, slope), multi-method synergy (radionuclide tracing combined with RS, GIS, AI), and the integration of advanced measurement and control technologies (PGS, ARS) have become cutting-edge trends in soil erosion monitoring and control. This study provides three prospective research directions—the construction of a global soil erosion database, the policy transformation mechanism of the SDG interface, and the iterative optimization of multi-radionuclide tracer technology, which will provide scientific guidance for the realization of the sustainable management of soil erosion and the goal of zero growth of land degradation globally. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Erosion and Soil and Water Conservation, 2nd Edition)
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21 pages, 5922 KB  
Review
Bibliometric Analysis of the Impact of Soil Erosion on Lake Water Environments in China
by Xingshuai Mei, Guangyu Yang, Mengqing Su, Tongde Chen, Haizhen Yang and Sen Wang
Water 2025, 17(17), 2592; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17172592 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 830
Abstract
With the increasing attention to China’s ecological environment protection and the prominence of lake water environment problems, the impact of soil erosion on lake ecosystems has become an important research topic for regional sustainable development. Based on the CiteSpace bibliometric method, this study [...] Read more.
With the increasing attention to China’s ecological environment protection and the prominence of lake water environment problems, the impact of soil erosion on lake ecosystems has become an important research topic for regional sustainable development. Based on the CiteSpace bibliometric method, this study systematically analyzed 225 research articles on the impact of soil erosion on the water environment of lakes in China in the core collection of Web of Science from 1998 to 2025, aiming to reveal the research hotspots, evolution trends and regional differences in this field. The results show that China occupies a dominant position in this field (209 papers), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences is the core research institution (93 papers). The research hotspots show obvious policy-driven characteristics, which are divided into slow start periods (1998–2007), accelerated growth periods (2008–2015), explosive growth periods (2016–2020) and stable development periods (2021–2025). A keyword cluster analysis identified nine main research directions, including sedimentation effect (#0 cluster), soil loss (#2 cluster) and nitrogen and phosphorus migration (#11 cluster) in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. The study found that the synergistic effects of climate change and human activities (such as land use change) are becoming a new research paradigm, and the Yangtze River Basin, the Loess Plateau and the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau constitute the three core research areas (accounting for 72.3% of the total literature). Future research should focus on a multi-scale coupling mechanism, a climate resilience assessment and an ecological engineering effectiveness verification to support the precise implementation of lake protection policies in China. This study provides a scientific basis for the comprehensive management of the soil erosion–lake water environment system, and also contributes a Chinese perspective to the sustainable development goals (SDG6 and SDG15) of similar regions in the world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Erosion and Soil and Water Conservation, 2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 10653 KB  
Review
Bibliometric Insights into the Impact of Vegetation on Water Erosion in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Under Climate Change
by Hao Peng, Xingshuai Mei, Tongde Chen, Yanan Hu and Xiaodong Ma
Water 2025, 17(17), 2579; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17172579 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 919
Abstract
In the past 25 years, the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau has experienced a significant climate transition, which directly triggers vegetation degradation. Vegetation degradation also aggravated the water erosion process in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The accelerated warming from 2011 led to the emergence of degraded patches [...] Read more.
In the past 25 years, the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau has experienced a significant climate transition, which directly triggers vegetation degradation. Vegetation degradation also aggravated the water erosion process in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The accelerated warming from 2011 led to the emergence of degraded patches in the central region. The spatial heterogeneity of erosion intensity in the degraded area of Northwest China is significantly enhanced by the extreme climate events after 2021. In recent years, under the influence of human activities, vegetation degradation has aggravated the water erosion phenomenon. Based on the above content, this study analyzes the literature on the impact of vegetation on water erosion in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau under climate change from 2008 to 2025 from the perspective of bibliometrics. CiteSpace software v.6.3.R1 was used to visualize the knowledge map of the 206 selected articles, and the research hotspots, topics, and development process in this field were analyzed. The results show that the main research hotspots in this field are climate change, basin, CO2 consumption, etc., which can be divided into eight main research topics; after three stages of development, the research relationship between climate–vegetation–water erosion has gradually become clear. By identifying research gaps, future research can consider three aspects: cross-scale multi-dimensional analysis, technical method innovation, and policy collaborative research to address the dual challenges of vegetation degradation and water erosion in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau under the dual pressures of climate change and human activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Erosion and Soil and Water Conservation, 2nd Edition)
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21 pages, 8812 KB  
Review
Bibliometric Views on Lake Changes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Under the Background of Climate Change
by Xingshuai Mei, Guangyu Yang, Mengqing Su, Tongde Chen, Haizhen Yang, Lingling Wang, Yubo Rong and Chunjing Zhao
Water 2025, 17(16), 2429; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17162429 - 17 Aug 2025
Viewed by 677
Abstract
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a sensitive area of global climate change and an “Asian water tower” and lakes in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau changes are of great significance to the regional hydrological cycle and ecological balance. However, the existing research mostly focuses on a single [...] Read more.
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a sensitive area of global climate change and an “Asian water tower” and lakes in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau changes are of great significance to the regional hydrological cycle and ecological balance. However, the existing research mostly focuses on a single lake or short-term monitoring, and lacks a systematic review of the evolution of knowledge structure and interdisciplinary dynamics. Based on 354 literatures from CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and Web of Science, this study used CiteSpace 6.3.R1 software to construct a scientific knowledge map of lake changes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau under the background of climate change for the first time. By analyzing the number of publications, research hotspots, institutional cooperation networks and keyword emergence rules, the core triangle structure of ”climate change–Qinghai-Tibet Plateau–lake” was revealed, and the three stages of sedimentary reconstruction (2002–2008), glacier–lake coupling (2005–2014) and human–land system comprehensive research (2015–2025) were divided. The study found that the scientific literature written in Chinese and the scientific literature written in English focused on empirical cases and model simulations, respectively, The research frontiers focused on hot karst lakes (burst intensity 3.71), lake water level (2.97) and carbon cycle (2.13). The research force is centered on the Chinese Academy of Sciences, forming a cluster of institutions in the northwest region, but international cooperation only accounts for 12.3%. Future research needs to deepen multi-source data fusion, strengthen cross-regional comparison, and build an international cooperation network to cope with the complex challenges of plateau lake systems under climate change. This study provides a scientific basis for the paradigm shift and future direction of plateau lake research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Erosion and Soil and Water Conservation, 2nd Edition)
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