Seasonal climate variability, human activity, and terrace mitigation of erosion in the Hani rice terraces, China, in 2020

IF 5.6 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Environmental and Sustainability Indicators Pub Date : 2025-09-17 DOI:10.1016/j.indic.2025.100930

Guangyong Zhang , Linlin Huang , Linxuan Miao , Man Yang , Sen Li

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Abstract

The Hani Terrace, a UNESCO agricultural heritage site in China, exemplifies soil and water conservation through its integrated forest-village-terrace-water system. However, seasonal climate variability and increased human activity are raising soil erosion risks, with seasonal patterns and drivers remaining insufficiently understood. This study employs high-resolution remote sensing to map soil erosion dynamics in the Hani Terrace core area. Results show a mild annual erosion rate of 8.69 t/hm², with only 1.57 % of the area at high risk. Erosion peaks in the second quarter (73.33 % of annual loss) are driven by climate-intensified rainfall coinciding with human land-preparation activities that minimize vegetation cover. Terracing reduces erosion by 58.5 % compared to non-terraced areas (12.28 t/hm²) by shortening slope lengths and increasing plant cover. These 2020 findings clarify the seasonal drivers of soil erosion and quantify the protective effect of terracing, providing practical guidance for improving ecological resilience and soil-water management in mountainous heritage landscapes.

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2020年哈尼族水稻梯田季节气候变率、人类活动与梯田侵蚀减缓

哈尼梯田被联合国教科文组织列为中国农业文化遗产，通过其森林-村庄-梯田-水的综合系统，体现了水土保持。然而，季节性气候变率和人类活动增加正在增加土壤侵蚀风险，而对季节性模式和驱动因素的了解仍然不够充分。本研究采用高分辨率遥感技术对哈尼阶地核心区土壤侵蚀动态进行了研究。结果表明，年侵蚀率为8.69 t/hm2，轻度侵蚀区仅占1.57%；第二季度的侵蚀峰值（占年损失量的73.33%）是由气候增强的降雨驱动的，而人类的土地整理活动使植被覆盖最小化。与非梯田地区（12.28 t/hm2）相比，通过缩短坡长和增加植物覆盖，梯田减少了58.5%的侵蚀。这些2020年的研究结果阐明了土壤侵蚀的季节性驱动因素，量化了梯田的保护作用，为提高山地遗产景观的生态恢复力和水土管理提供了实践指导。

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