Natural rainfall affects soil erosion of typical vegetation in Dabie Mountains, Anhui Province

Effects of different land uses/covers on soil and water loss processes under different rainfall patterns have great significance to guide vegetation construction and soil and water loss control．Responses of soil and water yield characteristics to rainfall patterns and crop types (tea, red taro, mulberry) were studied by rainfall simulation under three runoff plots at Huoshan soil and water conservation station in Dabie Mountain from 2013 to 2018．The months of April and July were found to be the peak periods of soil erosion．From 2013 to 2018, soil and water loss showed a trend of rapid decline, followed by stability, and finally an increase in 2018．The order of contribution of each rainfall factor to soil erosion was found to be P>R>I₃₀>t>I₆₀>I．Rainfall was the most important factor affecting sediment yield．Rainfall erosion had the greatest effect on tree and shrub runoff．Moderate and heavy rains were found to show the highest inter-annual variability．Very heavy rains were infrequent but caused the most serious soil erosion．The main rainfall pattern in Dabie Mountains, Anhui province was Type Ⅰ．Type Ⅲ rainfall was the least frequent, but with soil and water loss much higher than the other three rainfall patterns．Type Ⅳ showed the least impact on soil and water loss．