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Impact of the coupling effect between topographic factor and tillage disturbance on slope morphological evolution and soil redistribution
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DOI：10.1007/s11368-026-04499-z.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
To investigate the effects of topographic factors (slope gradient and slope length) and tillage disturbances on slope evolution and soil redistribution processes in alpine canyon regions of southwestern China. Different numbers of tillage operations by traditionally hoeing were conducted over a short time interval (5 days) at a series of experimental plots with varying slope gradients and lengths during a no rainfall event to examine the impact of tillage intensity on slope morphological evolution and soil redistribution. Microtopographic evolution and soil displacement were quantified plowed across different tillage times using a combination of the erosion pin method and high‑resolution 3D laser scanning to capture the integrated effects of tillage disturbance under varying topographic conditions. After 50-operation tillage, the slope shape of each treatment gradually evolved from a linear slope to a composite slope. With increasing slope gradient (ranging from 5° to 20°), soil loss area increased from 8.33% to 25.80% of the total area of the experimental plot in the upper slope positions, while deposition area rose from 16.67% to 30.60% of the total area on the lower slope positions. By contrast, the degree of soil erosion and deposition gradually decreases with increasing slope length (ranging from 5 m to 20 m). Microtopographic characteristic indices changed most markedly under the gentle-slope (5° and 10°) and short-slope (5 m and 10 m) treatments. Correspondingly, the elevation-variation coefficients increased progressively, and after 50-operation tillage, surface roughness and terrain relief also increased significantly. Structural equation modelling revealed that tillage intensity had the strongest indirect effect on slope morphology (0.714), while topographic factors displayed the greatest direct influence (0.712). Tillage intensity has the predominant explanatory power for soil loss on the upper slope positions (58.68%), yet topographic factor was the dominant factor controlling soil deposition on the lower slope positions, explained 48.74% of the total variance. The evolution of slope morphology on sloping farmland is regulated by the synergistic effect of tillage disturbance and topographic factors: tillage disturbance is the dominant factor in soil loss process, while topographic factors play a key regulatory role in soil deposition. Intensive tillage resulted in notable soil redistribution within the landscape of the steep slope, causing net soil loss and gain close to the upper slope and lower slope boundaries of the field, respectively. Minimal tillage are effective at reducing soil disturbance and promoting sustainable agriculture in alpine canyon regions of southwestern China.
Keywords:
Tillage disturbance
Soil loss
Topographic factor
Soil redistribution
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