Impacts of vegetation restoration modes on surface runoff and soil erosion in the Dianchi lake catchment, southwestern China

To estimate the first year influences of four vegetation restoration modes (five plots) on soil and water loss from the afforested difficul rocky hill slope, the runoff and soil loss were monitored in runoff plots over a 3-month period after planting in southwestern China. We demonstrated that the higher rainfall regime was more likely to lead to increased runoff coefficient and soil loss. Total nitrogen was easier to lose in sustained rainfall. Total phosphorus concentration was higher in the first few rainfall events, and decreased gradually with the increase of rainfall events. A large amount of output of non-point source pollution was in the fourth or fifth rainfall event in the rainy season. Continuous weak rainfall more easily dissolved nitrogen and organic pollutants. The larger the runoff was, the higher soil loss and runoff coefficient values were. The data indicated that the "mode of planting on poor, shallow soils in degraded hilly area" was the best mode in intercepting pollutants in the first year after planting.