Interactive comment on “Moderate topsoil erosion rates constrain the magnitude of the erosion-induced carbon sink and agricultural productivity losses on the Chinese Loess Plateau” by J. Zhao et al

Moderate topsoil erosion rates constrain the magnitude of the 1 erosion - induced carbon sink and agricultural productivity 2 losses on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Interactive comment on “Moderate topsoil erosion rates constrain the magnitude of the erosion-induced carbon sink and agricultural productivity losses on the Chinese Loess Plateau” by J. Zhao et al

Reply: this statement was indeed based on the observed data at two gauge stations: one located at the outlet of Chinese loess plateau and named Huayuankou station; another was located at the estuary of yellow river and named Lijin station (Figure 1 and 9 in MS). In 1950s condition, we estimated that soil erosion mobilized, in total, ca. 8.21 ± 3.44 Tg C yr-1 which consistent with the observatio...

Moderate topsoil erosion rates constrain the magnitude of the erosion-induced carbon sink and agricultural productivity losses on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Despite a multitude of studies, overall erosion rates as well as the contribution of different erosion processes on Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) remain uncertain, which hampers a correct assessment of the impact of soil erosion on carbon and nutrient cycling as well as on crop productivity. In this paper we used a novel approach, based on field evidence, to reassess erosion rates on the CLP befo...

Changes in soil organic carbon induced by tillage and water erosion on a steep cultivated hillslope in the Chinese Loess Plateau from 1898–1954 and 1954–1998

[1] The fate of soil organic carbon (SOC) transported and redistributed by erosion over steep agricultural landscapes is uncertain. The effect of topography, slope, and slope position on SOC redistribution must be considered. Our objectives were to (1) determine the spatial patterns of both tillage and water erosion-induced SOC redistribution, (2) evaluate the compensating effects of tillage-in...

Rainfall Characteristics of the Liudaogou Catchment on the Northern Loess Plateau of China

The objectives of this study were to understand the rainfall characteristics of thewind-water erosion crisscross region on the northern Loess Plateau, China, to provide basisfor the studies on mitigation of soil erosion, estimation on surface water resources andlocal hydrological circle, etc. The Liudaogou Catchment with representative climatic andhydrologic conditions of wind-water erosion cri...