MOTIVATION Our goal was to develop a normalization technique that yields results similar to cyclic loess normalization and with speed comparable to quantile normalization. RESULTS Fastlo yields normalized values similar to cyclic loess and quantile normalization and is fast; it is at least an order of magnitude faster than cyclic loess and approaches the speed of quantile normalization. Furth...

The non-parametric Mann-Kendall method and Sliding t-test were applied in this study to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of trends of the precipitation in the Loess Plateau from 1958 to 2007. The main trends of the precipitation in this region is downward, only four upward time series have not reach the significant level. Most of the abrupt changes happened in northeast of Loess Platea...

Check-dams are the most common structures for controlling soil erosion in the Loess Plateau. However, the effect of check-dams on carbon sequestration, along with sediment transport and deposition, has not been assessed over large areas. In this study, we evaluated the carbon sequestration function of check-dams in the Loess Plateau. The results indicate that there were approximately 11 000 che...

In many regions in China there is a wide distribution of dead-weight collapsible loess that experience frequent disasters resulting in enormous losses to national property. Loess collapsibility is the leading cause of disasters in loess areas. Many international scholars are working collaboratively to avoid property losses and human casualties caused by the collapsible loess. Loess collapsibili...

The Zmajevac loess-palaeosol succession (LPS) of the northeastern Baranja loess plateau is exposed along the southern slope of Bansko Brdo, on the western bank of the Danube River. The investigated 17.5-m-thick section shows 4 palaeosol, 1 loess-like and 6 loess horizons. Their integrative palaeoenvironmental analysis combines quantified data from the mollusc record, magnetic susceptibility, gr...

The conterminous United States contains an extensive and generally well-studied record of Last Glacial loess. The loess occurs in diverse physiographic provinces, and under a wide range of climatic and ecological conditions. Both glacial and non-glacial loess sources are present, and many properties of the loess vary systematically with distance from loess sources. United States’ midcontinent L...

The Ordos Basin of China encompasses the Mu Us Desert in the northwest and the Chinese Loess Plateau to the south and east. The boundary between the mostly internally drained Mu Us Desert and fluvially incised Loess Plateau is an erosional escarpment, up to 400 m in relief, composed of Quaternary loess. Linear ridges, with lengths of ~102–103 m, are formed in Cretaceous–Quaternary strata throug...

The behaviour of collapsible soils (loess) is studied in this paper. Simulations of the stress and strain behaviour of the soil are made via the theoretical framework of Structured Cam Clay, with the effect of glutinous ingredient in loess suggested to be modelled as cementation effect. Based on the simulations, the capacity of the model for representing the behaviour loess is investigated, and...

The Loess Plateau of China is a unique geographical unit characterized by extensive loess distribution, serious soil erosion, low vegetation coverage and high soil carbonate content. Since the 1950s, the Chinese government has made great efforts to control soil erosion and restore vegetation, including large-scale tree plantation in the 1970s, integrated soil erosion control in the 1980s and 19...

Based on the morphological characteristics of loess hilly and gully areas, a simple and effective method for extracting loess shoulder-lines based on object-based image analysis is proposed. A case study is conducted in the northern Shaanxi Loess Plateau of China and the digital elevation model with a grid size of 5 m is applied as original data in this research. In order to get clear edge of D...