Rates and causes of black soil erosion in Northeast China

Northeast China is one of the three largest black soil regions on Earth; however, although the black soil of the region is undergoing severe erosion, the dominant erosional agent (wind or water) remains unclear. We studied 12 black soil profiles and used 137Cs analysis to estimate erosion rates. The results, combined with previously published data, show a gradual decrease in erosion rate from west (>3 mm/a) to east (0–3 mm/a) across the black soil region. Correlation of the erosion rates and climatic parameters suggests that wind erosion dominates in the west and water erosion dominates in the east. Using the mean erosion rate (2.22 mm/a) as a reference, the black soil will be completely eroded in ∼113 years. Given the agricultural importance of the black soil region, we suggest that tillage should be reduced throughout the region, and that to control ongoing erosion, revegetation should be conducted by planting herbs in the west and afforestation in the east.