[Objective] The main mechanisms

pathways and characteristics of carbon sinks related to soil and water conservation were explored from the perspective of carbon peak

carbon neutralization goals

and the schedule of Chinese national strategy objectives and goals in order to provide references for comprehensively improving the capacity of soil and water conservation to sequester carbon

and to scientifically promote the high-quality development of comprehensive control of soil and water losses.[Methods] Based on various soil and water conservation measures and their synergistic mechanisms

and referring to relevant research results from home and abroad

the discipline application basis

basic mechanisms

three main pathways

and four kinds of material performance of soil and water conservation related to carbon sinks were systematically discussed and analyzed. Additionally

the main characteristics of soil and water conservation related to carbon sinks were identified.[Results] The role of soil and water conservation related to carbon sinks comes from the joint participation of three types of soil and water conservation measures:plant measures

engineering measures

and farming measures through a variety of pathways that include plants

soil

and water. These measures can reduce CO2 in the atmosphere and convert it into a variety of carbon compounds for storage in plants and their products

in soil

and in water. The carbon sink pathways related to soil and water conservation include the plant pathway

the soil pathway

and the water pathway. Carbon sinks related to soil and water conservation include biomass

inanimate organic matter

soil organic matter

and water carbon. The main characteristics of soil and water conservation that affect carbon sinks include the joint action of a variety of control measures

the interweaving of a variety of carbon sink pathways

and the locality of carbon sink materials. The characteristics of carbon sinks are obvious over short time periods

and weak carbon sinks are clear over yearly cycles.[Conclusion] Soil and water conservation during this new period of ecological civilization construction should comprehensively promote soil and water conservation as a means of sequestering carbon

implement the monitoring and evaluation of carbon sinks

expand soil and water conservation measures that result in high carbon sinks

construct clean ecological small watersheds

avoid carbon emissions caused by soil erosion and damage control measures

further improve increment in carbon sinks

and consolidate the capacity of carbon sinks.