Rainfall characteristics and their effects on loess slope erosion in the loess hilly region of the western Loess Plateau were studied using the runoff plots located in the Anjiagou watershed

Dingxi City

Gansu Province and the data observed from 2009 to 2011. Results showed that in the condition of natural rainfall

runoff process under different treatments could be divided into runoff producing

maximum runoff

stability of runoff and disappearance of runoff and soil erosion

into erosion producing

maximum erosion amount and curtailment erosion. The eight treatments

in order of the decreasing total amounts of runoff and soil loss

were 15° spring wheat

10° spring wheat

10° Pinus tabulaeformis arboreal forest

15° waste land

15° Hippophae rhamnoides shrub forest

10° waste land

15° Pinus tabulaeformis arboreal forest and 10° Hippophae rhamnoides shrub forest. From the hierarchical clustering

on the 10° slope

Hippophae rhamnoides shrub forest had an obvious effect of soil and water conservation

while on the 15° slope

Pinus tabulaeformis arboreal forest had an obvious effect of soil and water conservation. Therefore

combined with the climate and environment of test site

10° slope is suitable for planting Hippophae rhamnoides and 15° slope

for returning farmland to forest.