LI Hao¹, ZHANG Xinbao^2,3, WEN Anbang², CAO Jianhua⁴

（1. College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130;
2. Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041;
3. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081;
4. Key Laboratory of Karst Ecosystem and Treatment of Rocky Desertification, Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin 541004）

Abstract: The Karst area of southwest China is one of the regions having the most fragile ecological environment in China. Soil erosion and rocky desertification caused by the former are considered as the most severe environmental concern in this region. However, the reliable studies on soil erosion and sediment in this region are limited and few studies using radionuclide tracing technique have been conducted in Karst environments. A study on sediment depositional rate was undertaken in a hill peak-cluster depression catchment in Yaji experimental site in Guilin City by using 137Cs technique and the sediment depositional rate was assessed. The average sediment deposition rate and specific sediment yield of the depression were estimated to be 0.104 cm·yr-1 and 13.68 t·km-2·yr-1, respectively for the period from 1963 to 2008. Results indicate that the surface soil loss rate was slight in Karst mountain area having dense forest vegetation.

Key words: karst hill peak-cluster depression; sediment deposition; 137Cs tracing technique; Yaji experimental site

EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT Vol. 44, No.1 Tot No.309, 2016, Page 57-63