Achievements of An’sai Station during 1996-2000 No.1 Project name: Study on sustainable development of conservational eco-agriculture in loess hilly and gully region of north Shaanxi(Ansai) (96-004-05-06) Project type: The national ninth “five-year” project Project managers：Liu Wenzhao, Liang Yimin, Hou Xilu Participants： Liu Guobin, Zhang Xinchang, Wang Jijun, Bai Gangshuan, Fan Xingke, Zhang Xiaoping, Wu Ruijun, Chen Yunming, Li Rui, Zheng Jianying, Li Daiqiong, Su Min Leading Unit：Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS and MWR Partner unit: Ansai County, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology Duration：1996-2000 Objective: The core objective was to develop sustainable system for soil and water conservation and eco-agriculture. Emphases on control soil and water loss, to improve agricultural production condition and eco-environment. To intensify the infiltration of rainfall without runoff and to increase water and fertilizer use efficiency . The main measures including strengthen the introduction and integration of techniques, to exploit the productive potential of food stably and to improve the productivity of the fruit besides apple, and economical and conservational woodland and grassland greatly. Research area： l Land use and pattern, protection techniques for sustainable agriculture development l Exploiting techniques of food production potential. l Techniques of cash trees for fine quality and high yield as well as high values l Multi-techniques of grassland construction and for improving economy and ecological benefits. l The stability of ecological system and evaluation of sand decrease after comprehensive control l Establishment and application of information system of soil and water conservation eco-agriculture l Complex technique systems of improving eco-economical benefits of the woodland, cash-tree and grassland in loess hilly region l Techniques of farmland water and fertilize transformation as breach of food production in collapse land l Diagnosis and evaluation of sustainable development of soil and water conservation eco-agriculture in small watershed Main results: 1. New concept of water resource utilization had been put forward and better hydro-ecological environment had been established. In dominant factor study of sustainable eco-agriculture development of loess hilly and gully region, some viewpoints were put forward, such as moderation holding and available utilization of water resource, coordination and optimization of utilization direction and their mutual relationship of three types water resources of fountain，runoff in dyke and rainfall and soil water，to construct better hydro-ecological environment. 2. The eco-agricultural construction had been demonstrated in the watershed. The technique systems of tree and grass vegetation construction had been improved and which was demonstrated by practical effect that the only way of eco-agriculture construction of loess hilly and gully region was the farmland transiting into woodland and grassland. The technique system of forest and grass vegetation construction had been improved such as rational disposition, fast revegeation, to close gully slope to facilitate afforestation and multi-types grassland construction. The key techniques are to simulate the structure of natural vegetation，to use zonal dominant vegetation species as main species and to add companion tree species for afforestation in order to construct multi-layers mixed vegetation having multi-types and rational structure. 3. Indexes of small watershed eco-system health had been put forward. The change of eco-environment had been diagnosed by the bio-diversity. In considering eco-economical benefits and comprehensive development, the health indicators and its dynamic change with time in Zhifanggou watershed were given out by means of selecting 10 indexes besides forest and grass coverage and using arrangement analytical method. The stability index were raising from 0.178 in 1985 to 0.377 in 1990, 0.707 in 1999, which was showed that the soil and water eco-agriculture construction in Zhifanggou small watershed is in a better cycling phrase of eco-economical system now. 4. 5 The main technical and economical indexes had been accomplished or over-accomplished and remarkable benefit had been achieved. The yield of food increased stably and the average yield was158kg/mu which 1.65 times in the eighth five-years. The function of economical system increase strongly, per capita net income was of 2003 yuan that was 1.6 times in the last 5 years. The controlling degree had increased and the sediment modulus decreased. The extension area got 0.57 million mu and radiating and extending area in same style region was 2.415 million mu. Gain grain was 5.05 million kg and increasing of output 0.267 billion yuan. Keywords：Soil and water conservation, eco-agriculture, sustainable development Funds：1.4 million yuan(RMB) The project has already passed the primary evaluation of award of Shaanxi science and technology No. 2 Project name: Study on the key problems in soil and water conservation and eco-environmental rehabilitation on Loess Plateau (Project number: 96-004-05-12) Project type: The national ninth “five-year” project Principal investigators Liu Guobin, Mu Xin-min, and Li Rui Participants: Jiao Ju-yin Shangguan Zhou-pin, Xie Yongsheng Wang Beiqun Wang Wan-zhong Guo Zhong-sheng, Xu Xue-xuan, Wang Wen-long, Hou Qin-chun, Huang Ming-bin,Pen Keshan and Zhang Chener Organization Institute of soil and water conservation, CAS and MWR Research period 1996 -- 2000 Research objectives The regional soil and water conservation principle measurements and efficiency analysis, the effect of the soil and water conservation practice and agriculture development on water resources environment and the countermeasure to the regional agricultural sustainable development, the evaluation index and nutrients loess and fertilization technology, regional food production potentiality and sustainable yield management, the effect of vegetation on soil and water conservation, and strategy regional eco-environmental construction Main research items 1.Regional soil and water conservation benefits assessment 2.The effects of the soil and water conservation on water resources environment and the countermeasure to regional agricultural sustainable development; 3.The evaluation of soil nutrients loess and fertilization technology; 4.The regional grain food production potentiality and sustainable yield management; 5.The evaluation of vegetation on soil and water conservation and regional vegetation rehabilitation 6.The regional eco-environmental construction strategy Main research progress: 1. The research showed that vegetation’s coverage and the thickness of litter could be taken as the key index in evaluating the effectiveness of plants conservation, and the value range of each index was also achieved. The relationship equations of the soil reduction efficiency of different plants in Loess hilly-gully and Loess gully region were put forward. 2. A prediction model was presented by analysis of 26 comprehensively controlled watersheds on Loess Plateau. The results shown that when one watershed was comprehensively controlled, the infiltration abilities were improved and the yearly run-off was reduced to 40-50%; the run-off water in low water seasons was increased as the regulation of the run-off water seasonal distribution; the water cycling was strengthened and the water use efficiency was improved, and the 70 years high intensively control in the main soil and water loess area on Loess Plateau had no significant effect on the run-off water to the Yellow River; 3.The forecast model of the loess sediment transport and soil loess based on the yearly participation and control degree in each controlled area was obtained. By using three factors of land use, slope farmland degree and vegetation distribution, the effects of regional vegetation and different measurements used in terrace field was simulated, and the most possible sand reduction efficiency in average rainfall year was calculated, which can afford great scientific basis for eco-environmental construction planning on Loess Plateau; 4.Basic on studying of characteristics of soil nutrients loess, the regional soil nutrients loess intensity classification criteria was presented, and the map of soil nutrients loess intensity on Loess Plateau was drawn up, which can offer references for the keep and rational use of soil nutrients; 5.The long-term food development strategy, the orientation of agriculture and animal husbandry, the adjustment of industrial constitution and the development strategy principle of regional eco-environmental construction and agriculture sustainable development, and construction models in different area were proposed, which had very important guide significance for the soil and water conservation and eco-environmental construction on Loess Plateau. Key words: Soil and water conservation, Eco-environmental rehabilitationLoess Plateau Total research fund: 2,250,000 Yuan(RMB) Award: The project has been obtained the first award of the Sci-tech Progress Award of Shaanxi Province. No.3 Project name：Demonstration and pattern of soil and water conservation type eco-agriculture construction in loess hilly and gully region (Ansai) Project type：West project of Ministry of National Science and Technology Principal investigators Liu Guobin, Liu Wenzhao, Zhang Xinchang Participants：Liang Yimin, Hou Xilu, Li Daiqiong, Zheng Jianying Wang Jijun, Bai Gangshuan, Chen Yunming Leading Unit：Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS and MWR Partner unit: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS and MWR Duration：1999 ?C 2001 Study objective: The objective was to study issues when covert slope farmland into woodland and grassland and the development of economic forest and fruit trees in eco-agricultural construction, to put forwad the constructing patterns of eco-agriculture in different types area of Ansai county. The coverage of woodland and grassland reached 70% and the soil erosion decreased 30% in study area. Extension area of eco-agriculture construction was 3.0 million mu and the coverage of woodland and grassland reached 45% in Ansai county. Main study field： l Key techniques and constructing patterns of eco-agriculture in loess hilly and gully region of Ansai l Extension and demonstration of constructing patterns of soil and water conservation type eco-agriculture. Main results: 1. Constructing plan of soil and water conservation type eco-agriculture of Ansai county.the constructing plan has 3 steps as follows. To implement initially measures of farmland transiting to woodland or grassland in 2000-2002 and to implement entirely in 2003-2008, to consolidate and improve the measures in 2009-2010. 2. Key techniques of eco-agricultural construction in loess hilly and gully region in Ansai County 2.1 Arrangement and constructing patterns of different zonal trees and grass vegetation in Ansai County 2.1.1 Forest zone of southern Xichuanhe watershed：The south of Yanding road is deciduous and broad leaf forest zone and the north is forest and steppe zone. The pattern of rural economical development is the complex type of agriculture and fruit tree and animal husbandry. Deciduous and broad leaf forest zone：It is the main measure to protect the existing natural forest. We have constructed multi-types mixed forest such as natural forest combining plantation, coniferous and broad leaf mixed forest and tree mixed with shrub forest. The measures include of planting and air-sowing afforestation, to plant fine conifer tree species such as Pinus tabulaeformis, Larix gmelini and Thuja orientalis in natural secondary forest, to construct a small woodland of little leaf poplar trees mixed with shrubs in gullies. Southern forest and steppe zone: except parts of gully slope area has been closed to facilitate afforestation which has better water condition and survive shrub or tree vegetation, most part gully and ridge slope farmland should be constructed with tree and grass vegetation. The main vegetation in gully slope should be conifer and broad leaves tree and shrub mixed plantations, in ridge slope, should be shrub and grass mixed plantations. 2.1.2 Forest and steppe zone in middle hilly and gully region: the vegetation construction should be mainly tree mixed with shrub in gully slope, shrub mixed with grass in ridge slope. To simulate the structure of natural vegetation, to select dominant species of zonal vegetation as main tree and grass species for afforestation and combine corresponding companion species, to construct different multi-layers mixed vegetation. 2.1.3 typical steppe zone in northern hilly and gully region: To cultivate the dominant industry, we consider that grassland animal husbandry is the dominant industry in the region. 2.2 To put forward the viewpoint of the site being suitable to afforestation According to the types of site condition to select suitable tree species, that is to select dominant species of zonal vegetation as main tree and grass species for afforestation, to combine corresponding companion species, to simulate natural vegetation structure, to construct different types multi-layers mixed vegetation in different zones and sites. 3 Productive plan of fruit trees Production of fruit trees of Ansai county is divided into 4 sections, in plain near river, to develop fruit trees in greenhouse, Chinese date, walnut and grape; in the south of Ansai county, to develop apple trees and pear trees; in the middle part of Yan river and Xing river watersheds, to develop apple tree and sundry fruit tree; in the north, to develop apricot tree for the kernel, hill peach and apricot trees. Keywords: soil and water conservation, eco-agriculture, demonstration, Study funds：1.0 million yuan(RMB) No. 4 Project name: Study on improvement of the conservational eco-agriculture on the loess hilly-gully region Project type: The National Program for Tackling Key Problems in the Ninth “Five-Year” Plan Project manager: Lu Zongfan, Liang Yimin and Liu Guobin Participants: Hou Xilu, Zhen Jianyin, Li Daiqiong, Su Min, Li Rui, Jiang Zhongshan, Yang Wanpeng, Wang Jijun, Fan Xinke, and Bai Gangshuan Organize Institute: Institute of soil and water conservation, CAS and MWR Participants: The Ansai County Government and Institute of zoolgy of Shaanxi Province. Research period of time: From year 1991 to 1995 Objectives: To set up eco-agriculture system of soil and water conservation which is eco-economical cycling development; based on the studies of soil and water loess law and the ecosystem’s structure and functions, manipulating each subsystem such as agriculture, tree, fruit and husbandry to realize the maxim conversion and high efficient output of materials and energies, the final target is to sufficiently exert the land resources advantages and limited water resources rational use on the premise that the eco-environment is protected, and the sustainable development of agricultural production. Main research items: 1.Study on the agricultural yield?Cincrease system of soil and water conservation, to increase yield per unit land is the main attack orientation, to increase the total food production steadily and all the slope land non-farming is the main goal, especially the soil and water conservation farming and the high-yield fertilization system to improve ecosystem productivity; 2. Study on the benefits of fruit and soil and water conservation trees, the emphasis is to improve the economical and conservational benefits of different type of woods, through studying the structures of each woods to construct economical forest system with high economical and ecological benefits; 3. Study on output system of the grassland-animal husbandry, the emphasis is how to fully use the uncultivated land which accounts for 40% of the total area to carry on the primary and secondary production, the goal is to erect high yield and quality artificial grasslands and reformed natural lawn system; 4. Study on the optimization of soil and water conservation measures plan and high efficient use of limited water resources, especially about the works for conservation to realize the aim that is little investment, high velocity and benefits; 5. Study the quantum evaluation of the conservation and economical results, especially the soil erosion quantum and soil and water loess forecast models and the construction and use of watershed management information system. Main progress: 1. Through the eco-agriculture with soil and water conservation construction, the agricultural system in Zhifanggou watershed steps into a economically and ecologically virtuous cycle phase, the land use ratio in 1990 was 1:0.9:1.2 and is adjusted to 1:1.7:2.1 in 1995, the basic farmland is 2.68mu per person now and the food yield increases 46.0% than in the seventh “five-year”, the income person increases 162.2%. the effective coverage of trees and grasses in 1995 is 41.2%, the controlled degree is 62.2% and the loess soil and sand from the watershed are reduced more than 50%; 2.To perfect the theory of eco-agriculture with soil and water conservation and build the substantive model of the 8.27 km2 Zhifanggou watershed. The core is to conserve soil and water to construct an eco-agricultural style in which the natural resources is used rationally and sustained, each parts of agriculture develops coordinately and the eco-ecological cycling is fine. According to the present agriculture production level, the restoration process is divided into three phases, which are Starting Recovery, Steady Developing and Fine Cycle. Each phrase is about 5-10 years. Through concentrative and successive control, even to a heavily degraded ecosystem the third phase will become reality in about 20 years on the theory. Proposing the development strategy and emphasis on Loess Plateau that are self-serving agriculture, conservation forests and commercial fruits and husbandry . 3. Bring forth new and important achievements in the law of soil and water conservation research, ① To set up the relation model between soil and To set up the relation model between soil surface curdles and erosion soil volume; ② To determine the threshold slope value of different soil erosion;③ To erect the relation models between vegetation coverage and erosion soil volume; ④To determine the affects of rainfall, topography and plants to the soil erosion and their change principle; ⑤ To construct the generalized models of gully land soil erosion; ⑥ To build the soil erosion analysis models based on the GIS; ⑦ To expand the new technologies and methods in quantitative analyzing the perpendicular distribution of soil erosion in loess hilly-gully area. Key Words: Ansai hilly-gully region, the eco-agriculture of soil and water conservation, whole functions of ecosystem Total research fund: 1,400,000.Yuan( RMB) Award: The project wined second award of National Sci-tech Progress in 2001. No. 5 Composing Name:THE ECO-AGRICULTURE ON LOESS PLATEAU Editor in chief: Lu Zong-fan Vice editors: Liang Yimin and Liu Guobin Press: Shaanxi Sci-tech Press,1997 Award type: National Sci-tech Books Award (Sci-tech Progress Award) Award Issued by: The News and Press Bureau of PRC Award Issued Time:1999 The book is the summarization of the authors’ hard work about ecological control on Loess hilly-gully region. The connotation, importance, standards and implement routes are detailed clarified. The theory and practice results about multi-farming with soil and water conservation, the routes of grassland construction, the soil nutrimental characteristics and fertilization effects, the soil water use characteristics of agricultural ecosystem, the economical trees construction in soil and water loess area, the manure and the agriculture and the construction of watershed information system, etc. are all detailed introduced. The book consists of about 440,000 words. Key Words: Ansai hilly-gully region, the eco-agriculture of soil and water conservation, whole functions of ecosystem The Current Research Project of Ansai Station (2001-2005) 1. Project: Experiment and demonstration for water-and-soil conservation and the eco-environment on the Loess Plateau Type: Knowledge Innovation Program of CAS Principal scientist: Tian Junliang ,Liu Guobin Participant: Li Rui, Liu Pulin, Hou Qinchun, Zhang Yi, Liang Yinli, Liang Zongsuo, Wu Faqi, Liang Yimin, Chen Zhijie, Li Kairong, Chen Xu, Zhang Wenhui, Xu Yong, Ma Yunqing Organization: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS Participants Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS Duration: 2000 -- 2004 Objectives: The project focuses on the rehabilitation of the regional eco-environment. Its objectives are: to determine the scientific approaches, phases targets and support condition of returning cropland to forest and grass in the middle scale or county scale of the Loess Plateau; Principle and technical system for rapid constructing vegetation; The junction of regional eco-environment construction and economy sustainable development; Eco-agriculture construction models and function mechanism; Restoration ecology principle, technical and assessment system for degraded ecosystem restoration in the hilly-gullied Loess Plateau. Combining with scientific research, technique integration and demonstration research, together with scientific research organization, local government and the farmers in the demonstration zone, the project aims to establish a front base of research and demonstration with an entirely new mechanism for eco-environment construction and economy sustainable development in a middle scale of the Plateau. The goal is to provide scientific bases, technical and policy support and demonstration model for speeding the integrated control and eco-environment construction. Main research items: 1. Regional eco-environment construction Programming and its benefit assessment 2. Experiment and demonstration for eco-environment construction models and techniques on the Loess Plateau 3. Vegetation construction models and rapid greening techniques Key words: Soil and water conservation, Eco-environment, Experiment and demonstration Total Funding: 12 million yuan(RMB) 2 Project: Mechanism and simulation of the effect of precipitation and runoff on soil nitrogen in slope Type: National natural science foundation Presider：Zhang Xinchang Participant: Zheng Jianyin, Wu Ruijun, Ma Bingzhao organization: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS Duration:2002-2004 Objectives: Aiming at the weak tache of the research on the effect of precipitation and runoff on soil nitrogen in slope, soil nitrogen movement rule under the effect of precipitation and runoff will be studied and simulated in the project. The objective is to predict nitrogen loss under erosion condition. The goal is to provide scientific base for minimizing the pollution caused by nitrogen loss to environment, preventing soil nitrogen degradation in slope land and improving positive transform of soil nitrogen in slope land. Main research content: 1. Process, Mechanism and simulation of the effect of runoff on soil nitrogen in slope 2. Process, Mechanism and simulation of the effect of precipitation on soil nitrogen in slope 3. Process and simulation of soil nitrate infiltration and redistribution under the effect of rain drop and runoff Process of organic nitrogen enrichment in sediment and the establishment of its model Key words: Precipitation, runoff, and soil nitrogen Total Funding: 260 thousand yuan 3 Project: Study on the models and techniques of soil and water conservational agriculture in the middle area of the Loess Plateau Type: National tenth- five year program on tackling key problem in sci-technology Principal investigator: Liu Guobin and Liu Pulin Participant:, Zhang Hai, Liang Yinli, Xie Yunsheng, Yang Qinke, Liu Wenzhao, Wang Jijun, Xu Xuexuan, Chen Yunming, Chen Zhijie, Yang Kaibao, Zhen Shiqing, Zhang Chen’e Organization: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS Duration: 2001-2003 Objectives: The main objectives of the project are to determine the scientific approaches, phase targets, models and support condition of returning cropland to forest and grass in the middle scale or county scale of the Loess Plateau; Principle and technical system for vegetation construction; the key techniques of efficient collocation of agricultural resources and the key techniques of exploitation and high efficient use of water resources. Main content: 1. The scientific approaches and support condition of returning cropland to forest and grass in the middle scale of the Loess Plateau 2. Key techniques of vegetation construction 3. Exploitation and high efficient use of water resources 4. The key techniques of efficient collocation of agricultural resources Key words: ecological agriculture, model, and technique Total funding: 0.8 million yuan 4 Project: Vegetation restoration in the compound agro-forest-farming system Type: National key foundational development and planning project Principal investigator: Liu Guobin Participant: Chen Jimin, Lou Xiangpin, Zhang Wenhui, Xu Mingxiang, Wang Guoliang Organization: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS Duration:2000―2005 Objectives: The objectives of the project are to find the driving forces in the restoration of the compound agro-forest-farming system; to bring forward the optimal model of vegetation restoration in the compound agro-forest-farming system; to establish a diagnostic model for ecosystem health in order to diagnosing the health situation of different type eco-system and predicting their change tendency. Main content: 1. The optimal model of vegetation reforestation in in the compound agro-forest-farming system 2. Effect of the restoration of ecosystem on environment Ecosystem health diagnosis Key words: vegetation reforestation, ecosystem, and health diagnosis Total funding: 0.75 million yuan 5 Project: Evolution rule and construction models of watershed eco-economic system under the condition of returning cropland to forest and grass Type: National natural science foundation Principal investigator Wang Jijun Participant: Xie Yunsheng, Bai Gangshuan, Quan Song’an, Wang Youke, Cong Huaijun Participant organization: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS Duration:2003―2005 Objectives: Through discussing the evolution course and development state of the eco-economic system during returning cropland to forest and grass, the ecological economics basis of returning cropland to forest and grass and the evolution rule and development tendency of the eco-economic system will be analyzed in the project. The goal is to provide scientific base for improving the benefit of returning cropland to forest and grass and the eco-economic system construction strategy, and to serve for the development of the discipline of watershed ecology and management. Main content: 1. The eco-economics basis for returning cropland to forest and grass in the hilly-gullied Loess Plateau 2. Evolution rule and circulation mechanism of eco-economic system The models for the eco-economic system construction Key words: eco-economic system, Evolution rule, and construction model Total funding:0. 26 million yuan 6 Project: Soil quality evolution during the ecosystem restoration in the hilly region of Loess Plateau Type: special foundation for forefront research field of ISWC Principal investigator Xu Mingxiang and He Xiubin Participant: Jia Haiyan, Dai Quan Hou, Zhao Hubin Organization: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS Duration:2002―2004 Objectives: 1． Build up soil quality database for typical watershed in the hilly region of Loess Plateau 2． Determine the indicator system for soil quality assessment in the hilly region of Loess Plateau 3． Explore soil quality evolution rule during the ecosystem restoration in the hilly region of Loess Plateau Main content: 1. Watershed soil quality assessment 2. Soil quality evolution during the ecosystem restoration 3. Soil quality regulation during the ecosystem restoration Key words: ecosystem restoration, soil quality, and evolution rule Total funding: 80 thousand yuan