Soil Erosion in Important Agricultural Areas of Haidong City, Qinghai Province, China

Haidong City is located in the eastern region of the Tibetan Plateau and the upper reaches of the Yellow River, which is an important agricultural area in Qinghai Province. Surface soil erosion in this area not only reduces soil quality, but also leads to the pollution of the Yellow River water and the increase of sand transport.The soil erosion status of Haidong City in 2022 was assessed using the modified soil loss equation (RUSLE model), combined with landsat8 OLI imagery, DEM, rainfall and land use data, and RS and GIS techniques. The results show that soil erosion in Haidong City is dominated by slight and mild erosion, with an area of 7,835 km2 and 2,735 km2 respectively.Among the districts (counties), Ledu District and Mutual aid County have the largest area of strong erosion, with an area of 633 km2 and 144 km2 respectively; Ping'an District and Minhe County have a smaller area of strong erosion, with an area of 11 km2 and 30 km2 respectively.Between the different land-use types. grassland erosion area was the largest, with an area of 7449km2, accounting for 59.83%. The results of the above study can provide a scientific basis for soil degradation management in the region to meet the challenges of fragile ecological environment and increasing land use.