Quantitative estimation and influencing factors of ecosystem soil conservation in Shangri-La, China

Shangri-La is one of the regions with fragile ecological environment in China. It is also a key ecological protection area in northwestern Yunnan. Evaluation of soil conservation capability plays an important role in maintaining the ecosystem safety and sustainable development of the area. This study uses remote sensing image data, meteorological data, soil types data and DEM (Digital Elevation Model) to estimate the soil conservation capacity in different land use types, different grades of slopes, different vegetation coverage, different precipitation, and different soil types through the USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation).The result shows that soil conservation capacity is the comprehensive influence of factors such as topography, soil types,vegetation coverage and precipitation condition,and the areas with forest, gentle slopes and above gentle slope, high vegetation coverage, precipitation of 500 mm to 600 mm, and dark brown soil, where the quantity of soil conservation is relatively large. It provides a basis for Shangri-La to carry out water and soil conservation, and to achieve ecological governance.