The influence of microtopographies on seed removal by water erosion on loess slope

We tested the seed loss of five dominant species in the Loess Plateau region under varied rainfall intensity and soil surface conditions. The runoff rate, sediment yield, seed loss rate, and seed displacement distance were investigated. The result indicated that the seed loss rate increases with rain intensity enhanced, or the rainfall duration prolonged even with low intensity. The grass, and grass and hoof prints on the slope can reduce seed loss under high rainfall intensity. The spotted individual grass and the hoof prints can enhance soil erosion by changing the path of overland flow and increasing seed loss at the low rainfall intensity compared with the bare slope.