The Chinese Soil Loss Equation (CSLE): A Model Emphasizing Regional Soil Erosion Assessment

The Chinese Soil Loss Equation (CSLE) is a USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation) type model. Despite its regional or global applications, the empirical nature of the USLE presents persistent challenges in factor estimation and the representation of region-specific soil conservation measures. To address this, the CSLE substitutes the USLE’s C (cover-management) and P (support practice) factors with B (vegetation cover and biological measures), E (engineering measures), and T (tillage measures) factors, which correspond directly with land-use types, thereby enhancing its practical utility for soil conservation planning and land management. All erosion factors were rigorously calibrated and validated using extensive data from rainfall and experimental soil conservation stations distributed across China's diverse geographical regions. The CSLE has been applied for the National Soil Water Erosion Survey (2010–2012) and two subsequent five-year cycles of the National Soil Loss Dynamic Monitoring (2018–2027) in China. The BET three-parameter set proposed for soil and water conservation measures features the core advantages of easy remote sensing acquisition and large-scale adaptability, which can effectively improve the work efficiency of regional soil erosion surveys. After calibration and verification based on nationwide large-scale observation data, it not only significantly enhances the accuracy of soil erosion prediction, but also enables effective evaluation of the benefits of national soil and water conservation measures.