Abstract

The scientific formulation of conservation policies to address land degradation vulnerability can better protect land resources. In this work, Shaanxi Province in China was used as a case study, firstly, Shaanxi Province was divided into several physiographic regions based on the principle of spatial homogeneity, and the vulnerability to land degradation of each physiographic regions was assessed by zoning using superposition analysis. Secondly, an analytical framework was constructed to identify the dominant factors of land degradation vulnerability in each physiographic regions. Finally, the identified dominant factors were used to formulate protection policies for land degradation vulnerability in each physiographic regions. The results show that the dominant factor of land degradation vulnerability in Shaanxi Province's low-hill basin area is soil erosion, which can be managed through bioengineering measures. The dominant factor of land degradation vulnerability in the Daba Mountain area, Qinling Mountain area and the plateau hills and gullies area is vegetation cover, which can be improved through afforestation engineering measures. The dominant factor of land degradation vulnerability in the plains area is soil erosion, which can be managed through agricultural technical measures. The dominant factor of land degradation vulnerability in the Loess Plateau area is the vegetation cover, which can be improved through the measures of forbidding grazing, resting grazing and rotating grazing. The dominant factor in the vulnerability to land degradation in the plateau area north of the Great Wall is soil texture, which can be improved through technical means by upgrading the content of soil organic matter.