Application of 137Cs tracer technique to estimate the wind erosion rate of Castanozem in Luanhe River Source Area
137Cs示踪技术在滦河源区栗钙土风蚀速率估算中的应用

137Cs has been widely used for estimating the soil erosion and sediment rate. However, the depth distribution patterns of 137Cs in the soil profile and the 137Cs activities in different particle fractions of soil have not been investigated, so the erosion rate may be over-estimated or underestimated. Based on the investigation of the soil and soil-forming environment of Luanhe River Source Area in North China, the experimental results show that the depth distribution pattern of 137Cs in the natural Castanozem (undisturbed soil) and eroded soils is an exponential decrease with soil depth. The estimated wind erosion rates in Luanhe River Source Area range between 0.1842cm?a-1 and 0.2897cm?a-1. The 137Cs concentration of the fine fraction which includes the clay, silt and very fine sand is higher than that of the middle size sand, coarse sand and very coarse sand of the same soil. Therefore, the depth distribution pattern, the grain-sizedistribution and the soil characteristic should also be considered when soil erosion rate is estimated by using 137Cs.