Evaluation of the driving effects of socio-economic development on soil erosion from the perspective of prefecture-level

Soil erosion is affected by nature and human activities. Compared with biophysical factors, the effects of socio-economic factors on soil erosion have not been well investigated. Here, taking two prefectures (Yan'an and Qingyang) with different socio-economic conditions and ecological restoration intensity on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) as a case, we combined the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), and gray relation analysis to explore the response of soil erosion to socio-economic development. Our results showed that Grain for Green Program (GGP) has effectively controlled soil erosion and increased the vegetation coverage of the study area. For Yan'an, the vegetation coverage was increased by 6.2% and erosion modulus was decreased by 33.9% in 2015 compared with that in 1995. The differences in industrial structure and agricultural input led to different responses of soil erosion to socio-economic development. Economic development and agricultural input accelerated soil erosion in Qingyang but inhibited soil erosion in Yan'an due to different development strategies. Moreover, the increase of the gray relation grade between socio-economic factors and soil erosion in Yan'an indicates that soil erosion is easier to be controlled by the development of the socio-economy. The results indicate that the triple-win situation of economic development, vegetation restoration, and soil conservation can be realized by adjusting the economic structure, strengthening ecological restoration, and agricultural investment. This research emphasizes the important effect of socio-economic development on soil erosion and provides a reference for soil erosion control and ecological restoration for regions suffering from severe soil erosion.