Research progress in tillage erosion and its impacts on soil fertility and crop production

Tillage erosion, the net movement of soil downslope through the action of mechanical implements and gravity, results in net soil redistribution in the sloping farmland. Studies have proved that tillage erosion is one of the most important types of soil erosion and always occurs in the steep and short sloping farmland. This paper reviews the studies on the concept, process mechanism and models of tillage erosion, and tillage erosion impacts on soil fertility and crop production. In particular, the authors sum up the researches on tillage erosion in steep and short slope landscapes and manual or animal-powered tillage implements in China, which are quite different from those in European and northern American regions. Tillage erosion redistributes soil in amounts that often dwarf the effect of water erosion on rolling arable land. Comparatively speaking，the research of tillage erosion is still limited and underdevelopment. Therefore, it is important to correctly assess tillage erosion and properly make integrated soil conservation planning and to design of less-erosive tillage tools to combat soil erosion.