The Directional Components of Splash Erosion at Different Raindrop Kinetic Energy in the Chinese Mollisol Region

Splash erosion is an important process of hillslope erosion. However, there is little information available in the literature to show how rainfall physical parameters affect the directional components of splash erosion. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of rainfall physical parameters (rainfall intensity [RI], raindrop kinetic energy [KE], and raindrop diameter) on the directional components (upslope, lateral, downslope) of splash erosion characteristics in the Chinese Mollisol region. A specially designed soil pan, which can measure the directional components of splash erosion, was subjected to designed rainfall intensities of 50 and 100 mm h(-1) and varying raindrop KE. The results showed that the total splash erosion (downslope plus upslope plus lateral splash erosion), directional components of splash erosion, and net splash erosion (downslope minus upslope erosion) on hillslopes significantly increased as RI and raindrop KE increased (p < 0.05). Furthermore, splash erosion from downslope, lateral slope, and upslope contributed 32.2, 26.3, and 14.5%, respectively, of total splash erosion. Additionally, raindrop KE and raindrop median volume diameter (D-50) were the key indicators affecting both total and net splash erosion. The equations between total and net splash erosion with both parameters of raindrop KE and raindrop D-50 were fitted. The cross validation results showed that the two equations had acceptable accuracy. Therefore, preventing raindrop impact by using conservation tillage methods, such as retaining crop residue or mulch cover, can effectively reduce splash erosion in the Mollisol region of Northeast China.