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[Objective] The aims of this study are to explore the scale effect of spatial differentiation of ecosystem service value, and to provide reference for ecological protection and economic development decision-making in the Qinling Mountains region. [Methods] The ecosystem service value of the Xi′an section of the Qinling Mountains in 2020 was calculated with the improved equivalent factor method at five grid scale levels: 5 km, 3 km, 2 km, 1 km, and 0.5 km. The spatial differentiation characteristics of ground average ESV at different scales was analyzed with the spatial autocorrelation analysis and cold hot spot analysis. The intensity of the influencing factors at various scales was quantitatively analyzed with geographic detectors. [Results] (1) The overall distribution pattern of ground average ESV was low in the north and high in the south with small dispersion and large agglomeration, and the local ESV became more abundant, while the overall ESV decreased with the scale decreasing. (2) The 2-km scale was suitable for macro analysis and overall layout planning, while the 1-km scale was suitable for studying the impact of water changes on regional ESV. (3) The smaller the grid scale, the greater the internal differences among various influencing factors, resulting in a decrease in overall features, highlighting local feature differences, and enhancing spatial differentiation. (4) The transformation of land use caused by human activities significantly affected the value of regional ecosystem services, and the coupling effect of multiple factors significantly affected the spatial differentiation of regional average ESV. As the scale decreased, its impact weakened. [Conclusion] The ecological protection of the Xi′an section of the Qinling Mountains should focus on the transformation of regional land use nature. The policy of returning farmland to forests should be further strengthened, and the scale of construction land should be controlled. On the basis of considering ecological protection, economic development layout planning can be formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The primary objective of this study is to investigate the spatiotemporal variations in net primary productivity (NPP) of vegetation within Qinghai Lake Basin from 2000 to 2020. Additionally, it aims to reveal the key factors and their contributive drivers of changes in vegetation NPP. The research is designed to provide a baseline scientific investigation on the dynamics of NPP within Qinghai Lake Basin. [Methods] We used data on vegetation NPP, temperature, precipitation, fractional vegetation cover, and human activity intensity in Qinghai Lake Basin from 2000 to 2020 to analyze the spatiotemporal changes of vegetation NPP across sub-basins, elevations, and micro-terrain in Qinghai Lake Basin. We applied spatial analysis using ArcGIS and the geographic detector model to conduct these analyses. Furthermore, we also investigated the correlations of vegetation NPP with temperature, precipitation, and fractional vegetation cover, as well as the driving factors of vegetation NPP. [Results] (1) In the past 21 years, the annual vegetation NPP in the Qinghai Lake Basin exhibited a fluctuating increase across temporal scales, with a growth rate of 2.22 g C·m²/a, and a spatially increasing trend from northwest to southeast. (2) The study also revealed spatially significant correlations between annual vegetation NPP and mean annual temperature, annual precipitation, and annual fractional vegetation cover, with ratios of 40%, 9%, and 59%, respectively. The primary partial correlation coefficients between mean annual temperature and annual precipitation with annual vegetation NPP encompassed 59.26% and 33.39% of the basin area. (3) The results of our study also revealed that temperature (q=0.58), elevation (q=0.54), and human activity intensity (q=0.38) were principal drivers of basin-scale NPP. Additionally, the interactive impact of these factors was found to better explain these drives than any single factor. [Conclusion] The NPP of vegetation in Qinghai Lake Basin increased over temporal scales from 2000 to 2020. Our study showed spatially significant differences in NPP across elevation, sub-watersheds, and microtopographic patterns. The interactions of temperature, altitude, and human activities were the main driving factors of NPP in the Qinghai Lake Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] This study aims to comprehend the spatial distribution patterns of arable soil nutrients in various geomorphic conditions of the Loess Plateau, to unveil the driving factors behind these changes, and to provide the critical insights for precision management in the regional agriculture and the construction of agricultural projects. [Methods] Based on the 2020 soil nutrient data from the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi, the Kriging interpolation method was employed to analyze the spatial patterns of soil nutrients across four different geomorphic types. The driving factors behind these nutrient spatial variations was explored by using the geodetector model. [Results] (1) In the Loess Plateau, spanning from the Great Wall's sandy lands, through the hilly and gully regions of northern Shaanxi, the loess table lands in northern of Weihe River, to the Guanzhong Plain, the average contents of soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) exhibited a gradual increasing trend. Specifically, the SOM content averaged 10.20, 10.08, 15.28, and 18.78 g/kg, respectively, across these regions. TN averaged 0.63, 0.66, 0.98, and 1.19 g/kg. AP level averaged 12.99, 13.10, 16.97, and 27.24 mg/kg, and AK averaged 117.72, 149.94, 217.27, and 252.83 mg/kg, respectively. This trend indicated a consistent increase from the sandy lands to the plains. (2) In the loess area of Shaanxi, the duration of sunshine had most significant factor influencing overall nutrient contents, followed by annual temperature and fertilizer use. The distribution of nutrients in the windy area was predominantly affected by soil bulk density, whereas in the hilly and gully areas, plateau areas, and plains, fertilizer use was the primary influencing factor. The interaction of various factors provided a more comprehensive explanatory of nutrient dynamics than individual factor alone. [Conclusion] To optimize soil health, it is advisable to increase nutrient input and enhance soil fertility retention in sandy areas and hilly and gully areas. In contrast, the focus should be on improving nutrient utilization efficiency for plateau and plain areas. Additionally, in the process of farmland, it is crucial to tailor human activities to suit the environmental characteristics and specific conditions of different geomorphic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The aims of this study are to reveal the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of soil moisture in the Weihe River Basin, to clarify the main factors affecting soil moisture changes, so as to provide scientific basis for effective monitoring of agricultural drought in the Weihe River Basin. [Methods] Based on the MODIS NDVI, LST data and climatic data of Weihe River Basin from 2000 to 2020, integrated trend analysis and geographic detector, the NDVI-Ts characteristic space was constructed, and the spatiotemporal variation of soil moisture and its driving factors were analyzed. [Results] In the past 20 years, the soil moisture in Weihe River Basin showed a significant downward trend at the rate of 0.004 9/a, and there was an obvious drying phenomenon. In different land use types, the soil moisture contents in the past 20 years followed the order: woodland > grassland > cultivated land > urban and construction land. The overall dry and wet grade was mainly normal (0.4≤TVDI < 0.6). The low value areas of soil moisture mainly distributed in the west and north of Weihe River Basin, and the high value area primarily concentrated in the southeast and northwest edge areas. In the sub-basins, the proportion of drought area in the main basin of Weihe River showed an upward trend, in which the decreasing trend of soil moisture in Guanzhong Plain located in the south of the main basin of Weihe River was the most significant. According to the influence analysis of detection factors, it was found that elevation, the average temperature and the potential evapotranspiration were the main factors affecting soil moisture distribution in Weihe River Basin, and their explanatory power was significantly higher than that of other factors. Factor interaction analysis showed that the combination of the average temperature and the cumulative precipitation had a significant effect on the spatial distribution of soil moisture in Weihe River Basin. [Conclusion] Soil moisture in Weihe River Basin had decreased significantly in the past 20 years, and there was an obvious drying trend. The change of soil moisture in Weihe River Basin was mainly affected by topography, geomorphology and meteorological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective]The aims of this study are to explore the coordinated development level of water resources carrying capacity and grain production resilience in the lower Yellow River, and to provide a new policy perspective for promoting the coordinated development of water resources protection and utilization and grain production, [Methods]Based on the evaluation index system of water resources carrying capacity and grain production toughness, the index of water resources carrying capacity and grain production toughness in the lower reaches of the Yellow River during 2010-2021 was estimated by entropy weight method, and the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of their coordinated development were analyzed by coupling coordination degree model and kernel density estimation, At the same time, the dominant factors and interaction factors affecting the coupling coordination degree of the two were explored by means of geographic detectors, [Results]In time dimension, the coupling coordination degree between water resources carrying capacity and grain production toughness increased from 0, 484 0 to 0, 747 6, and the coupling coordination type increased from near imbalance to intermediate coordination, In terms of spatial dimension, the highest value of the coupling coordination degree between the two was found in Jinan, Shandong Province, and the lowest value concentrated in Henan Province, Annual precipitation, residential water consumption, urban green area, cultivated land area and financial support to agriculture were the main driving factors on the coordinated development of the two, and the explanatory power of the interaction of the leading factors showed the characteristics of double factor enhancement or nonlinear enhancement, [Conclusion]The coupling coordination degree of water resources carrying capacity and grain production toughness in the lower reaches of the Yellow River increased year by year and gradually showed a spatial distribution of high level in the east and low level in the west, At the same time, the development of the two systems was increasingly close, and the interaction was gradually enhanced, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective]The aims of this study are to optimize the fine management of cultivated land in Shaanxi Province, to coordinate the contradiction between food demand growth and environmental constraints, to maintain regional food security, and to promote agricultural modernization.[Methods]The Guanzhong area was taken as the research area. Based on land use data and other natural economic data, Lorentz curve, coefficient of variation method, landscape index, spatial autocorrelation and other methods were used to construct an evaluation model of cultivated land fragmentation to explore the temporal and spatial changes of cultivated land fragmentation(CLF)in Guanzhong area, and geographic detectors were used to analyze the driving force of CLF in the area.[Results](1)The spatial distribution of cultivated land resources in Guanzhong area was relatively balanced, and the degree of cultivated land specialization remained at a high level.(2)The spatial and temporal differences in the degree of CLF in Guanzhong region were significant, and the overall degree of CLF showed a downward trend, but the degree of CLF in some areas showed a trend of increasing and decreasing, and the overall trend was low in the east and high in the west.(3)The spatiotemporal differentiation of CLF in Guanzhong region was affected by many factors, and the comprehensive influence of socio-economic factors was significantly stronger than that of natural factors, among which altitude, population density, per capita arable land area and regional GDP were the main influencing factors. The interaction effect between factors was stronger than that of single factor, and two-factor enhancement and nonlinear enhancement were the mainstay.[Conclusion]The problem of cultivated land fragmentation in Guanzhong area has been improved to a certain extent in the past 20 years, but there are large regional differences, and the comprehensive management of cultivated land fragmentation should be further strengthened in terms of social and economic factors, so as to promote the development of agricultural mechanization and modernization in Guanzhong area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The aims of this study are to analyze the spatiotemporal differentiation and variation of soil moisture in the Mongolian Plateau, and to quantify the influence of key driving factors, so as to provide a theoretical basis for regional ecological restoration and sustainable ecosystem development. [Methods] Based on the ERA5 soil moisture data, the spatial differentiation and changes of soil moisture at the depth of 0—289 cm in the Mongolian Plateau from 2000 to 2020 were revealed, and the impacts of different environmental factors such as meteorology, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), terrestrial water storage anomaly (TWSA), soil texture, and topography were further quantified. [Results] (1) From 2000 to 2020, soil moisture in the Mongolian Plateau displayed a distribution characteristic of high level in the northeast and low level in the southwest. From shallow to deep layers, the soil moisture presented a change trend of no significant increase (0—28 cm), no significant decrease (28—100 cm) and significant decrease (100—289 cm) . (2) There were 58.5%, 76.7%, 91.3%, and 98.8% of the regions with Hurst index greater than 0.5. The change trend of soil moisture in most regions in the future will be the same as in the past. The drying of soil moisture in the northwestern Mongolian Plateau and central Inner Mongolia may further aggravate. (3) Temperature, TWSA, precipitation, and NDVI were the dominant environmental factors affecting the spatial distribution of soil moisture. Most of the factor interactions showed a bi-factor enhancement effect, and the spatial differentiation of soil moisture in the Mongolian Plateau was the result of the joint action of multiple factors. (4) The changes in surface and subsurface soil moisture were mainly positively affected by precipitation, and the dominant control areas accounted for 98.7% and 94.8% of the total vegetated area of the plateau, respectively. The main control areas of precipitation and TWSA on soil moisture at the layer of 28—100 cm concentrated in areas covered by forestland and grassland, with the dominant area accounting for 38.7% and 38.8%, respectively. The decrease in TWSA was the main driving force leading to the drying of soil moisture in the layer of 100—289 cm, with the main dominant area accounting for 58.6%. The increase in water consumption by vegetation and the increase in temperature dominantly controlled the changes in soil moisture in layer of 100—289 cm in 16.2% and 14.8% of the plateau, respectively. [Conclusion] The spatial and temporal differentiation and change patterns of soil moisture are obvious, and the main driving forces of soil moisture at each depth are different. This is of great significance to the ecological restoration of the Mongolian Plateau and the sustainable development of the ecosystem. In the future, the impact of human activities on it should be analyzed in depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The aims of this study are to investigate the dynamics of vegetation coverage changes and their underlying drivers in the northwestern Sichuan Plateau region, and to supply a theoretical foundation for regional vegetation conservation and restoration initiatives. [Methods] MODIS NDVI was utilized as the foundational dataset. By integrating Sen′s trend analysis, Manna-Kendall test, and the Hurst model, we comprehensively analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics, trends spanning nearly 20 years, and prospective sustainable state of the region. Moreover, the study employed geographical detectors to delve into the underlying driving forces. [Results](1) The overall vegetation cover in the area was relatively great in the east.(2) In the whole period, the vegetation cover of 80.56% of the regions showed no significant change, and the vegetation cover of the regions with significant improvement accounted for 17.80%.(3) The Hurst index indicates that the overall vegetation cover will be in the development state of no significant change in the future.(4) The one-factor explanatory power of elevation, annual average temperature and soil type surpassed more than 30%. They were the main factors driving the formation of differences in vegetation cover distribution patterns. The interaction and synergy of each factor were enhanced. There were obvious differences in the intervals or types of suitable vegetation growth of each factor.(5) The natural factors dominated the formation of the overall pattern of spatial distribution of regional vegetation cover, whose land use types were the key factors in driving its dynamic change. In the past 20 years, the vegetation cover in the West Sichuan Plateau had changed significantly, and natural factors had dominated the spatial distribution pattern of regional vegetation cover. [Conclusion] In the past 20 years, the vegetation cover in the study area had a clear change pattern. Although natural factors dominate the spatial layout of vegetation cover, human activities are the main driving factors for its pattern change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] This study arms to overcome the randomness and subjectivity of ecological environment quality(EQI) evolution drivers in the discretization process, and to optimize the traditional geographic detector. [Methods] This study discretized 22 EQI evolutionary driving factors in Chongqing by using five discretization methods, namely equal interval method, quantile method, natural breakpoint method, geometric interval method and standard deviation method. Geographic detector was combined to determine the reasonable discrete method and classification number of each factor, so as to explore the driving force size of each driving factor and the interaction model of each driving factor. [Results](1) From 2005 to 2020, the number of districts and counties in grade I, Ⅲ and Ⅳ decreased by 0.211, while the number of districts and counties in Grade Ⅱ and V increased by 0.211, showing an overall downward trend and spatial gradient distribution from northwest to southeast.(2) The order of applicability of each discrete method in this study was: natural break point method＞geometric interval method＞quantile method＞equal interval method＞standard deviation method. The discretization methods applicable to different factors were different, so the discretization methods should be selected according to the characteristics of factor data.(3) Four key driving factors(0.37～0.49), 13 main driving factors(0.14～0.33), four minor driving factors(0.05～0.13) and one other factor(0.04) were identified, and the interaction among all driving factors was doubly enhanced or nonlinear enhanced. [Conclusion] Reasonable discretization can overcome randomness and subjectivity in the process of continuous data discretization to a certain extent, so as to optimize the detection results of EQI evolution driving forces in Chongqing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] In order to provide a reference for the thorough control of watershed soil erosion and the improvement of ecological environment quality in the Loess Plateau region, the effects of ecological engineering measures and natural factors on soil erosion evolution were revealed, and the inhibition degrees of engineering factors and hydrological factors on soil erosion were quantified. [Methods] Based on the rainfall data of 77 meteorological stations in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, land use types, vegetation coverage, digital elevation model, soil texture and other data of four periods in the basin, the RUSEL model and geographic detector method were used to study the spatiotemporal changes and driving factors of soil erosion by extracting precipitation, topography, climate, soil and land use in the basin. [Results] The largest reduction in sediment erosion in the Yellow River′s middle sections between 2000 and 2010 was observed. Soil loss significantly reduced due to ecological engineering at altitudes between 1 000 and 1 500 m, at slope gradients between 8° and 15°, and on hillsides that were both semi-shaded and semi-sunny. The capacity of soil and water loss control decreased in the order: forestland＞grassland＞cultivated land, and the erosion area changed most dramatically in the range of 30%～50% vegetation coverage, which was the key restoration and reconstruction area of the project of converting farmland to forest. In the middle reaches of the Yellow River, rainfall increased gradually from northwest to southeast over the years, and the spatial vertical difference changes under the influence of topography, and the interannual fluctuation increased insignificantly, which had the potential to aggravate soil erosion. Vegetation coverage increased linearly, and its increment increased from northwest to southeast. Vegetation coverage was the main controlling factor affecting soil erosion. In the middle Yellow River, the interaction between vegetation coverage and the slope was the strongest, and the synergistic effects of vegetation coverage, slope and other factors could significantly enhance the force on soil erosion pattern evolution. [Conclusion] In the middle reaches of the Yellow River, the land use pattern was dominated by agriculture and animal husbandry for a long time, and the cultivated land with steep slopes flowed continuously to the forest and grassland with high topographic adaptability and elasticity over the years, reflecting that the core part of the national farmland conversion project is to convert sloping land into forest and grassland. The ecological engineering mainly characterized by vegetation cover change dominated the process and degree of soil erosion reduction in the middle Yellow River, and the driving force of the interaction of any two factors was greater than that of a single factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The aim of this study is to explore the change characteristics of supply and demand pattern of ecosystem services and its comprehensive influencing factors in Jiangsu Province, which can provide scientific basis and theoretical support for the formulation and sustainable management of ecological protection policies in this region. [Methods] Based on the land use data of the four periods from 2005 to 2020, the supply, demand and their matching ratio in Jiangsu Province was explored, and the key factors influencing the supply and demand of ecosystem services in Jiangsu Province were explored from the aspects of natural and socio-economic factors by using geographic probe. Furthermore, geographical regression model (GWR) was used to reveal the spatiotemporal differentiation of the relationship between supply and demand. [Results] That the matching ratio of ecosystem services supply-demand was higher in central Jiangsu Province and lower in northern and southern Jiangsu Province. The high-high clusters of the matching ratio of supply-demand distributed in central Jiangsu Province, and the number decreased over time. Low-low clusters were located in developed counties/districts in southern Jiangsu. The GWR analysis indicated that their effects on supply-demand relationship varied spatiotemporally. Population density, human impact index, urbanization rate and economic density had significant negative effect. While average annual temperature had both positive and negative effects on supply-demand relationship. [Conclusion] The spatial difference of ecosystem service supply and demand pattern in Jiangsu Province was significant, and the imbalance pressure of ecosystem service supply and demand increased gradually during the study period. The core influencing factors of ecosystem service supply and demand relationship in the study area were population density, human impact index, urbanization rate and economic density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The aim of this study is to reveal the temporal and spatial trends of the vulnerability of the social-ecological system in the poverty eradication areas in southern Ningxia, explore its main driving factors, and propose countermeasures and suggestions to reduce system vulnerability and promote the effective connection between poverty alleviation and rural revitalization. [Methods] Based on the natural, socio-economic and land use data of the poverty-eradication area in southern Ningxia, the vulnerability evaluation index system was constructed from three dimensions of exposure, sensitivity and adaptability, and the social-ecological system vulnerability study in the poverty-eradication area in southern Ningxia was carried out by using the VSD model, as well as the influence factors were explored by using the geographic detection method. [Results] In the temporal sequence, vulnerability decreased first and then increased, where exposure was consistent with it, sensitivity increased first and then decreased, and adaptability increased continuously. Spatially, vulnerability increased in the south and decreased in the north, and the high value areas kept concentrated in the south while the low value areas distributed in the north and south. Exposure increased in the south and decreased in the north while the high value areas kept concentrated in the south. Sensitivity increased in the south and decreased in the north and remained high in the south and low in the north. Adaptability fluctuated greatly from north to south and the high value areas tended to converge. The vulnerability of geographical detection was mainly affected by proportion of agricultural output value（0.681 7), average slope（0.596 5), urbanization level（0.591 3), local fiscal income（0.568 4) and total water resources（0.523 6). [Conclusion] There are significant spatial and temporal differences in the vulnerability of social-ecological system in the poverty-eradication area of southern Ningxia, where both natural and socio-economic factors play a dominant role, and the improvement of both natural and socio-economic conditions should be emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[ObjectiveH Landscape ecological risk is an effective indicator to identify regional ecological risks and measure regional ecological security. Based on the construction of impervious surface, the environmental response of human activities to the formation and exacerbation of risks can be intuitively determined. Regional landscape ecological risk assessment and the influencing factors of the aggravated risk areas are analyzed, which has scientific significance and practical value for curbing the emerging and spreading of risk exacerbation zones. Methods] Nanchang City was taken as an example, the information of impervious surface was obtained to construct a landscape ecological risk index. The spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of landscape ecological risk were analyzed. The influencing factors of landscape ecological risk in the study area was measured by using geographic detectors. --Results] (1) From 201 0 to 2020, the area of impervious surface in Nanchang City increased dramatically, from 648.63 km' to 1 ()75.12, and the resources of agricultural land and ecological land continued to decline. The impervious surface was mainly converted from landscapes such as cultivated land, forest land, and water areas, and the degree of interference from human activities increased. (2) From 201 0 to 2020, the spatial distribution of Nanchang's landscape ecological risk index was presented as low in the middle and high on both sides. The average value of landscape pattern index decreased as a whole. Tn 2()1(): 2015, and 2020, the areas of high-risk areas of landscape ecology in Nan ch ang City were 519.73, 324.82 km2, and 365.04 km2, respectively. The area of landscape ecological high-risk areas first decreased and then increased. The areas were dominated by landscape ecological medium-high-risk areas and medium-risk areas. (3) The influencing factors of landscape ecological risk in Nan ch ang City in 2010, 2015 and 2()2() were dominated by socio-economic factors and distance factors. The interaction effects of the influencing factors were all larger than the explanation degree of a single factor. The distance factor had a positive effect on natural climate factors and socioeconomic factors. (4) The landscape ecological risk exacerbation zone in Nan ch ang City was dominated by landscape types such as forest land, water area and cultivated land. Exacerbation zones were caused by multiple factors such as natural environment, socioeconomics, and accessibility, but the impact of human activities was more prominent. Conclusion] The landscape ecological status of Nanchang City has been improving. The impacts of natural environment, social economy, distance and other factors on the landscape ecological risk index and risk exacerbation areas are different and interactive. These research results are of great significance for maintaining regional ecological security and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] A comprehensive understanding of the spatial and temporal changes of soil erosion at long time scales and its influencing factors is of great significance to soil erosion management. The spatial and temporal change characteristics of soil erosion and sediment production in the watershed from 1998 to 2018 and their spatial driving factors were exploreed to provide scientific theoretical basis for the soil and water management in the Taohe River source area watershed. Methods] The Taohe River source area watershed was taken as the study area. Based on the measured sediment transport data from Luqu station and vegetation NDVT data, the spatial and temporal variation characteristics of watershed erosion and sediment production were analyzed by the WaTEM/SET)EM model in combination with the center of gravity model, and the spatial driving factors were further explored by using the geographic detector. Results] The sediment production modulus in the source area of the Tao he River increased from 33.81 t/(hm2 • a) in 1998 to 48.59 t/(hmJ • a) in 2018. The soil erosion intensity was dominated by slight erosion, followed by extreme intensity and mild erosion, and the proportion of severe, intense and moderate erosion was the smallest. The areas with stronger erosion distributed in the alpine zone. The areas with weaker erosion distributed in the central valley area and the lower elevation area. Topographic grade and vegetation cover within the watershed had the greatest impact on soil erosion, with q values of ().359 and ().1 83, respectively. The erosion modulus of the watershed increased with the increase of the topographic level and decreased with the increase of vegetation cover. Tn the two periods of 1 998--2003 and 2008--201 3, the soil erosion gravity center moved to the southeast, in 2003一2008, the erosion gravity center moved to the northwest, and in 2013--2018, it moved to the north. Conclusion] The erosion of the Tao he River source area watershed as a whole showed a deterioration trend from 1998 to 201 8, and its spatial driving forces were mainly the topographic position index and vegetation cover factor. The results of the study indicate that the projects of returning pasture to grass should be vigorously developed and ecological vegetation construction should be actively carried out in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]