Clearing the status of sloping cropland degradation in typical black soil region is the basis for restoring and reconstructing degraded black soil. To date, the spatial distribution pattern of degree of soil degradation is lacking. In this paper, we predicted the spatial distribution of degree of soil degradation based on the soil degradation index (SDI). We compared the accuracy of Ordinary Kriging (OK) and Sequential Gaussian Simulation (SGS) with different simulation times. SGS was also used to evaluate the degradation risk of sloping cropland in typical black soil region of Northeast China. The results showed that: SDI ranged from 0.013 to 0.864, with a mean value of 0.445. The realization with 200 times by SGS was the best, with an increasing pattern of SDI from north to south in the study area. Mildly degraded soil, moderate degraded soil, severe degraded soil, and extremely severe degraded soil accounted for 35.3%, 52.4%, 12.1%, and 0.2% of total sloping cropland, respectively. The potential degradation risk and high-risk areas were about 53.4% and 23.1% of the total sloping cropland, respectively. The result of risk assessment could serve for making decisions by relevant departments.

Soil microorganisms are the main driving force in soil ecological and biogeochemical processes, such as carbon mineralization, humus formation, and nutrient cycles. Soil erosion may dramatically alter microbial properties. However, it is still unclear how soil microbial characteristics affected by soil erosion. In hilly areas, soil erosion is highly attributed to topographic characteristics such as slope position and slope gradient. Herein, we compared the soil microbial characteristics between different slope gradients and positions in the farmland in the typical black soil area of Northeast China. The relative abundances of major microbial phyla are illustrated. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Planctomycetes, and Actinobacteria accounted for 83% of the total bacterial sequences, and Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and chytridiomycosis accounted for 78% of total fungal sequences in the studied area. Microbial alpha-diversity (Bacteria and Fungi) was similar among the slope gradients or slope positions. The bacterial and fungal community composition was only affected by slope gradient, which was significantly lower in the highest slope gradient level than in others. This study suggests that slope gradient but not slope gradient affecting microbial community composition in the cropland of black soil region.

A comprehensive evaluation indicator system is needed to provide a integrated assessment of the degree of sloped cropland degradation. We employed bibliometrics to perform statistical analysis on research studies involving cropland degradation. Frequency analysis was then used to identify high-frequency indicators with which to construct a total index set (TIS) for evaluation of the degree of sloped cropland degradation in black soil region. In addition, soil measurement data from sloped cropland in Baiquan and Keshan Counties, Heilongjiang province, China, were used as a basis to construct a minimum index set (MIS). The TIS included A-horizon thickness, clay content, organic matter content, pH, slope gradient, ridge-slope angle, gully density, bulk density, large water-stable aggregate content, soil cation exchange capacity, and crop yield. The first six of these were included in the MIS. In the studied area, undegraded soil, mildly degraded soil, and moderately degraded soil and above accounted for 7%, 48% and 45% of investigated sloped croplands, respectively. Slope gradient is one of the main factors affecting soil degradation. Soil degradation mainly presented as worsening of soil physicochemical characteristics. In addition, downslope and small-angle ridge cultivation are benefit for soil organic matter maintenance and the soil structure and nutrient retention capacity is better than soil with contour or large-angle ridge cultivation. The reason might be that downslope and small-angle ridge cultivation are usually employed on soil with small slope. The study results provide a scientific basis for improving the quality and productivity of sloped cropland in black soil region.