[Effects of slope length on soil erosion of Karst slope under different rainfall conditions]

Based on the runoff and sediment yield data from 59 erosive rainfall plots with different slope lengths (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 m) in Shiqiao small watershed of Guizhou Province from 2012 to 2014, we analyzed the relationship between runoff and sediment yield and slope length under diffe-rent rainfall conditions. The results showed that, with the increases of slope length, the runoff yield of slope showed a 'V-shape' pattern, the sediment yield of slope increased first and then decreased. According to rainfall amount, rainfall duration, and average rainfall intensity, the 59 erosive rainfall in the study area could be divided into three types, including type A with short duration, heavy rain intensity and small rainfall, type B with medium duration, light rain intensity and medium rainfall, and type C with long duration, medium rain intensity and large rainfall. The relationships between runoff and sediment yield and slope length were different under different rainfall patterns. There was about 20 m critical slope length of sediment yield under type A and B. The sediment yield gradually increased with the increases of slope length under type C. There was a good cubic function relationship between slope length and runoff and sediment yield under different rainfall patterns. The variable amplitude of runoff and sediment yield was different among different slope lengths. Except the slope length of 15-20 m, the variable amplitude of runoff and sediment yield under type C was relatively large. The variation amplitude of sediment yield was significantly higher than that under other rainfall patterns. The total runoff yield under different rainfall patterns was type A>B>C. The sediment yield under type B was the smallest, that of type A at the slope length of 20 m was the largest and that of type C at other slope lengths was the largest. The correlation between compound rainfall factors and runoff and sediment yield was better than that of single rainfall factor under type A (common rainfall type in the study area). Rainfall amount (P), the pro-duct of rainfall duration and maximum 30 min rainfall intensity (TI₃₀), product of rainfall duration and average rainfall intensity (TI), product of rainfall amount and rainfall duration (PT) were significantly correlated with the runoff and sediment yield. Among those factors, P and TI had the strongest correlation with runoff. Further, the relationship between them and runoff under different slope lengths could be expressed by linear equation and S-curve. There was a good cubic function relationship between the sediment yield and its corresponding rainfall factors under different slope lengths.