The Response of Soil Erosion to Vegetation Restoration: Processes, Mechanisms, and Model Development

Vegetation is a key regulator of soil erosion, and large-scale restoration programs such as the return of farmland to forest and grassland have produced substantial reductions in sediment delivery to river systems. These programs have also driven significant changes in near-surface characteristics, including soil physical and chemical properties, vegetation stems, litter layers, biological soil crusts, and root architecture.Reported reductions in regional sediment yield largely capture the aggregate outcome of restoration rather than the underlying processes and dynamic mechanisms through which vegetation restoration controls erosion at the slope scale. Closing this gap is essential for understanding erosion dynamics on abandoned farmland slopes, developing process-based erosion models for vegetated slopes, and robustly evaluating the soil and water conservation benefits of restoration interventions.This Research Topic brings together contributions that advance the mechanistic understanding of how vegetation restoration influences soil erosion. We welcome original research, reviews, and methodological papers on:• Changes in near-surface properties (soil, litter, biocrusts, roots) and their effects on erosion processes• Slope-scale process studies linking vegetation cover, runoff generation, and sediment transport• Process-based modelling of soil erosion on vegetated and restored slopes• Comparative assessments across restoration types, climates, and landscape contexts• Quantification of soil and water conservation benefits of farmland-to-forest and farmland-to-grassland conversions• Long-term monitoring and evaluation frameworks for restored slope systems• By integrating field observation, experimental work, and modelling, the collection aims to strengthen the scientific basis for designing and assessing vegetation restoration as a soil and water conservation strategy. Topic editors: Ren Geng, Hao Wang, Pingzong Zhu Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81636/the-response-of-soil-erosion-to-vegetation-restoration-processes-mechanisms-and-model-development