The Influence Mechanism of Freeze-Thaw on Soil Erosion: A Review

Abstract

As an important type of soil erosion, freeze-thaw erosion occurs primarily at high latitude and altitude. The overview on the effect of freeze-thaw on soil erosion was provided. Soil erosion was affected by freeze-thaw processes, as thawing and water erosion reinforce each other. Remote sensing provided an unprecedented approach for characterizing the timing, magnitude, and patterns of large-scale freeze-thaw and soil erosion changes. Furthermore, the essence of soil freeze-thaw was the freeze and thaw of soil moisture in the pores of soil. Freeze-thaw action mainly increased soil erodibility and made it more vulnerable to erosion by destroying soil structure, changing soil water content, bulk density, shear strength and aggregate stability, etc. However, the type and magnitude of changes of soil properties have been related to soil texture, water content, experimental conditions and the degree of exposure to freeze-thaw. The use of indoor and field experiments to further reveal the effect of freeze-thaw on soil erosion would facilitate improved forecasting, as well as prevention of soil erosion during thawing in regions with freeze-thaw cycles.