This study used GIS technique and RUSLE model to analyze the dynamic impacts on soil erosion in the Dongjiang river basin

a gradient development basin

based on the landcover data in years 1990

2000 and 2010 The results showed that the landcover in the downstream areas presented a large variation with a large number of paddy field

nonirrigated farmland

forestland and grassland converting to urban land

construction land and garden plot. The average soil erosion amounts reach 15.22 t/ (hm

2

·a)

15.41 t/ (hm

2

·a)  and 15.47 t/ (hm

2

·a)

all of which belong to Level II but increased over the time. The percentage of the erosion areas belonging to Levels I-II ranges  90.95% to 91.26%. The level change of soil erosion is not significant: approximately 24328km

2

(91.14%) areas maintained the original levels

but approximately 2365 km

2

(8.86%) changed; among the changed areas

approximately 1286 km

2

(4.82%) was converted from lower levels to higher levels

but approximately 1079 km

2

(4.04%) was converted from higher levels to lower levels. The spatial distribution and its dynamic variation matched well with the gradation development of social economy

which showed an increasing trend from the upstream to downstream.