Background Since the 1980s, the northern foot of Dabie Mountain has experienced the second forestry venture and the reconstruction of low-efficiency forest, Some mixed woodland, shrub woodland and open woodland have been reclaimed as garden at different times, which has become the new source of soil erosion and affected the ecological security of the region. In order to better manage economic forest and effectively carry out the prevention and control of soil erosion, it is necessary to find out the spatial distribution characteristics and soil erosion law of woodland and garden in this area.

Methods With Shangcheng county as the research area, woodland and garden as the research object. Woodland and garden types were interpreted based on high-resolution remote sensing images, topographic maps, field surveys and other data. Soil erosion was calculated using the Chinese soil loss equation, and the leading factors of soil erosion and were the interaction of factors were detected by geographic detectors.

Results 1) Woodland and garden account for 56.06% of the total land area. Woodland is dominated by Pinus, Quercus and mixed woodland , and garden is mainly tea (Camellia sinensis) garden and oil camellia (Camellia oleifera) garden, which are mainly distributed in the southern, eastern and northwestern areas of 0-500 m and 0-15°. 2) The proportion of soil and water loss 8in woodland and garden was 33.78%, which was mainly slight erosion, mainly distributed in Pinus, Quercus and mixed woodland , and moderate or above erosion intensity was concentrated in oil camellia (C. oleifera) garden, tea (C. sinensis)garden and chestnut (Castanea mollissima) woodland. Oil camellia (C. oleifera) garden and tea (C. sinensis)garden above 15° and without soil and water conservation measures are the main areas where high intensity erosion of soil and water loss occurs. 3) Soil erosion in oil camellia (C. oleifera) garden was dominated by soil and water conservation measures, while slope was dominant in other woodland and garden types. The interaction between woodland and garden types is most significant with slope as the core and other influencing factors.

Conclusions This study had investigated the spatial distribution and soil erosion characteristics of woodland and garden , and identified slope as the main factors of soil erosion. The results can provide scientific basis for the comprehensive control of soil and water loss and the spatial layout of soil and water conservation measures in woodland and garden in Dabie Mountain area. In the future, attention should be paid to soil and water loss above 15°, especially in tea (C. sinensis) garden, oil camellia (C. oleifera) garden and chestnut (C. mollissima) woodland which are highly affected by human activities and prone to high intensity soil and water loss.