Progress of Study on Interception of Soil Mulching with an Insight into Karst Soil Leakage Control: A Review

Soil erosion is a global issue of great concern, especially in karst areas with special environments, where subsurface soil leakage is closely related to soil erosion, which has become a key factor limiting agricultural development. To explore how to improve soil erosion in karst areas to enhance soil quality and maintain the sustainable use of the land in the long term, a total of 176 studies on the interception characteristics of soil mulching and erosion management were reviewed using a systematic review approach, through the WoS and CNKI databases. Firstly, quantitative analysis was conducted in terms of the annual volume, content and countries of the published literature. Secondly, from four aspects (theoretical research, mechanism research, technology research and technical demonstration), the main progress and landmark achievements of soil mulching interception and erosion management were classified. It is shown that the interception characteristics of soil mulching can produce an effective blockage for soil leakage in karst areas. Based on the global classification, compared to synthetic materials, natural materials have received more attention. We propose five key scientific questions that still need to be addressed. This review explores the insightful role of soil mulching for karst soil leakage management and aims to provide theoretical support for future research on sustainable land development in karst areas.