As the industrialization is becoming a trend for soil and water integrated regulation on rocky desertification control

its technology system is coupled with mountainous agroforestry models and techniques. The results from statistically analyzing 158 related literatures were: (1)The literature shows a peak cluster curve by years of publication

which indicates necessity of further studies. (2)The previous researches involved several aspects

including experiment monitoring

applied technology research

theory and mechanism study

model construction

demonstration and benefit analysis. Among these studies

a priority had been given to experimental testing by monitoring the physical and chemical improvement of soil properties under the agroforestry as well as its influence on ecological

economic and social benefits. (3)The researched areas were mainly distributed in northern China and the karst area in southern China. The combining studies on the soil-and -water-integrated treatment and the mountainous agroforestry were mainly conducted in the arid/semi-arid regions and the karst areas with engineering droughts (droughts caused by the special geological conditions in Karst areas). This paper also revealed the frontier theories about agroforestry and the comprehensive soil-and-water governess of rocky desertification from five aspects: theoretical research

technological research and development

model construction

test demonstration

monitoring and evaluation. It is finally concluded that the previous researches lag behind in the areas of comprehensively theoretical study and the significant technology development. Studies on the following areas should be further strengthened: ‘five water’ on storage and dynamic conversion; joint operation of water and soil resources from both surface and underground space; technology research and development in preventing water and soil leakage from slopes; industrial technology for saving water and adding value; optimizing allocation technology research

on forest-crops-grass stereoscopic space; developing agroforestry with technology of integrated regulation on soil and water loss to achieve ecological restoration in rocky desertification regions and boost the development of regional economy.