Soil Quality Assessment and Influencing Factors of Different Land Use Types in Red Bed Desertification Regions: A Case Study of Nanxiong, China

Fengxia Si, Binghui Chen (), Bojun Wang, Wenjun Li, Chunlin Zhu, Jiafang Fu, Bo Yu and Guoliang Xu
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Fengxia Si: School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Binghui Chen: School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Bojun Wang: School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Wenjun Li: School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Chunlin Zhu: School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
Jiafang Fu: Natural Resources Bureau of Nanxiong City, Nanxiong 512400, China
Bo Yu: Guangdong Institute of Environmental Geological Exploration, Guangzhou 510080, China
Guoliang Xu: School of Geography and Remote Sensing, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 8, 1-19

Abstract: Soil environmental issues in the red bed region are increasingly conspicuous, underscoring the critical importance of assessing soil quality for the region’s sustainable development and ecosystem security. This study examines six distinct land use types of soils—agricultural land (AL), woodland (WL), shrubland (SL), grassland (GL), bare rock land (BRL), and red bed erosion land (REL)—in the Nanxiong Basin of northern Guangdong Province. This area typifies red bed desertification in South China. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to establish a minimum data set (MDS) for calculating the soil quality index (SQI), evaluating soil quality, analyzing influencing factors, and providing suggestions for ecological restoration in desertification areas. The study findings indicate that a minimal data set comprising soil organic matter (SOM), pH, available phosphorus (AP), exchangeable calcium (Ca 2+ ), and available copper (A-Cu) is most suitable for evaluating soil quality in the red bed desertification areas of the humid region in South China. Additionally, we emphasize that exchangeable salt ions and available trace elements should be pivotal considerations in assessing soil quality within desertification areas. Regarding comprehensive soil quality indicators across various land use types, the red bed erosion soils exhibited the lowest quality, followed by those in bare rock areas and forest land. Within the minimal data set, Ca 2+ and pH contributed the most to overall soil quality, underscoring the significance of parent rock mineral composition in the red bed desertification areas. Moreover, the combined effects of SOM, A-Cu, and AP on soil quality indicate that anthropogenic land management and use, including fertilization methods and vegetation types, are crucial factors influencing soil quality. Our research holds significant implications for the scientific assessment, application, and enhancement of soil quality in desertification areas.

Keywords: soil quality assessment; land use type; minimum data set; red bed desertification areas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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