Spatial Heterogeneity of Heavy Metals in Arid Oasis Soils and Its Irrigation Input–Soil Nutrient Coupling Mechanism

Jiang Liu, Chongbo Li, Jing Wang, Liangliang Li, Junling He () and Funian Zhao ()
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Jiang Liu: Urumqi Natural Resources Integrated Survey Center of China Geological Survey, Urumqi 830057, China
Chongbo Li: Urumqi Natural Resources Integrated Survey Center of China Geological Survey, Urumqi 830057, China
Jing Wang: College of Resources and Environment, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Liangliang Li: Pratcultural College, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Junling He: Urumqi Natural Resources Integrated Survey Center of China Geological Survey, Urumqi 830057, China
Funian Zhao: Lanzhou Institute of Arid Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Lanzhou 730020, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-18

Abstract: Soil environmental quality in arid oases is crucial for regional ecological security but faces multi-source heavy metal (HM) contamination risks. This study aimed to (1) characterize the spatial distribution of soil HMs (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, and Zn) in the Ka Shi gar oasis, Xinjiang, (2) quantify the driving effect of irrigation water, and (3) elucidate interactions between HMs, soil properties, and land use types. Using 591 soil and 12 irrigation water samples, spatial patterns were mapped via inverse distance weighting interpolation, with drivers and interactions analyzed through correlation and land use comparisons. Results revealed significant spatial heterogeneity in HMs with no consistent regional trend: As peaked in arable land (5.27–40.20 μg/g) influenced by parent material and agriculture, Cd posed high ecological risk in gardens (max 0.29 μg/g), and Zn reached exceptional levels (412.00 μg/g) in gardens linked to industry/fertilizers. Irrigation water impacts were HM-specific: water contributed to soil As enrichment, whereas high water Cr did not elevate soil Cr (indicating industrial dominance), and Cd/Cu showed no significant link. Interactions with soil properties were regulated by land use: in arable land, As correlated positively with EC/TN and negatively with pH; in gardens, HMs generally decreased with pH, enhancing mobility risk; in forests, SOM adsorption immobilized HMs; in construction land, Hg correlated with SOM/TP, suggesting industrial-organic synergy. This study advances understanding by demonstrating that HM enrichment arises from natural and anthropogenic factors, with the spatial heterogeneity of irrigation water’s driving effect critically regulated by land use type, providing a spatially explicit basis for targeted pollution control and sustainable oasis management.

Keywords: arid oasis; soil heavy metals; irrigation water; land use; spatial interpolation; relevance analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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