Spatial Distribution and the Key Impact Factors of Soil Selenium of Cultivated Land in Lianyuan City, China

Siyu Guo, Xinyue Chen (), Zhijia Lin (), Feng Yin, Pengyuan Jia and Keyun Liao
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Siyu Guo: School of Earth Sciences and Spatial Information Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
Xinyue Chen: School of Earth Sciences and Spatial Information Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
Zhijia Lin: Geological Survey Institute of Hunan Province, Changsha 410014, China
Feng Yin: School of Earth Sciences and Spatial Information Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
Pengyuan Jia: Geological Survey Institute of Hunan Province, Changsha 410014, China
Keyun Liao: Geological Survey Institute of Hunan Province, Changsha 410014, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: Selenium (Se) is a micronutrient that has attracted significant attention, because the threshold for human health is low. During soil surveys in China, large areas of low-Se soil were found, and this condition may increase the probability of people suffering from Se deficiency. A multi-purpose regional geochemical survey conducted in the Lou Shao basin of Hunan Province found abundant Se-rich soils in Lianyuan City. However, as the primary grain-producing area in Hunan Province, the key factors affecting the spatial distribution of soil Se in the cultivated land of Lianyuan City remain to be elucidated. Therefore, based on the data of 5516 topsoil samples (0–20 cm) of cultivated land in Lianyuan City, we used geostatistics, correlation analysis, and a Geodetector to explore the effects of geological conditions (strata), soil types, soil properties, and topography on the distribution of Se in soil. The results showed that (1) in comparison to cultivated land in the Chinese mainland, Japan, Belgium, and Sweden, the cultivated land in Lianyuan City exhibits higher Se contents, with Se-sufficient and Se-rich areas accounting for 9.74% and 88.96% of the total area, respectively; (2) the distribution of high-Se soil was consistent with that in the Longtan Formation, Dalong Formation, and Daye Formation; (3) organic matter (OM) showed a positive correlation with Se, while both the elevation and slope were negatively correlated with Se; (4) stratum had the most significant effect on the spatial variation in soil Se, followed by OM. Lianyuan City is a typical Se-rich area, and the high level of Se in soil reduces the risk of local residents suffering with diseases caused by Se deficiency. The synergistic effect of stratum and OM is the key factor influencing Se enrichment in soils. Moreover, low-lying flat areas are more conducive to the accumulation of Se. This study will help farmers to identify suitable Se-rich cultivation areas in order to increase the Se content in crops, thereby providing a valuable basis for improvements in human health and the optimization of agricultural strategies.

Keywords: selenium; stratum; soil organic matter; Geodetector; Lianyuan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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