Climatic and Topographic Controls on Soil Organic Matter Heterogeneity in Northeast China’s Black Soil Region: Implications for Sustainable Management

Depiao Kong, Nanchen Chu () and Chong Luo ()
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Depiao Kong: College of Geographical Sciences, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
Nanchen Chu: College of Geographical Sciences, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
Chong Luo: State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-16

Abstract: Soil organic matter (SOM) plays a critical role in maintaining soil fertility, sustaining ecosystem stability, and mitigating climate change impacts, making its conservation essential for agricultural sustainability. However, systematic county-level assessments of SOM spatial heterogeneity and its drivers across Northeast China remain limited, constraining region-specific soil management strategies. Understanding the spatial distribution and drivers of SOM is therefore vital for effective black soil protection in Northeast China. This study investigated the spatial heterogeneity and driving mechanisms of SOM in Northeast China, covering 289 counties across Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning Provinces. High-resolution (10 m) SOM data combined with 15 natural, climatic, soil, vegetation, and socioeconomic variables were analyzed using spatial autocorrelation (global and local Moran’s I) and the Geodetector model. Results showed that SOM exhibited a clear spatial pattern of “higher in the north and east, lower in the south and west,” with significant spatial clustering (Moran’s I = 0.730, p < 0.001). At the regional scale, climate factors were the dominant drivers, with potential evapotranspiration (q = 0.810) and mean annual temperature (q = 0.794) exerting the strongest explanatory power. At the provincial scale, dominant factors varied: topographic controls in Liaoning, climate–topography interactions in Jilin, and climate dominance in Heilongjiang. Anthropogenic footprint had limited overall influence but showed amplifying effects in certain local areas. These findings highlight the multi-scale, multi-factor nature of SOM heterogeneity and underscore the need for region-specific management strategies.

Keywords: soil organic matter; black soil region; Northeast China; spatial analysis; Geodetector (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: 2025
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