Develop a Soil Quality Index to Study the Results of Black Locust on Soil Quality below Different Allocation Patterns

Zeyu Shi, Zhongke Bai, Donggang Guo and Meijing Chen
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Zeyu Shi: School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Zhongke Bai: School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Donggang Guo: College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
Meijing Chen: School of Land Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: Mining areas are currently a typical ecosystem that is severely destroyed within the world. Over the years, mining activities have caused serious soil damage. Therefore, the soil restoration of abandoned mines has become a vital sustainable development strategy. The ecological environment within the hilly area of the Loess Plateau is extremely fragile, with serious soil erosion; Robinia pseudoacacia is the most popular tree species for land reclamation in mining areas within the Loess Plateau. To review the different various effects of Robinia pseudoacacia on soil quality below different configuration modes, this paper has chosen two sample plots within the southern dump of the Pingshuo mining area for comparison. The first plot is a Robinia pseudoacacia - Ulmus pumila - Ailanthus altissima broadleaf mixed forest, and the second plot is a locust tree broadleaf pure forest. The vegetation indicators and soil physical and chemical properties of the four stages in 1993, 2010, 2015, and 2020 were investigated. Principal component analysis is employed to develop the Soil Quality Index to perceive the changes within the Soil Quality Index over time. It is calculated that the Soil Quality Index of Plot I rose from 0.501 in 1993 to 0.538 in 2020, and Plot II rose from 0.501 to 0.529. The higher the SQI, the higher the reclamation of the mining area. It is found that Robinia pseudoacacia within the Robinia pseudoacacia - Ulmus pumila - Ailanthus altissima broadleaf mixed forest has higher soil quality improvement than the pure genus Robinia pseudoacacia broadleaf forest. This article can demonstrate the changes in the quality of reclaimed soil in the mining area, and can also provide a reference for the selection of reclaimed vegetation in other mining areas.

Keywords: land reclamation; mining area soil; Robinia pseudoacacia; principal component analysis; Soil Quality Index; chemical property (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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