Characteristics of Soil C, N, and P Stoichiometry as Affected by Land Use and Slope Position in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, Southwest China

Mengdie Feng, Dengyu Zhang, Binghui He, Ke Liang, Peidong Xi, Yunfei Bi, Yingying Huang, Dongxin Liu and Tianyang Li
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Mengdie Feng: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Dengyu Zhang: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Binghui He: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Ke Liang: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Peidong Xi: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Yunfei Bi: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Yingying Huang: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Dongxin Liu: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Tianyang Li: College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-13

Abstract: Land use change and slope position are commonly identified as the key factors affecting the soil organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), and total phosphorus (P) traits in distinct ecological scales. However, the directions of these effects are still unclear in some fragile terrestrial ecosystems. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of soil C, N, and P concentrations and stoichiometry as affected by different land uses and slope positions in a representative purple soil hillslope in Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA), China, which is experiencing severe soil erosion and non-point source pollution. A total of 108 soil samples were collected from secondary forest, orchard plantation, and cropland on the upper, middle, and lower slopes, respectively. Soil C, N, and P concentrations and their stoichiometric ratios were determined. The results showed that soil C concentration was not affected by land use, while soil N and P concentrations were both the highest in orchard plantation rather than in secondary forest and cropland, resulting in the lowest C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios in the orchard plantation. Soil C and N concentrations synchronously decreased from upper slope to the lower slope, and soil P concentration was not markedly different among slope positions. This also caused the insignificant difference in soil C:N ratio and the remarkably lowest C:P and N:P ratios on the lower slope. There were significant interactive effects of land use and slope position on the study soil variables except soil P concentration. Our results highlight the effects of land use and slope position on soil C, N, and P traits and point to the decoupling of linkages between soil P and soil C as well as N due to the severe soil erosion and overuse of fertilization in the TGRA.

Keywords: nutrient stoichiometry; non-point source; land use change; fertilization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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