Soil Available Phosphorus Investigated for Spatial Distribution and Effect Indicators Resulting from Ecological Construction on the Loess Plateau, China

Shengdong Cheng, Ganggang Ke, Zhanbin Li, Yuting Cheng and Heng Wu
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Shengdong Cheng: State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
Ganggang Ke: State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
Zhanbin Li: State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China
Yuting Cheng: College of Life Science, Yan’an University, Yan’an 716000, China
Heng Wu: State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 22, 1-12

Abstract: Soil phosphorus is a major determinant and indicator of soil fertility and quality, and is also a source of nonpoint-source pollution. In order to control soil and water loss in the Loess Plateau, a series of soil and water conservation measures have been taken, resulting in changes in land use and differences in spatial distribution. It is necessary to study soil available phosphorus (SAP) to evaluate land productivity and environmental quality. In this study, the spatial distribution of SAP in different land uses was investigated in a small catchment area of Loess Plateau, and the field-influencing factors were determined on five layers with soil depth of 20 cm. The results show the minimum and maximum SAP content occurred at 20–40 cm and 80–100 cm soil depth and reach a value of 27.26 mg/kg and 29.37 mg/kg at catchment scale, respectively. There is significant difference among the SAP of the five soil layers ( p < 0.01). The SAP of different land uses is, in order: forestland < slope farmland < dam farmland < terrace < grassland. Different land uses’ topographies make a difference to the spatial distribution of SAP. Slope and soil texture are the domain factors influencing the SAP concentration at the catchment.

Keywords: soil available phosphorus; land use change; vegetation restoration; check dam; terrace (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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