Effect of Attapulgite Application on Aggregate Formation and Carbon and Nitrogen Content in Sandy Soil

Ziru Niu, Yongzhong Su (), Juan Li, Fangjiao An and Tingna Liu
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Ziru Niu: Shaanxi Provincial Land Engineering Construction Group, Key Laboratory of Degraded and Unused Land Consolidation Engineering, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xi’an 710000, China
Yongzhong Su: Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Juan Li: Shaanxi Provincial Land Engineering Construction Group, Key Laboratory of Degraded and Unused Land Consolidation Engineering, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xi’an 710000, China
Fangjiao An: School of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730000, China
Tingna Liu: Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-16

Abstract: Clay minerals are the main cementing substances for sandy soils to form aggregates. The clay mineral attapulgite clay is abundant in Northwest China, and its special colloidal properties and crystal structure make it excellent in improving soil physicochemical properties. Using attapulgite as soil conditioner, the effects of different application rates of attapulgite on the formation and stability of sandy soil aggregates were studied through field experiments for two consecutive years. The results showed that the application of 6000 kg·hm −2 attapulgite soil in sandy soil farmland for two consecutive years reduced the soil bulk density by 0–20 cm, from 1.55 g·cm −3 to 1.47 g·cm −3 , a decrease of 3.6%; the soil pH was increased by 3.7% from 8.59 to 8.84. The soil organic carbon, inorganic carbon and total nitrogen in the whole soil increased by 4.52%, 5.23% and 6.22%, respectively. The mass fraction of macro-aggregates of 2–0.25 mm and micro-aggregates of 0.25–0.053 mm as well as the contents of organic carbon, inorganic carbon and total nitrogen increased by 3.5%, 5.2%, 8.7%, 5.6% and 6.7%, respectively, thus improving the stability of aggregates. However, low application rates (1500 kg·hm −2 and 3000 kg·hm −2 ) of attapulgite had no significant effect on soil physical and chemical properties. Attapulgite, as a kind of highly adsorptive clay mineral, can be directly applied to sandy soil to increase soil cementitious substances, promote the formation of soil aggregates and increase the carbon and nitrogen fixation capacity of sandy soil. The improvement effect on the formation and stability of aggregates will gradually accumulate with the years of application. Therefore, in the future, the effects of adding attapulgite on the growth of various crops under various types of soil and climatic conditions should be carried out to obtain more systematic conclusions.

Keywords: attapulgite; aggregates; aggregate stability; carbon and nitrogen content (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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