JOURNAL OF NANJING FORESTRY UNIVERSITY ›› 2025, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (1): 194-200.doi: 10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202303054

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Variation characteristics of soil structure in different farmlands across the typical black soil region in northeast China

LIU Chaonan(), WANG Enheng*(), CHEN Xiangwei, WANG Yating, LI Jinnuo   

  1. College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
  • Received:2023-03-31 Revised:2023-11-12 Online:2025-01-30 Published:2025-01-21
  • Contact: WANG Enheng E-mail:LiuCNboy@163.com;erxin222@163.com

Abstract:

【Objective】This study aims to explore the degradation degree and area differences of soil structure in different areas across the typical black soil region, and to provide reference and basis for the protection of black soil and the restoration of degraded cultivated land. 【Method】 The characteristics of soil aggregates, soil porosity and water retention capacity, and soil three-phase structure of uncultivated grassland and farmland (cultivated for 60 years) were measured by dry-wet sieving and cutting ring method, and were comparatively analyzed in three areas (hill area, rolling hill area, low mountain area). 【Result】The results showed that the mechanical and water stability of aggregates, porosity, and water retention quality of soil were significantly better in the uncultivated hill area and rolling hill area than those in the low mountain area, while the generalized soil structure index was significantly lower in the low mountain area. The degradation of the mechanical stability of aggregates was not obvious after long-term cultivation (60 years), while the degradation of water stability of aggregates was in the order of low mountain area > hill area > rolling hill area. The total porosity and water retention capacity of the soil in the hill area and rolling hill area degraded seriously, while it showed an increased tendency in the low mountain area. The ratio of solid, liquid and gas phases of soil approached the ideal three-phase structure and was beneficial to crop growth in the 0-10 cm soil depth of the hill area and rolling hill area, but there was no significant change in the low mountain area. The increase in the solid phase proportion leads to the obvious degradation of the soil three-phase structure in the 20-40 cm soil depth of all three areas. 【Conclusion】The soil structure in uncultivated areas has regional differences in the typical black soil region. The hill area and rolling hill area had a superior aggregate structure, soil pore structure, and water retention capability, while the low mountain area had a superior soil three-phase structure. Farmlands in the three different areas across the typical black soil region showed a trend of degradation, with varying degrees of degradation among the areas. The soil pore structure and the three-phase structure of the hill area and rolling hill area degraded more seriously, while the aggregate structure of the low mountain area degraded more seriously.

Key words: soil structure, soil aggregate, soil pore, water retention capability of soil, soil three-phase, typical black soil region in northeast China

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