Fractal characterization of soil particle size distribution under different land use patterns on the north slope of Wula Mountain in China

• Published in: Journal of soils and sediments 2024-03, Vol.24 (3), p.1148-1164
• Main Authors: Wang, Zhuoran, Hasi, Eerdun, Han, Xujiao, Qingda, Muni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid digestion; Acid dissolution; Antimony; Clay soils; Coefficients; Colorimetry; Correlation analysis; Correlation coefficient; Correlation coefficients; Cultivated lands; Dissolution; Dunes; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Physics; Environmental Risk Assessment; Fertility; Fractal analysis; Fractal geometry; Fractal models; Fractals; Grasslands; Hydrofluoric acid; Kjeldahl procedure; Land use; Loam soils; Molybdenum; Mountains; Nitrogen; Nutrients; Organic matter; Organic soils; Oxidation; Particle size; Particle size distribution; Phosphorus; Physicochemical processes; Physicochemical properties; Potassium; Potassium dichromate; Sand; Sand & gravel; Sandy loam; Sandy soils; Sec 2 • Global Change; Shrublands; Size distribution; Soil chemistry; Soil fertility; Soil management; Soil nutrients; Soil organic matter; Soil pH; Soil properties; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil structure; Soil testing; Soil texture; Soils; Sustainability; Sustainability management; Sustainable Land Use • Research Article; Texture
• ISSN: 1439-0108; 1614-7480
• DOI: 10.1007/s11368-024-03722-z

Purpose For thousands of years, humanity has been significantly altering the surface topography of the Earth in a measurable manner, and different land use practices have exerted substantial influence on soil structure and nutrient composition. This study aimed to assess the impact of various land use patterns on soil structure and physicochemical properties on the north slope of Wula Mountain, with a focus on seven land use modes in Urad Front Banner, Inner Mongolia, China. Materials and methods The tested soil samples were collected from seven land use patterns (cultivated land, artificial forestland, low-coverage grassland, medium-coverage grassland, artificial shrubland, sand dune, bare land). Soil particle sizes were measured by a Laser Particle Analyzer. Soil pH was measured using a pH meter, soil organic matter was determined by the potassium dichromate oxidation-external heating method, soil total nitrogen was measured using the Kjeldahl procedure, soil total phosphorus was analyzed using the acid dissolution-molybdenum antimony colorimetric method, and soil total potassium was assessed through the hydrofluoric acid digestion method. The fractal dimension values of soil PSDs were calculated using the volume-based single fractal model. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze whether different parameters used in the fractal model influenced the results of the fractal dimensions. Results and discussion Soil particle size analysis revealed that sand particles dominated, accounting for 57.01 to 90.95%, with loamy sandy soil and sandy loam soil being the predominant textures observed. The soil fractal dimension D (0–30 cm) showed a trend of dune (2.319)