Effects of composite soil amendments on soil hydraulic characteristics in the Mollisols of Northeast China
Water erosion in sloping cropland poses a significant challenge in the Mollisol region of Northeast China, largely due to the clay-rich soils and the presence of a compacted plow layer. Therefore, enhancing the hydraulic characteristics of soils is crucial for preventing erosion and degradation in t...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Soil Advances |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950289625000247 |
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| Summary: | Water erosion in sloping cropland poses a significant challenge in the Mollisol region of Northeast China, largely due to the clay-rich soils and the presence of a compacted plow layer. Therefore, enhancing the hydraulic characteristics of soils is crucial for preventing erosion and degradation in this area. This study investigated the effects of composite soil amendments, comprising super absorbent polymers, polyacrylamide, and organic fertilizer, on soil hydraulic characteristics at the runoff plot scale. The experiment was conducted with four application amounts: low (M1), medium (M2), high (M3), and ultra-high (M4). The infiltration capacity of soils was determined by the in situ infiltration method, the water-holding capacity of soils was measured with the constant head method, the soil structure was quantified by the Yoder wet sieve method and the sandbox method. The results showed that, compared with the control (CK), different amounts of composite soil amendments all increased the soil infiltration capacity (i.e., initial infiltration rate, steady-state infiltration rate, near-saturation and saturated hydraulic conductivity), among which the enhancement effect under the low suction at −0.5 hPa was significant. Soil water-holding capacity was also increased, in which the natural water content and maximum water-holding content were increased by 0.58–12.18 % and 5.53–18.73 %, respectively. Applying a medium amount of composite soil amendment (M2) best increased soil hydraulic characteristics. The mechanism is that the composite soil amendments enhance soil infiltration capacity by increasing macroporosity, while the enhancement of soil water-holding capacity is affected by the combined effect of macroporosity and the increase of large soil water-stable macroaggregates (>2 mm). Overall, the composite soil amendment effectively increased soil hydraulic characteristics and can be recommended in the Mollisol region of Northeast China. |
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| ISSN: | 2950-2896 |