Fractal features of soil particle-size distributions and their relationships with soil properties in gravel-mulched fields

Zhao, Weijun; Cui, Zhen; Mā, Hong

doi:10.1007/s12517-017-3008-y

Cited by 22 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The soil structure parameters, including soil particle diameter, bulk, and soil pore and quantity, have a certain self-similar structure and some fractal characteristics. Studies have shown that fractal theory, a popular approach in recent years, has offered a new means of quantifying soil structure, soil porosity, and soil permeability [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Fractal theory has been applied to various geological phenomena that display large, scale-invariant and self-similar characteristics [11][12][13][14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Particle-Size Distribution and Soil Infiltration Characteristics of Different Vegetation Communities in a Typical Mountainous Region of China

Ren

Xia

Zhang

et al. 2019

Pol. J. Environ. Stud.

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In order to explore the improving effect and mechanisms of vegetation communities on soil structure and infiltration processes, we used fractal scaling theory to analyse soil particle-size distribution (PSD), soil dimension and soil infiltration for seven vegetation communities in the Dabie mountainous region of central China. The results showed that coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests (PQ) had a higher function of meliorating soil particle structure and infiltration capability than broad-leaved forests (PC and QA) and coniferous forests (PD). In general, the amounts of silt and clay increased under PQ, PC and QA vegetation communities, whereas fine sand content decreased, resulting in higher values for soil total porosity and capillary porosity. For shelter forests, the infiltration rate was higher than other vegetation communities. The overall fractal dimensions of PSD ranged from 2.071 to 2.430, and the fractal dimensions of PQ, PC, QA and PD in shelter forests were far higher (mean value of 2.312) than those of the others. There was significant positive correlation between the fractal dimension and the amount of silt and clay (R = 0.815), and negative correlation with fine sand (R =-0.549). There was also a strong linear positive relationship between the fractal dimension and the soil's infiltration rate. Correlations of the fractal dimension with the soil infiltration capability provided strong evidence that vegetation communities enhanced the soil fractal dimension by increasing the amounts of silt and clay, thereby improving both aggregate structure and pore structure and enhancing the degree of soil texture

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Particle-Size Distribution and Soil Infiltration Characteristics of Different Vegetation Communities in a Typical Mountainous Region of China

Ren

Xia

Zhang

et al. 2019

Pol. J. Environ. Stud.

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“…Previous studies have shown that the losses of SOC, TN and other soil nutrients were mainly due to the removal of fine particles (silts and clays) induced by wind erosion in dry land [21,[35][36][37][38]. Compared to sand particles, silt and clay particles had higher capacity for holding soil water and nutrients [39][40][41]. In addition, decreased vegetation biomass and lower litter decomposition caused the reduction input of soil organic matters, thus, soil nutrients decreased accordingly [42].…”

Section: Characteristics Of Rangeland Desertificationmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…This is very important for sand fixation, because fine particles adhering to each other may enhance the stability of the sand dune surface [50]. During the vegetation restoration process on dunes, vegetation increased soil organic matter input and soil water holding capacity, and reduced the losses of nutrients by wind erosion, thereby contributing to the accumulation of soil nutrients [16,19,39], which in turn favored vegetation restoration. In addition, the dead Medicago sativa on dunes under the CM treatment led to higher input of organic matters into soils.…”

Section: Short-term Effectiveness Of the Treatments On Fixing Mobile mentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of Desertification and Short-Term Effectiveness of Differing Treatments on Shifting Sand Dune Stabilization in an Alpine Rangeland

Feng

Fan

et al. 2019

IJERPH

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Rangeland desertification is one of the most serious problems threatening the ecological environment and socio-economic development on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. To combat desertification and reduce its adverse effects, some strategies have been undertaken to stabilize the mobile sand dunes and restore the desertified land. In this study, rangeland desertification with a gradient degree of none, light, medium, severe and extreme was assessed, and short-term effectiveness of different treatments on stabilizing the shifting sand dunes was evaluated by monitoring selected vegetation and soil properties. Results showed that vegetation became thinner and sparser, and soil environment deteriorated significantly under desertification, leading to a poor and low diversity ecosystem. Applying a checkerboard protection strategy in which herb species were planted and using a shrub vegetation planting method without checkerboard protection on mobile dunes for five years, vegetation growth state and soil properties were improved. Soil particles were finer, vegetation restoration was more rapid, and soil nutrient improvement was more apparent at the lower locations of the sand dunes under the checkerboard protection planted with herbs, which performed slightly better in improving soil properties than the shrub planting method alone. A longer time period would be required for vegetation and soils on the sand dunes to be restored to sustain more intensive land use. These findings provide more insight into dune stabilization, allowing effective management in the ecological restoration of desertified rangeland.

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“…This method can facilitate comparisons between different soils and has been widely applied in describing PSD. However, soil texture class is a qualitative value and is inconvenient to directly distinguish the subtle difference of soils with the same texture and quantify the heterogeneity of soil texture at various scales (Wen et al, 2011; Zhao et al, 2017). Quantifying PSD in a single number has drawn more and more attention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(2017) reported that FD is significantly positively correlated with soil clay and silt contents and significantly negatively correlated with sand content. Fractal dimension of PSD is also related with BD, soil moisture, and SOC (Li et al., 2018; Zhao et al., 2017). These studies support the significance of FD as an indicator of soil physicochemical properties.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Slope‐scale spatial variability of fractal dimension of soil particle size distribution at multiple depths

Zou

Zhang

Wan

2021

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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Particle size distribution (PSD) is one of the most important properties of soil, and fractal dimension of PSD (FD) is an accurate and useful description of PSD. In this study, PSD at 11 separates for 32 sampling points at six depths in a slope of the Bashang area in the agro‐pastoral transition zone of North China was determined by the pipette method. Spatial variability of FD at the six depths was analyzed using geostatistics and inverse distance weighting interpolation, and the relationships between FD and soil properties and environmental factors were investigated. Results show that the spatial variability of FD is weaker than that of PSD and that FD has strong spatial autocorrelation at most depths, except at the surface layer. With increasing depth, FD tends to decrease, and its spatial variability tends to increase. The distribution of FD varies across the slope. Fractal dimension of PSD of the concave slope is higher than that of the convex slope. Relative elevation is the main influencing factor at the slope scale, and its effects vary at different depths and slope shapes, which are more significant on the concave slope. Slope gradient and vegetation have little influence on FD. Fractal dimension of PSD can serve as a comprehensive parameter to reflect the characteristics of PSD, bulk density, soil organic C, and magnetic susceptibility. Spatial variability of FD at different depths at small scale can contribute to improving the accuracy of predictive soil mapping and more precise soil resource management.

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Fractal features of soil particle-size distributions and their relationships with soil properties in gravel-mulched fields

Cited by 22 publications

References 18 publications

Soil Particle-Size Distribution and Soil Infiltration Characteristics of Different Vegetation Communities in a Typical Mountainous Region of China

Soil Particle-Size Distribution and Soil Infiltration Characteristics of Different Vegetation Communities in a Typical Mountainous Region of China

Characteristics of Desertification and Short-Term Effectiveness of Differing Treatments on Shifting Sand Dune Stabilization in an Alpine Rangeland

Slope‐scale spatial variability of fractal dimension of soil particle size distribution at multiple depths

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