Structural Changes of Compacted Soil Layers in Northeast China due to Freezing-Thawing Processes

Abstract

Soil compaction has become a global concern that reduces soil quality and may jeopardize agricultural sustainability. The objective of this study is to evaluate if the freezing-thawing process can alleviate the negative effects of soil compaction during overwinter time in Northeast China. The field experiment was a split plot design including two surface treatments (bare and mulch) and three compaction levels (low, moderate, and high compactions with initial bulk densities of 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 g cm −3 ). Results showed that compared with initial values in the fall, freezing-thawing events increased soil porosity (by 4.28% to 25.68%) and the ratio of large-size pores (by 44.5% to 387.6%) after thawing in the spring. The greatest changes were observed in the high compaction treatment, and mulch-enhanced soil structural transformation. Additionally, the ratio of large-size aggregates (>1 mm) was increased and the fraction of small-size aggregates (<1 mm) was decreased. These changes in soil structural characteristics were attributed mainly to the modification of ice-filled pores space during the overwinter period. We concluded that the freezing-thawing process was an effective natural force for ameliorating soil compaction in Northeast China.

Subsoil compaction of a clay soil in South-East Norway and its amelioration after 5 years

“…A study has revealed a 59% reduction in penetration resistance on a compacted clay soil at a 20-30 cm depth due to freezing and thawing (Jabro et al, 2014). The same trend was observed for macroporosity with increases of up to 388% (Wang et al, 2020a) due to the freezing and thawing of compacted clay soils in the upper soil layer (0-25 cm depth).…”

“…In soils with a high clay content, annual freezing and thawing may decrease soil compaction in the upper soil layer (< 30 cm) which is equally as effective as soil tillage (Jabro et al, 2014;Wang et al, 2020a). Other studies that were performed on topsoils with a similar clay content as the one examined in our study show that annual freezing-thawing increases pore space, reduces bulk density and aggregate stability and also increases the porosity and hydraulic conductivity (Gameda et al, 1987;Jabro et al, 2014;Kvaernø and Øygarden, 2006;Rasmussen, 1999;Wang et al, 2020a;Wang et al, 2020b). A study has revealed a 59% reduction in penetration resistance on a compacted clay soil at a 20-30 cm depth due to freezing and thawing (Jabro et al, 2014).…”

Grazing cover crops: How does it influence soils and crops?

“…The limited impacts of CC grazing on soil compaction may be due to the following mechanisms: Because CCs can reduce soil bulk density and penetration resistance in some cases, growing CCs could offset some of the grazing CC‐induced increases in soil compaction (George et al., 2013; Kelly et al., 2021). Freeze‐thaw cycles and wetting and drying cycles could naturally alleviate soil compaction (Cui et al., 2014; Jabro et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2020). Manure return from grazing animals can increase soil organic matter, potentially mitigating compaction risks (Rakkar & Blanco‐Canqui, 2018).…”

An Investigation of Non-Linear Strength Characteristics of Solidified Saline Soils in Cold Regions

“…China has the third-largest frozen ground region in the world, and frozen ground covers about 56.3% of the land area in China [ 1 , 2 ]. Climate change has greatly affected the infrastructure in frozen ground locations, causing problems such as mud pumping-induced cracks and frost-related heaving on roads, and landslides induced by freeze–thaw [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Meanwhile, the second-largest frozen ground region and the largest carbonate-stained land area, of approximately 3.2 × 10 4 km 2 , is located in Northeast China.…”