Relationship between spatio-temporal evolution of soil pH and geological environment/surface cover in the eastern Nenjiang River Basin of Northeast China during the past 30 years

Abstract

To illuminate the spatio-temporal variation characteristics and geochemical driving mechanism of soil pH in the Nenjiang River Basin, the National Multi-objective Regional Geochemical Survey data of topsoil, the Second National Soil Survey data and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were analyzed. The areas of neutral and alkaline soil decreased by 21100 km² and 30500 km², respectively, while that of strongly alkaline, extremely alkaline, and strongly acidic soil increased by 19600 km², 18200 km², and 15500 km², respectively, during the past 30 years. NDVI decreased with the increase of soil pH when soil pH > 8.0, and it was reversed when soil pH < 5.0. There were significant differences in soil pH with various surface cover types, which showed an ascending order: Arbor < reed < maize < rice < high and medium-covered meadow < low-covered meadow < Puccinellia. The weathering products of minerals rich in K₂O, Na₂O, CaO, and MgO entered into the low plain and were enriched in different parts by water transportation and lake deposition, while Fe and Al remained in the low hilly areas, which was the geochemical driving mechanism. The results of this study will provide scientific basis for making scientific and rational decisions on soil acidification and salinization.

Keywords

Soil pH / Spatio-temporal variation / Surface cover / Soybean-maize-rice / Woodland-grassland-wetland / Saline-alkali land-sandy land / Geological environment / Land quality geochemical survey engineering / Nenjiang River Basin

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Guo-dong Liu, Ming-hui Wei, and Na-na Fang conceived and planned the experiments. Ze Yang contributed to sample preparation and the interpretation of the results. Guo-dong Liu wrote the manuscript with support from Na-na Fang and Hong-ye Xiao. Yi-he Zhang and Hong-ye Xiao supervised the project. All authors provided critical feedback and helped shape the research, analysis, and manuscript.

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgement

The authors thank Heilongjiang Institute of Natural Resources Survey, Jilin Geological Survey Institute, and Test Application Research Center of Heilongjiang Geology and Mineral Resources for their assistance in sampling and testing work. The authors also appreciate the constructive discussion with Dr. Liang Wang. This work was supported by China Geological Survey (DD20230554, DD20230089), the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Science (XDA28020302) and the funding project of Northeast Geological S&T Innovation Center of China Geological Survey (QCJJ2022-40).

References

[1] Aas W, Shao M, Jin L, Larssen T, Zhao DW, Xiang RJ, Zhang JH, Xiao JS, Duan L. 2007. Air concentrations and wet deposition of major inorganic ions at five non-urban sites in China, 2001-2003. Atmospheric Environment, 41(8), 1706-1716. doi: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.10.030.

[2] Bai SB, Pei JB, Li SY, An TT, Wang JK, Meng FK, Xu P. 2016. Temporal and spatial dynamics of soil organic matter and ph in cultivated land of Liaoning Province during the past 30 years. Chinese Journal of Soil Science, 47(3), 636-644 doi: 10.19336/j.cnki.trtb.2016.03.20. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[3] Baquy MAA, Li JY, Xu CY, Mehmood K, Xu RK. 2017. Determination of critical pH and Al concentration of acidic Ultisols for wheat and canola crops. Solid Earth, 8(1), 149-159. doi: 10.5194/se-8-1492017.

[4] Chen CC, Xiao B, Yu YB, Gong XF. 2009. Spatial variability of soil organic matter and pH and the correlation to available nutrients in the tea garden of southern Shaanxi. Journal of Northwest A & F University, 37(1), 182-188 (in Chinese with English abstract).

[5] Cheng HX, Yang XB, Li K, Liu F, Yang K, Nie HF, Peng M, Zhao CD, Liu YH. 2012. Geochemical early warning for soil acidification and its adverse biological effect of Cd in rice and maize seeds in the Catchment area of Liaohe, Liaoning Province. Journal of Jilin University (Earth Science Edition), 42(6), 1889-1895 doi: 10.1007/s11783-011-0280-z. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[6] Curtin D, Trolove S. 2013. Predicting pH buffering capacity of New Zealand soils from organic matter content and mineral characteristics. Soil Research, 51(6), 494-502. doi: 10.1071/SR13137.

[7] Condron LM, Turner BL, Cade-Menun BJ, Sims JT, Sharpley AN. 2005. Chemistry and dynamics of soil organic phosphorus. In: Sims JT, Sharpley AN (eds.), Phosphorus: Agriculture and the Environment. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, Madison, 87-121.

[8] Dong QY, Xiang J, Song C, Wang P, Wen HT, Yan MJ. 2022. Spatial distribution characteristics and main controlling factors of germanium in soil of northern Dabie Mountains, China. Journal of Groundwater Science and Engineering, 10(4), 381-392. doi: 10.19637/j.cnki.2305-7068.2022.04.006.

[9] Goulding KWT, Blake L. 1998. Land use, liming and the mobilization of potentially toxic metals. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 67(2/3), 135-144. doi: 10.1016/S0167-8809(97)00111-4.

[10] Guo JH, Liu XJ, Zhang Y, Shen JL, Han WX, Zhang WF, Christie P, Goulding KWT, Vitousek PM, Zhang FS. 2010. Significant acidification in major Chinese croplands. Science, 327(5968), 1008-1010. doi: 10.1126/science.1182570.

[11] Guo ZX, Wang J, Chai M, Chen ZP, Zhan ZS, Zheng WP, Wei XG. 2011. Spatiotemporal variation of soil pH in Guangdong Province of China in past 30 years. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 22(2), 425-430 doi: 10.13287/j.10019332.2011.0063. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[12] Hou EQ, Xiang HM, Li JL, Jiong LI, Wen DZ. 2015. Soil acidification and heavy metals in urban parks as affected by reconstruction intensity in a humid subtropical environment. Pedosphere, 25, 82-92. doi: 10.1016/S1002-0160(14)60078-3.

[13] Hoegh-Guldberg O, Mumby PJ, Hooten AJ, Steneck RS, Greenfield P, Gomez E, Harvell CD, Sale PF, Edwards AJ, Caldeira K, Knowlton N, Eakin CM, Iglesias-Prieto R, Muthiga N, Bradbury RH, Dubi A, Hatziolos ME. 2007. Coral reefs under rapid climate change and ocean acidification. Science, 318, 1737-1742. doi: 10.1126/SCIENCE.1152509.

[14] Ji G, Xu MG, Wen SL, Wang BR, Zhang L, Liu LS. 2015. Characteristics of soil pH and exchangeable acidity in red soil profile under different vegetation types. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 26(9), 2639-2645 doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.20150702.002. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[15] Jia Ka LT, Li GZ, Yao MY, Zhu LX. 2011. Correlation Between Soil pH and the contents of available nutrients in selected soils from Mango Orchards in Panxi. South China Fruits, 40(4), 8-12 doi: 10.13938/j.issn.1007-1431.2011.04.002. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[16] Kirk GJD, Bellamy PH, Lark RM. 2009. Changes in soil pH across England and Wales in response to decreased acid deposition. Global Change Biology, 16, 3111-3119. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2009.02135.x.

[17] Li LQ. 1986. Basic Knowledge of Saline Soil. Beijing, Science Publishing House, 2-6 (in Chinese).

[18] Li PF, Du GQ, Liu C, Liu K, Zhang XR. 2019. Acidity and basicity characteristics and acidification trend of the farmland soil in Huaibei Plain, Anhui Province. East China Geology, 40(3), 234-240 doi: 10.16788/j.hddz.32-1865/P.2019.03.009. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[19] Li QQ, Li AW, Yu XL, Dai TF, Peng YY, Yuan DG, Zhao B, Tao Q, Wang CQ, Li B, Gao XS, Li YD, Wu DY, Xu Q. 2020. Soil acidification of the soil profile across Chengdu Plain of China from the 1980s to 2010s. Science of the Total Environment, 698, 134320. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134320.

[20] Li XJ. 2000. The Alkil-i saline land and agricultural sustainable development of the western Songnen Plain in China. Scientia Geographica Sinca, 20(1), 51-55 doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1000-0690.2000.01.009. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[21] Liao H. 2006. Phosphorus and aluminum interactions in soybean in relation to aluminum tolerance. exudation of specific organic acids from different regions of the intact root system. Plant Physiology, 141(2), 674-684. doi: 10.1104/pp.105.076497.

[22] Liu CM, Xia J, Yu JJ. 2007. Study on Water and Ecology-environment Problems and Protection Countermeasures in Northeast China. Beijing, Science Publishing House, 186-187 (in Chinese).

[23] Liu XJ, Yang K, Guo F, Tang SQ, Liu YH, Zhang L, Cheng HX, Liu F. 2022. Effects and mechanism of igneous rock on selenium in the tropical soil-rice system in Hainan Province, South China. China Geology, 5, 1-11. doi: 10.31035/cg2021038.

[24] Liu ZM, Yan M, He YF. 2004. Research on Land Saline-Alkalized in the West of Jilin Province. Resources Science, 26(5), 111-116 doi: 10.3321/j.issn:1007-7588.2004.05.016. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[25] Minasny B, Hong SY, Hartemink AE, Kim YH, Kang SS. 2016. Soil pH increase under paddy in South Korea between 2000 and 2012. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 221, 205-213. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2016.01.042.

[26] Ministry of Land and Resources, PRC. 2015. Specification of MultiPurpose Regional Geochemical Survey (1: 250000). Beijing, China Standards Publishing House, 3-21 (in Chinese).

[27] Pan Y M, Hua M, Liao Q L, Xu SG, Zhang Y, Zhai H. 2018. Distribution propeaies and time -series comparisons of soil pH values in Yixing area. Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration, 42(4), 825-832. doi: 10.11720/wtyht.2018.1393.

[28] Peng M, Li K, Liu F, Tang SQ, Ma HH, Yang K, Yang Z, Guo F, Cheng HX. 2019. Reasonable sampling density for land parcel scale geochemical assessment on land quality in Northeast China Plain. Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration, 43(2), 338-350 doi: 10.11720/wtyht.2019.1446. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[29] Revision Committee of Dictionary of Water Conservancy of Hohai University. 2015. Water Conservancy Dictionary. Shanghai, Shanghai Dictionary Publishing House, 325-332 (in Chinese).

[30] Sun GY, Wang HX. 2016. Large scale development to saline-alkali soil and risk control for the Songnen Plain Resources Science, 38(3), 407-413 doi: 10.18402/resci.2016.03.04. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[31] Tian D, Niu S. 2015. A global analysis of soil acidification caused by nitrogen addition. Environmental Research Letters, 10, 024019. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/10/2/024019.

[32] Tang CX, Weligama C, Sale P. 2013. Subsurface soil acidification in farming systems:Its possible causes and management options. In: Xu J, Sparks DL (Eds.), Molecular Environmental Soil Science. Springer, Netherlands, 389-412. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-4177-5_13.

[33] Wang Q, Liu YF, Liu SW, Zhang XD, Peng W, Li CY, Xu XC, Fan JH. 2017. Evolution law of the properties of saline in Western Jilin Province under multi field effect. Journal of Jilin University (Earth Science Edition), 47(3), 807-817 doi: 10.13278/j.cnki.jjuese.201703201. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[34] Wang Y, Zhang XY, Gao Q, Li CL, Yan L, Feng GZ. 2017. Temporal and spatial variability of soil pH in the cropland of Jilin Province. Chinese Journal of Soil Science, 48(2), 387-391 doi: 10.19336/j.cnki.trtb.2017.02.19. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[35] Weil RR, Brady NC. 2017. The Nature and Properties of Soils, 15th Edition. Pearson Press, Edinburgh Gate, Harlow, Essex CM20 2JE, England, 397-398, 415-420, 447-470.

[36] Wu YH, Zeng FM, Wei XH, Liu SJ, Huang JG. 2022. Spatial variation of soil acidification in the karst area of northern Guangdong: A case in peak cluster depression and karst trough valley landforms. Carsologica Sinica, 41(5). doi: 10.11932/karst20220510.

[37] Xia XQ, Yang ZF, Yu T, Hou Q, Mutelo AM. 2017. Detecting changes of soil environmental parameters by statistics and GIS: A case from the lower Changjiang plain, China. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 181, 116-128. doi: 10.1016/j.gexplo.2017.07.002.

[38] Xiong Y, Li QK. 1987. Chinese Soils ( 2nd Edition). Beijing, Science Publishing House, 433-446 (in Chinese).

[39] Yang YH, Ji CJ, Ma WH, Wang SF, Smith P. 2012. Significant soil acidification across Northern China 's grasslands during 1980s2000s. Global Change Biology, 18(7), 2292-2300. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2012.02694.x.

[40] Yang Z, Liu GD, Dai HM, Zhang YH, Xu J, Xiao HY. 2020. Analysis on the spatiotemporal variation of soil pH in Xingkai Lake Plain, Heilongjiang Province. Geology and Resources, 29(6), 614-620 doi: 10.13686/j.cnki.dzyzy.2020.06.018. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[41] Yu TY, Sun XS, Shi CR, Wang CB 2014. Advances in soil acidification hazards and control techniques. Chinese Journal of Ecology. 33(11), 3137-3143 doi: 10.13292/j.10004890.20141022.005. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[42] Zhao BQ, Li XY, Li XP, Shi XJ, Huang SM, Wang BR, Zhu P, Yang XY, Liu H, Chen Y, Poulton P, Powlson D, Todd A, Payne R. 2010. Long-term fertilizer experiment network in China: Crop yields and soil nutrient trends. Agronomy Journal, 102(1), 216-230. doi: 10.2134/agronj2009.0182.

[43] Zhao J, Dong Y, Xie XB, Li X, Zhang XX, Shen X. 2011. Effect of annual variation in soil pH on available soil nutrients in pear orchards. Acta ecologica Sinica, 31(4), 212-216. doi: 10.1016/j.chnaes.2011.04.001.

[44] Zhang C, Mcgrath D. 2004. Geostatistical and GIS analyses on soil organic carbon concentrations in grassland of southeastern Ireland from two different periods. Geoderma, 119, 261-275. doi: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2003.08.004.

[45] Zhang W, Li QQ, Wang CQ, Yuan DG, Luo YL, Zhang X, Jia L. 2015. Spatial variability of soil pH and its influence factors at a county scale in hilly area of Mid-Sichuan Basin -A case study from Renshou in Sichuan. Resources and Environment in the Yangtze Basin, 24(7), 1192-1199 doi: 10.11870/cjlyzyyhj201507016. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[46] Zhang ZQ, Mao Peng, Yu DS, Xu L. 2018. Characteristics of soil pH variation in typical red soil region of South China in the past 25 years -A case study of Yujiang County, Jiangxi Province. Acta Pedologica Sinica, 55(6), 251-259 doi: 10.11766/trxb201804230159. (in Chinese with English abstract).

[47] Zheng SJ. 2010. Crop production on acidic soils: Overcoming aluminum toxiity and phosphorus deficiency. Annals of Botany, 106, 183-184. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcq134.