Pedogenesis,land management and soil classification in hyper‐arid environments: results and implications from a case study in the United Arab Emirates

A study of the soils in the Northern Emirates (NE), which covers 8.2% of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was undertaken applying the USDA Soil Taxonomy (ST) to classify soils up to the family level. The objective of the study was to identify the key factors and processes responsible for soil formation in hyper‐arid environments in general and the study area in particular and to draw conclusions regarding soil classification and land management. Fifteen pedons representing the major soils in the region were investigated. Samples were collected, processed and analysed for physical, chemical and mineralogical characteristics. Factors controlling soil development such as parent material, climate, plants and animals, relief, time, human activities and processes of salinization, calcification, gypsification, sodification and aeolian deposition were evaluated to guide soil classification and management. Data from soil families were used for describing and comparing soil‐forming factors and processes. It is concluded that these factors and processes play major roles in influencing soil use and management. There are also strong relationships between these factors and processes and the relevant soil taxa from Soil Taxonomy.     

Belowground Attributes on Reclaimed Surface Mine Lands over a 40‐year Chronosequence

Reclamation following mining activities often aims to restore stable soils that support productive and diverse native plant communities. The soil re‐spread process increases soil compaction, which may alter soil water, plant composition, rooting depths, and soil organic matter. This may have a direct impact on vegetation establishment and species recruitment. Seasonal wet/dry and freeze/thaw patterns are thought to alleviate soil compaction over time. However, this has not been formally evaluated on reclaimed landscapes at large scales. Our objectives were to (1) determine soil compaction alleviation, (2) rooting depth, and (3) spatial patterns of soil water content over a time‐since‐reclamation gradient. Soil resistance to penetration varied by depth, with shallow compaction remaining unchanged, but deeper compaction increased over time rather than being alleviated. Root biomass and depth did not increase with time and was consistently less than the values in the reference location. Plant communities initially had a strong native component, but quickly became dominated by invasive species following reclamation, and soil water content became increasingly homogeneous over the 40‐year chronosequence. Seasonal weather patterns and soil organic matter additions can reduce soil compaction if water infiltration is not limited. Shallow and strongly fibrous‐rooted grasses present in reclaimed sites added organic matter to shallow soil layers, but did not penetrate the compacted layers and allow water infiltration. Strong linkages between land management strategies, soil properties, and vegetation composition can advance reclamation efforts and promote heterogeneous landscapes. However, current post‐reclamation management strategies are incompletely utilizing natural seasonal weather patterns to reduce soil compaction. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of land use changes on the soil temperature regime of Andosols on Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Soil temperature influences both soil formation processes and land use possibilities, and is a classification criterion in some systems. Vegetation cover is one of the factors that affects temperature. In this paper, we estimate the classes of soil temperature regimes, using Soil Taxonomy, for Andosols located in parts of the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, which are influenced by the trade winds. The study focuses on soils under three types of natural vegetation – cloud forest, tree‐heath woodland and pine forest – and adjacent plots where the vegetation has been replaced with, respectively, pine forest, herbaceous plants and cropping, and herbaceous plants. Temperature was measured monthly at 50‐cm depth for a period of 2–4 years at three sites, both in the natural vegetation plots and in the plots where the vegetation was modified. Under natural vegetation the soil temperature regimes are all ‘iso’ (difference < 6°C between summer and winter temperatures) and reflect tropical conditions. The switch to shorter vegetation, and particularly to use of the land for cropping, causes the soil temperature regime to change from iso to non‐iso.     

气候和土壤质地对中国东北地区旱地土壤有机碳影响的尺度效应

Understanding how spatial scale inffuences commonly-observed effiects of climate and soil texture on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage is important for accurately estimating the SOC pool at different scales. The relationships among climate factors, soil texture and SOC density at the regional, provincial, city, and county scales were evaluated at both the soil surface (0-20 cm) and throughout the soil profile (0-100 cm) in the Northeast China uplands. We examined 1022 profiles obtained from the Second National Soil Survey of China. The results indicated that the relationships between climate factors and SOC density generally weakened with decreasing spatial scale. The provincial scale was optimal to assess the relationship between climate factors and SOC density because regional differences among provinces were covered up at the regional scale. However, the relationship between soil texture and SOC density had no obvious trend with increasing scale and changed with temperature. There were great differences in the impacts of climate factors and soil texture on SOC density at different scales. Climate factors had a larger effect on SOC density than soil texture at the regional scale. Similar trends were seen in Heilongjiang and eastern Inner Mongolia at the provincial scale. But, soil texture had a greater effect on SOC density compared with climate factors in Jilin and Liaoning. At the city and county scales, the inffuence of soil texture on SOC density was more important than climate factors.     

重庆市全新统冲积物发育土壤的系统分类研究

为明确重庆市第四系全新统(Qh)冲积物发育土壤在中国土壤系统分类中的归属,本文以该成土母质发育的土壤为研究对象,挖掘9个典型土壤剖面,通过野外观测、分层取样及理化性质分析等,依据现行中国土壤系统分类检索,对其进行分类和命名,并与发生分类进行参比。结果表明:9个供试土壤剖面分别归属于雏形土和新成土2个土纲,5个亚类,其中5个为石灰淡色潮湿雏形土,1个为铁质简育常湿雏形土,1个为斑纹简育湿润雏形土,1个为潜育潮湿冲积新成土,1个为石灰潮湿冲积新成土;隶属于发生学分类潮土土类的6个供试剖面分别归为系统分类中淡色潮湿雏形土、简育常湿雏形土和简育湿润雏形土3个土类,而隶属于发生学分类新积土土类的3个供试剖面则分别归为系统分类中淡色潮湿雏形土和潮湿冲积新成土2个土类。结合成土环境分析可知,地形、气候和母质是影响重庆市第四系全新统冲积物发育土壤系统分类的重要因素。     

Assisting nonsoil specialists to identify soil types for land management: an approach using a soil identification key and toposequence models

Conventional soil survey information is often unclear except to specialists. An approach using soil toposequences and a soil identification key was used to aid the translation of soil survey information into a form suitable for a nonspecialist audience with a case study from Brunei. Soil Taxonomy was used to characterize the major soil types; however, to assist end users, a complementary special‐purpose soil classification system was developed in the form of a soil identification key using plain language terms in English that were also translated into Malay. Easily recognized soil features such as depth, colour and texture were used to categorize soils to match Soil Taxonomy classes. To complement the soil identification key, conceptual soil toposequence models presented the soil distribution patterns in a visual format that local land users understood. Legacy soil survey information along with a widespread distribution of 172 soil sites from 35 traverses in 16 study areas provided a dataset to develop and test soil toposequence models and the soil identification key which both proved reliable and robust. The approach demonstrated in Brunei could be applied to other countries and landscapes.     

Human-altered and human-transported (HAHT) soils in the U.S. soil classification system

ABSTRACT

Human-altered and human-transported (HAHT) soils are widespread across the globe and are concentrated near where people live and work. Although some of the HAHT soils are significant because they can be hazardous to human, animal, and plant health, most are not mapped or classified to the same extent as agricultural soils. The purpose of this article is to discuss the occurrence, types, and importance of HAHT soils and to document the historical and proposed classification of HAHT soils in Soil Taxonomy. There are two main forms of materials that define HAHT soils: human-altered soils formed in human-altered materials (HAM) from the soil surface to 50 cm (or to bedrock if shallower) or more and human-transported soils formed in human-transported materials (HTM) from the soil surface to 50 cm (or to bedrock if shallower) or more. The HAHT soils mainly occur in urban areas, transportation corridors, mined lands, landfills, filled shallow water, and agricultural areas on anthropogenic landforms. Hazards include danger from radioactivity, pollution, content of hazardous artifacts, or presence on unstable landforms that may fail during heavy rains or earthquakes. The HAHT soils are extensive, and their extent is growing. In the past, few HAHT soils were described or classified adequately because the U.S. Soil Taxonomy system was established for agricultural and other naturally occurring soils. However, HAHT soils are now being recognized and classified in many soil classification systems at very high levels. A new soil order is proposed for U.S. Soil Taxonomy that would include the most obvious profoundly and intentionally altered HAHT soils. A discussion and justification is given for an unofficial proposal. Input will be collected from international groups of scientists, and modifications of the unofficial proposal are expected. The long-term result of establishing a new soil order will be to enable proper classification, allocation, and mapping of HAHT soils worldwide.     

Regional and local scale variations in soil organic carbon stocks in West Greenland

The soil organic carbon (SOC) pool of the Northern Hemisphere contains about half of the global SOC stored in soils. As the Arctic is exceptionally sensitive to global warming, temperature rise and prolonged summer lead to deeper thawing of permafrost‐affected soils and might contribute to increasing greenhouse gas emissions progressively. To assess the overall feedback of soil organic carbon stocks (SOCS) to global warming in permafrost‐affected regions the spatial variation in SOCS at different environmental scales is of great interest. However, sparse and unequally distributed soil data sets at various scales in such regions result in highly uncertain estimations of SOCS of the Northern Hemisphere and here particularly in Greenland. The objectives of this study are to compare and evaluate three controlling factors for SOCS distribution (vegetation, landscape, aspect) at two different scales (local, regional). The regional scale reflects the different environmental conditions between the two study areas at the coast and the ice margin. On the local scale, characteristics of each controlling factor in form of defined units (vegetation units, landscape units, aspect units) are used to describe the variation in the SOCS over short distances within each study area, where the variation in SOCS is high. On a regional scale, we investigate the variation in SOCS by comparing the same units between the study areas. The results show for both study areas that SOCS are with 8 kg m^?2 in the uppermost 25 cm and 16 kg m^?2 in the first 100 cm of the soil, i.e., 3 to 6 kg m^?2 (37.5%) higher than existing large scale estimations of SOCS in West Greenland. Our approach allows to rank the scale‐dependent importance of the controlling factors within and between the study areas. However, vegetation and aspect better explain variations in SOCS than landscape units. Therefore, we recommend vegetation and aspect for determining the variation in SOCS in West Greenland on both scales.     

天山中部北麓丘陵地带土壤发生特性与系统分类

通过样地调查与土壤理化性质分析相结合对天山中部北麓丘陵地带的土壤特性进行研究,确定各剖面的诊断层和诊断特性及其在系统分类中的位置。结果表明天山中部北麓丘陵地带在系统分类中可划归为3个土纲4个土类;系统分类中土壤的分类位置与发生分类位置并不具有简单的一一对应的关系。     

中国土壤氮含量、空间格局及其环境控制

Soil holds the largest nitrogen （N） pool in terrestrial ecosystems, but estimates of soil N stock remain controversial. Storage and spatial distribution of soil N in China were estimated and the relationships between soil N density and environmental factors were explored using data from China＇s Second National Soil Survey and field investigation in northwest China and the Tibetan Plateau. China＇s soil N storage at a depth of one meter was estimated at 7.4 Pg, with an average density of 0.84 kg m^-2. Soil N density appeared to be high in southwest and northeast China and low in the middle areas of the country. Soil N density increased from the arid to semi-arid zone in northern China, and decreased from cold-temperate to tropical zone in the eastern part of the country. An analysis of general linear model suggested that climate and vegetation determined the spatial pattern of soil N density for natural vegetation, which explained 75.4% of the total variance.     

中国土壤系统分类中盐成土及其相关土壤诊断标准的修订建议

对土壤进行科学分类是土壤资源开发和利用的基础,也是土壤调查制图的基础,在农业生产、土地利用的决策和管理中发挥着重要作用,标志着土壤科学的发展水平.目前国际上土壤分类主要有《美国土壤系统分类》(以下简称《ST》)[1]和《世界土壤资源参比基础》(以下简称《WRB》)[2],我国从1984年开始的中国土壤系统分类研究,也已形成了具有中国特色的《中国土壤系统分类》(以下简称《CST》)[3]成果.这三个分类体系都是以定量化的诊断层和诊断特性为基础的多阶层土壤分类体系.     

Acid sulphate soil characterization in Negara Brunei Darussalam: a case study to inform management decisions

A diverse range of acid sulphate soils occur in Negara Brunei Darussalam on the inland flat areas that are important agricultural lands. Prior to this study, there was no information on their occurrence. Information about these soils is critical because they present significant management challenges for both agriculture and protection of the environment. Field surveys and laboratory analysis conducted in eight areas of the Brunei‐Muara district and four areas of the Belait district identified, characterized and classified using Soil Taxonomy, a wide range of 10 acid sulphate soil types in four soil orders: Histosols, Vertisols, Inceptisols and Entisols. A user‐friendly soil identification key using easily observed soil characteristics was developed to assist users with the recognition of the range of acid sulphate soils. Conceptual soil hydro‐toposequence models in the form of cross‐sections were constructed to explain the spatial heterogeneity of (i) acid sulphate soil properties comprising a range of features (e.g. organic‐rich materials/peats, clays, sands, cracks and jarosite‐rich mottles), sulphidic material and sulphuric horizons, (ii) pyrite shale outcrops and (iii) soil types using both the soil identification key and Soil Taxonomy. The soil hydro‐toposequence models together with the soil identification key helped to easily visualize and illustrate the complexities and importance of understanding specific sites to assess the detailed behaviour and implications of various soil, regolith and topographic features.     

河南中西部典型褐土在系统分类中的归属

选取位于河南中西部褐土土类的7个典型单个土体作为研究对象,通过土壤剖面形态特征和理化性质的分析,确定了它们在中国土壤系统分类中的位置.按照《中国土壤系统分类(第三版)》诊断标准,供试剖面中诊断出包括黏化层、钙积层、雏形层、氧化还原特征、温性土壤温度状况、半干润土壤水分状况等诊断层和诊断特性,7个剖面中,4个划归淋溶土纲...     

中国北方红色土壤分类问题的探讨

现今出露于中国北方地表的红色土壤是在红色古土壤和红色古风化壳上发育的,而且大多经历了不连续的成土过程。中国北方红色土壤分布广泛、成因复杂,在分类中还存在着许多问题。从20世纪70年代末至今,我国土壤分类经历了由土壤发生学分类向土壤系统分类的重大转变,对北方红色土壤的分类也进行了多次修订。虽然每次修订都有所改进,但直到目前关于北方红色土壤的分类位置问题仍没有得到彻底解决。因此,今后需要对中国北方红色土壤的形成过程及土壤的性态特征和理化性状进行深入研究,建立适合北方红色土壤系统分类的诊断层和诊断特性,以明确中国北方红色土壤在系统分类中的位置,进一步完善中国土壤系统分类。     

湘东第四纪红土母质发育的典型土壤在中国土壤系统分类中的归属

选取湖南省东部地区12个由第四纪红色黏土发育的典型土壤剖面,在对其成土环境、剖面形态特征及其理化性质进行研究的基础上,按照中国土壤系统分类方案,检索出了其诊断层和诊断特性,据此确定了其在中国土壤系统分类中的归属。结果表明,供试土壤剖面包含了淡薄表层、暗瘠表层、低活性富铁层、黏化层、聚铁网纹层等10个诊断层和诊断特性,其在中国系统分类体系中的位置分别为：淋溶土、富铁土和雏形土3个土纲;湿润淋溶土、湿润富铁土和湿润雏形土3个亚纲;简育湿润富铁土、铝质湿润淋溶土和铝质湿润雏形土3个土类;暗红简育湿润富铁土、表蚀简育湿润富铁土、网纹简育湿润富铁土等6个亚类;按照土族和土系划分标准,建立了黏质高岭石型酸性热性-普通铝质湿润淋溶土等9个土族和燕塘系(43-LY01)等12个土系。研究发现：受亚热带气候影响,许多土壤剖面发生了富铁铝化过程,且由于淋溶强烈,孔隙周围形成了聚铁网纹层,而现行的《中国土壤系统分类检索（第三版）》还不能给出一个合适的位置,因此建议在铝质湿润淋溶土亚类中增设一个可以反映相关特性的网纹铝质湿润淋溶土亚类。     

Soil degradation in Kabd area,southwestern Kuwait City

Adverse environmental impacts of human activities are the main causes of soil degradation in the desert of Kuwait in general, and in Kabd area in particular. In this study, assessment of soil degradation in open and protected sites has been carried out using field measurements and laboratory investigations. The overall status of vegetation is nearly twice as low in vegetation cover in the open sites than in the protected ones due to overgrazing and off‐road transport. Compaction of soil due to pressure exerted on the soil by vehicles led to a significant reduction in its porosity, permeability and infiltration capacity. The average infiltration rate of the compacted soils is 51 per cent lower than that of the non‐compacted soils. The bulk density of the non‐compacted soils is 3.4 per cent lower than that of compacted soil. The average topsoil resistance of compacted soils has increased by 83 per cent in comparison with non‐compacted soil. Using the least squares method a relation between infiltration rate (IR) and penetration resistance (PR) of the topsoil for the study areas is found (i.e. IR = −0.148 PR + 1.85 with R² = 25 per cent). Soil strength within the soil profile shows maximum penetration resistance readings at 11.5 cm depth in average in compacted soils, while it shows maximum readings at 34.6 cm depth in average in non‐compacted soils. The adverse changes in the chemical properties due to soil compaction is also investigated. A restoration plan is needed in order to reduce land degradation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The soils on the flysch area of Western Liguria (Italy)

The soils on the flysch area of Western Liguria (Italy) are described for the first time. Soils have developed in the alpine variant of the Mediterranean morphoclimatic system. The study area includes the higher part of the Arroscia and Tanarello catchment basins (province of Imperia). It is subdivided into three fundamental geological units which comprise part of the limestones of the outer margin in the paleoeuropean domain (Jurassic-Eocene) and part of the turbiditic sediments in the paleogeographic oceanic domain (Upper Cretaceous-Eocene). Twentythree profiles were described within morphological and vegetational units according to the different geolithological substrata. Lithology of the parent material, vegetation and morphology appear to be the main soil forming factors. The soils are shallow and can be severely limited in fertility. They are classified as Rendolls, Udorthents, Eutrochrepts, Haplumbrepts and Hapludalfs according to the U.S.D.A. Soil Taxonomy.     

皖南山地土壤系统分类研究

选取皖南四座山地土壤垂直带中 1 9个土壤剖面 ,研究了土壤成土环境和形成特点。根据《中国土壤系统分类 (修订方案 )》和《中国土壤系统分类———理论·方法·实践》 ,鉴定了诊断层和诊断特性 ,确定供试剖面在中国土壤系统分类中的归属。自山下到山上依次为湿润淋溶土 (伴有湿润雏形土 )———常湿淋溶土 (伴有常湿雏形土 )———正常新成土亚纲。与不同分类系统中土壤类别归属作了参比 ,同时也与福建、江西山地土壤作了比较。     

时间尺度对草地水土保持效应定量研究的影响

时间尺度效应的定量分析有利于进一步理解植被的水土保持机理。基于福建省长汀县河田镇草覆和裸土侵蚀试验小区2007—2010年的观测数据,分析了次降雨、月、季和年时间尺度下降雨、植被、保水和保土效应这4类参数的变化特征,并建立保水（土）效应RE（SE）的估算模型以探讨诸因素的联系,其中RE（SE）为草覆小区与裸土对照小区的径流深度（土壤流失量）的比值。结果表明:4类参数在各时间尺度呈现不同的量值及变化特性,RE和SE因消除了同类因子的影响在各时间尺度之间及其内部均相对稳定。在次降雨尺度RE较低（< 0.3）区间及月尺度下,降雨和植被的耦合作用导致了较好的保水效应,而在RE略高（0.3～0.4）和较高（> 0.7）区间以及年尺度,降雨因子主导了研究小区的保水效应（R² > 0.78）。从保土效应来看,在次降雨和年尺度主要受降雨或/和植被的影响,绿草叶面积指数能较好地表征研究小区草地的保土正效应（SE < 1,R² > 0.55）,而最大30 min雨强可精确表征研究小区草地的保土负效应（SE > 1,R² > 0.79）。无论保水或保土效应,其估算模型在月和季两个中等时间尺度均存在较大的不确定性（R² ≈0.4）。可见在不同的时间尺度,影响草地水土保持效应的诸要素呈现不同的变化和耦合特征,显示时间尺度在植被水土保持研究中的重要性。     

皖南紫红色砂石岩上发育土壤的系统分类研究

对皖南不同时期紫红色砂石岩上发育的8个土壤剖面,按中国土壤系统分类体系,进行鉴别、检索、分类定名。阐述发生分类紫色土的2个亚类级土壤类型在中国土壤系统分类中归为3个土纲,即均腐土、雏形土和新成土;3个亚纲,即湿润均腐土、湿润雏形土和正常新成土;4个土类和6个亚类。提出按中国土壤系统分类的紫色土分类系统;并与美国土壤系统分类、国际土壤分类参比基础进行了参比。讨论了皖南紫红色砂石岩上发育为均腐土的成土环境条件,同时对发生分类紫色土在中国土壤系统分类类别检索提出修订建议。