Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Fractal analysis of soil aggregates as influenced by gel polymer with different inorganic N fertilizer application on loess plateau in China

Author(s):

Wenhua Zhuang ^{1, 2}, Hao Feng ¹, Pute Wu ^1*, Chao Liu ², Longguo Li ²

Recieved Date: 2011-11-18, Accepted Date: 2012-01-03

Abstract:

Soil aggregate character is a crucial soil property affecting soil stability and crop production. It has been assumed that enhanced plant growth and reduced soil erodibility following the application of gel polymers results from increased soil macro-aggregate content and stability. However, little attention has been paid to the effects of gel polymer on soil aggregates following the application of different N fertilizers. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of a gel polymer application, named sodium polyacrylate (PAAS), with different N-fertilizers on soil aggregate size distribution and stability of three typical soils (aeolian sandy soil, loessial soil and Lou soil) on loess plateau in China. PAAS was used at 4 concentrations of 0, 0.8, 2 and 5 g kg^-1 soil and five different N fertilizer treatments were applied as none, urea, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate.  A concentration of N 260 mg kg^-1 was added into the soil of all N fertilizer treatments. The dry and water-stable aggregate size distributions were determined by dry-sieving and wet-sieving methods, respectively. Mass fractal dimension (Dm) was used to characterize soil aggregate-size distributions. The results showed that with increase in PAAS content > 0.25 mm soil aggregates (R_0.25), mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD) were all significantly increased while aggregate deterioration rate (AD) and Dm were reduced. The effect of N fertilizer on soil aggregates was not obvious, however, each of them reduced the effect of PAAS on improving soil aggregate stability and urea effect was least. The results could provide efficient information to improve soil aggregate stability and enhance crop planting and reduce soil erosion. 

Keywords:

Aggregate size distribution, soil aggregate stability, fractal dimension, sodium polyacrylate, MWD, loess plateau, China

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2012
Volume: 10
Issue: 1
Category: Environment
Pages: 897-903

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