Effects of irrigation and tillage on soil organic carbon and nutrients in mining-induced subsided cropland
X. J. Nie![https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0356-0778](/media/client/orcid_16x16.png)
A School of Surveying and Land Information Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo City 454000, China.
B Corresponding author. Email: syy7612@126.com
Soil Research 57(5) 513-519 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR18282
Submitted: 18 September 2018 Accepted: 27 March 2019 Published: 26 June 2019
Abstract
Little is known about the effect of field management on soil quality in mining subsidence landscapes. In this study, we selected subsided cropland from the Jiaozuo coal mining district, China, to determine the effects of irrigation and tillage on soil organic carbon (SOC) and nutrients. Irrigation and tillage differentially affected the dynamics of SOC, total nitrogen (N) and total phosphorus (P) in subsided cropland at 15–18 years after surface subsidence. Tillage along a longitudinal slope-direction induced greater depletions of SOC, N and P stocks in subsided cropland compared with tillage along a transverse slope-direction (TT). These parameters were also more depleted under rainfed than under irrigated conditions. The distribution of SOC, total N and total P was related to soil redistribution by soil erosion in subsided cropland. Integrated irrigation-TT management reduced the within-field variations in SOC, total N and total P, and irrigation reduced within-field variation in SOC. These results indicate the effects of tillage and irrigation on soil erosion and subsequently on SOC and nutrients in subsided cropland. Practicing tillage over great subsidence gradients is detrimental to soil conservation. Combining small subsidence gradients with irrigation may be an alternative to traditional engineering reclamation of subsided cropland.
Additional keywords: land subsidence, mine areas, soil erosion, soil management, soil quality.
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