Soil degradation: a problem threatening the sustainable development of agriculture in Northeast China

Abstract

Soil degradation that results from erosion, losses of organic matter and nutrients, or soil compaction are of great concern in every agricultural region of the world. The control of soil erosion and loss of organic matter has been proposed as critical to agricultural and environmental sustainability of Northeast China. This region is bread basket of China where the fertile and productive soils, Mollisols (also called Black soils), are primarily distributed. In this paper, we introduce the importance of Northeast China’s grain production to China, and describe the changes of sown acreage and grain production in past decades. This paper also summarizes the distribution, area and intensity of water erosion, changes in the number of gullies and gully density, thickness of top soil layer, soil organic matter content, bulk density, field water holding capacity, and infiltration rates; the number of soil microorganism and main enzyme activities from soil erosion in the region are also summarized. The moderately and severely water-eroded area accounted for 31.4% and 7.9% of the total, and annual declining rate is 1.8%. Erosion rate is 1.24–2.41 mm/year, and soil loss in 1°, 5° and 15° sloping farmlands is 3 t/ha/year, 78 t/ha/year and 220.5 t/ha/year, respectively. SOC content of uncultivated soil was nearly twice that of soil with a 50-year cultivation history, and the average annual declining rate of soil organic matter was 0.5%. Proper adoption of crop rotation can increase or maintain the quantity and quality of soil organic matter, and improve soil chemical and physical properties. Proposed strategies for erosion control, in particular how tillage management, terraces and strip cultivation, or soil amendments contribute to maintain or restore the productivity of severely eroded farmland, are discussed in the context of agricultural sustainability with an emphasis on the Chinese Mollisols.

Assessment of Soil Quality of Croplands in the Corn Belt of Northeast China

“…After long term reclamation and tillage, the soil quality of the CBNC has deteriorated a lot and this is characterized by the thinning of the soil layer, reduction of organic matter, salinization of soil, soil compaction and severe soil erosion [14,15,17]. In recent years, considerable interests have been paid to the protection of soils in this region [17].…”

Long term effects of different soil tillage systems on maize (Zea mays L.) yields

“…The prevention of soil erosion and organic content loss relies on selecting appropriate strategies for soil conservation, suitable tillage system, application of efficient fertilization and implementation of sustainable crop rotations (Liu et al 2010). Conservation tillage systems are better applied on light, coarse-textured soils and on well-drained soils (Dick et al 1997, Hill 2000, Duiker et al 2006.…”

Sustainable Agriculture In Eastern Ethiopia

“…In addition, crop rotation plays an immense role in maintaining soil moisture content, reducing soil erosion and minimizing the amount of water required for irrigation. Those advantages make the practice attractive for farmers, and other stakeholders interested in promoting sustainable agriculture in developed countries (Cardina et al, 2002;Liu et al, 2010). However, sustainable agriculture is not getting enough attention by the Ethiopian government.…”