Soil Environmental Quality in Nan Ling Commodity Grain Base Based on Equal Intercept Transformation Radar Chart

Abstract

Background: Nan Ling commodity grain base is a national high-standard farmland demonstration area. Scientific evaluation of soil environmental quality is of important significance to plan land resources rationally to improve the quality and efficiency of agricultural production.Methods: This paper try to apply the equal intercept transformation radar chart --an improved radar chart--to the assessment of soil environmental quality. In the assessment, the area of equal intercept transformation radar chart is adopted to represents the soil environmental quality.Different from the other assessment methods in common use, the equal intercept transformation radar chart method, as a visual graphic data analysis method, transforms data into graphics and therefore the data information can be retained and excavated more fully. Moreover, this advanced radar chart overcomes targetedly the main defect of the conventional radar chart that the evaluation result depends heavily on the order of arrangement of indicators.Results: The results indicate that the soil environmental quality at depth of 0-60cm in low mountain area of Nan ling commodity grain base is the second grade while that in the hilly and plain area are both the first grade. The indicators of poor soil environmental quality in low mountain area are exogenous Cd and endogenous As, those in hilly area are exogenous Cd and endogenous As and Hg, and that in plain area is exogenous Cd.Conclusion: It is proved through this special case study that the application of equal intercept transformation radar chart to the assessment of soil environmental quality is feasible and more intuitive, comprehensive and fine.