Assessing Variation of Soil Quality in Agroecosystem in an Arid Environment Using Digital Soil Mapping
Monitoring the soil quality (SQ) in agricultural ecosystems is necessary for using sustainable soil and land resources. Therefore, to evaluate the SQ variation in an arid environment in the Bajestan region, northeastern Iran, two soil quality indices (weighted additive soil quality index-<i>SQ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/3/578 |
| _version_ | 1797473351491387392 |
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| author | Sedigheh Maleki Mojtaba Zeraatpisheh Alireza Karimi Gholamhossein Sareban Lin Wang |
| author_facet | Sedigheh Maleki Mojtaba Zeraatpisheh Alireza Karimi Gholamhossein Sareban Lin Wang |
| author_sort | Sedigheh Maleki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Monitoring the soil quality (SQ) in agricultural ecosystems is necessary for using sustainable soil and land resources. Therefore, to evaluate the SQ variation in an arid environment in the Bajestan region, northeastern Iran, two soil quality indices (weighted additive soil quality index-<i>SQI<sub>w</sub></i> and nemoro soil quality index-<i>SQI<sub>n</sub></i>) were applied. <i>SQIs</i> were assessed in two datasets (total data set-TDS and minimum data set-MDS) by linear (L) and nonlinear (NL) scoring methods. Physicochemical properties of 223 surface soil samples (0–30 cm depth) were determined. The random forest (RF) model was used to predict the spatial variation of <i>SQIs</i>. The results showed the maximum values of the <i>SQIs</i> in areas with saffron land covers, while the minimum values were acquired in the north of the study area where pistachio orchards are located due to higher EC and <i>SAR</i>. The environmental variables such as topographic attributes and groundwater quality parameters were the main driving factors that control <i>SQIs</i> distribution. These findings are beneficial for identifying suitable locations sites to plan agricultural management and sustainable usage of groundwater resources strategy to avoid further increase of soil salinity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:13:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-45aa6df4e0df46f6bcfbb2175940c796 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:13:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-45aa6df4e0df46f6bcfbb2175940c7962023-11-24T00:07:13ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952022-02-0112357810.3390/agronomy12030578Assessing Variation of Soil Quality in Agroecosystem in an Arid Environment Using Digital Soil MappingSedigheh Maleki0Mojtaba Zeraatpisheh1Alireza Karimi2Gholamhossein Sareban3Lin Wang4Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 91779-48974, IranCollege of Geography and Environmental Science, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, ChinaDepartment of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad 91779-48974, IranDeputy of Plant Production, Agriculture Organization of Khorasan Razavi, Mashhad 91859-86111, IranCollege of Geography and Environmental Science, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, ChinaMonitoring the soil quality (SQ) in agricultural ecosystems is necessary for using sustainable soil and land resources. Therefore, to evaluate the SQ variation in an arid environment in the Bajestan region, northeastern Iran, two soil quality indices (weighted additive soil quality index-<i>SQI<sub>w</sub></i> and nemoro soil quality index-<i>SQI<sub>n</sub></i>) were applied. <i>SQIs</i> were assessed in two datasets (total data set-TDS and minimum data set-MDS) by linear (L) and nonlinear (NL) scoring methods. Physicochemical properties of 223 surface soil samples (0–30 cm depth) were determined. The random forest (RF) model was used to predict the spatial variation of <i>SQIs</i>. The results showed the maximum values of the <i>SQIs</i> in areas with saffron land covers, while the minimum values were acquired in the north of the study area where pistachio orchards are located due to higher EC and <i>SAR</i>. The environmental variables such as topographic attributes and groundwater quality parameters were the main driving factors that control <i>SQIs</i> distribution. These findings are beneficial for identifying suitable locations sites to plan agricultural management and sustainable usage of groundwater resources strategy to avoid further increase of soil salinity.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/3/578digital soil mappinggroundwater qualityindicator scoring systemsoil degradationsoil healthsoil salinity |
| spellingShingle | Sedigheh Maleki Mojtaba Zeraatpisheh Alireza Karimi Gholamhossein Sareban Lin Wang Assessing Variation of Soil Quality in Agroecosystem in an Arid Environment Using Digital Soil Mapping Agronomy digital soil mapping groundwater quality indicator scoring system soil degradation soil health soil salinity |
| title | Assessing Variation of Soil Quality in Agroecosystem in an Arid Environment Using Digital Soil Mapping |
| title_full | Assessing Variation of Soil Quality in Agroecosystem in an Arid Environment Using Digital Soil Mapping |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Variation of Soil Quality in Agroecosystem in an Arid Environment Using Digital Soil Mapping |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Variation of Soil Quality in Agroecosystem in an Arid Environment Using Digital Soil Mapping |
| title_short | Assessing Variation of Soil Quality in Agroecosystem in an Arid Environment Using Digital Soil Mapping |
| title_sort | assessing variation of soil quality in agroecosystem in an arid environment using digital soil mapping |
| topic | digital soil mapping groundwater quality indicator scoring system soil degradation soil health soil salinity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/3/578 |
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