Soil & Tillage Research最新文献

{"title":"Variability in soil characteristics in the field–bund transition area increases water loss potential in paddy fields","authors":"Xinni Ju ,&nbsp;Dongli She ,&nbsp;Hongde Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaoqin Sun ,&nbsp;Xuan Huang ,&nbsp;Lei Gao ,&nbsp;Yongqiu Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106339","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106339","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water loss in paddy fields occurs through various pathways, and previous studies have primarily focused on water seepage in the field, often overlooking the potential for the field-bund area. In this study, 3 typical paddy fields in the plain river network area of southeastern China were selected to clarify the differences in the soil structure and hydraulic characteristics at different positions within the field–bund area: the field, inner bund, middle bund and outer bund. The interactions between basic soil properties and hydraulic characteristics were also evaluated. The results revealed that the outer bund presented the lowest soil porosity (6.92 %), followed by the field (7.52 %), middle bund (7.77 %), and inner bund (8.09 %). The soil pores in the field presented the smallest mean diameter and fractal dimension and the highest degree of anisotropy. The deep layer of the bund contained more macropores, and the soil pores exhibited greater spatial distribution heterogeneity. The bottom layer in the field and bund presented the lowest average <em>Ks</em> value of only 0.05 mm min⁻¹, indicating the presence of a plow pan and a notable tendency for lateral seepage. Differences in the soil structure and hydraulic parameters between the field and bund created a driving force for lateral seepage and rendered the field–bund area a hotspot for water loss. For the analysis of the underlying water loss mechanism, the structural equation model represented 65 % of the total variance in the hydraulic parameters. The micropore characteristics had the greatest positive direct effect on the hydraulic parameters, with a standardized path coefficient of 0.39 (p &lt; 0.001). The soil physical properties were not directly related to the hydraulic parameters but exerted an indirect effect through aggregate stability and micropore and macropore characteristics, with a total indirect standardized path coefficient of −0.41.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 106339"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142526462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal variations of N and P losses via surface runoff from Chinese farmland after fertilisation","authors":"Luoqi Zhao ,&nbsp;Denggao Fu ,&nbsp;Ting Li ,&nbsp;Xinqi Yuan ,&nbsp;Sichen Wang ,&nbsp;Change Liu ,&nbsp;Changqun Duan","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106338","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106338","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The loss of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) via surface runoff induced by fertilisation leads to water pollution and aggravates water scarcity. Studies estimating N and P losses from farmland have focused on the efficacy of agricultural management actions at reducing the amount of N and P lost. However, a gap remains in understanding the dynamics of N and P losses from farmland, especially differences among types of farmland, crop and fertiliser. Thus, the temporal variations of N and P losses via surface runoff from farmland induced by fertilisation were estimated using 5530 groups of paired observations collected in China. The results showed that N and P losses via surface runoff from paddy fields associated with fertilisation were greater than losses from upland fields. However, after &gt; 90 days post-fertilisation, the effects of fertilisation on N and P loss from paddy fields were non-significant, while the effects of fertilisation on N and P losses from upland fields remained significant. Organic fertilisation decreased N losses from upland and paddy fields, but at more than 60 days post-fertilisation, N and P losses from upland fields were greater with organic than chemical or combined fertilisation. Increasing the fertilisation rate led to higher N and P losses from upland and paddy fields and extended the occurrence time of N and P loss from paddy fields. Overall, this study demonstrates the dynamic processes associated with fertilisation underlying N and P losses from farmland via surface runoff.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 106338"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142526461","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Successive utilization of carbon from different biogenic sources leads to continuous enhancement of soil respiration","authors":"Yunfei Zhao ,&nbsp;Xia Wang ,&nbsp;Silong Jiang ,&nbsp;Jinhong Wu ,&nbsp;Menghan Yuan ,&nbsp;Yazhen Li ,&nbsp;Jia Li ,&nbsp;Wenhui Duan ,&nbsp;Junwu Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106327","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106327","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change affects soil organic carbon (SOC) by altering plant carbon inputs and microbial metabolic processes. On the Tibetan Plateau, which is rich in SOC and sensitive to climate change, investigations on the absolute SOC content affecting soil respiration (Rs) were extensive. However, the relationship between Rs and the SOC composition remains largely unclear. Employing a combination of data collection, large-scale field surveys, and analysis, with lignin phenols and amino sugars indicating plant and microbial SOC components, we observed an increase in Rs (3.747 kg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) correlating with rising SOC stocks (0–30 cm; 8.6 kg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Our results showed that Rs is predominantly driven by plant-derived carbon, especially cinnamyl phenol carbon, which is significantly influenced by vegetation characteristics and soil properties. Although microbial-derived carbon has a minimal overall impact on Rs, fungal necromass carbon critically regulates Rs, underscoring the complex interactions between microbial- and plant-derived components under diverse environmental conditions. The rapid, short-term accumulation of plant-derived carbon significantly enhanced Rs and led to substantial microbial carbon accumulation. As the levels of microbial-derived carbon increase, the Rs process tends to utilize this carbon, potentially altering and reducing the SOC composition and stability, respectively, thereby leading to a continuous increase in soil respiration. These findings offer new insights into Rs and SOC dynamics within the grassland ecosystem of the Tibetan Plateau and provide a scientific basis for predicting the response of soil carbon to climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 106327"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142526460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of bio-tillage on the least limiting water range of clayey red soil","authors":"Jinqiang Wang ,&nbsp;Rongkai Gao ,&nbsp;Qi Long ,&nbsp;Limin Chen ,&nbsp;Waqar Ali ,&nbsp;Zhengchao Tian ,&nbsp;Jiazhou Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106337","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106337","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Poor soil physical properties related to the least limiting water range (LLWR) limit the productivity of clayey red soil (Ultisol) under a subtropical monsoon climate in southern China. This study evaluated the effects of bio-tillage on LLWR and identified the key factors influencing LLWR through a field experiment. The treatments included no plant, two cultivars of oilseed rape (<em>Brassica napus</em> L. <em>cv.</em> Huashuang 4 and <em>Brassica napus</em> L. <em>cv.</em> Xinan 28), one-year-old and perennial lucerne (<em>Medicago sativa</em> L. <em>cv.</em> Ladino), and one-year-old and perennial vetiver (<em>Vetiveria zizanioides</em> L. <em>cv.</em> Wild), used as cover crops prior to summer maize. Key parameters measured included plant root morphological traits, and soil bulk density, field capacity (<em>FC</em>), wilting point (<em>PWP</em>), available water content (<em>AWC</em>), penetration resistance (<em>PR</em>) and air-filled porosity (<em>AFP</em>) were determined. The two rape cultivars exhibited the shallowest root distribution (limited to 20 cm depth) and the lowest root surface density (RSD, ∼16.61 cm²·cm⁻³) and root volume density (RVD, ∼0.58 cm³·cm⁻³). In contrast, lucerne and vetiver demonstrated greater root development, with deeper root penetration (&gt;60 cm), and higher RSD and RVD, with vetiver showing the highest values (RSD ∼24.01 cm²·cm⁻³, RVD ∼0.96 cm³·cm⁻³). Lucerne and vetiver treatments increased <em>AWC</em> and <em>AFP</em> but reduced <em>PR</em>. Soil planted with vetiver had lower <em>FC</em> (0.35–0.48 cm³·cm⁻³) and <em>PR</em> (1362–3297 kPa) than soil planted with lucerne, while soil planted with lucerne had a lower <em>PWP</em> (0.25–0.35 cm³·cm⁻³) than soil planted with vetiver. All crops improved LLWR at 0–20 cm depth, but vetiver increased LLWR below the depth of 20 cm due to its higher root length density (RLD) and RSD. Path analysis revealed that <em>PR</em> had the strongest direct negative effect on LLWR (coefficients from −1.0528 to −1.7642), while redundancy analysis showed a strong correlation between LLWR and the RSD (12.00 %) and RLD (11.33 %) of perennial vetiver, with weaker correlation to root diameter (7.00 %). Bio-tillage reduced <em>PR</em> through root growth, enhancing LLWR particularly at depth of 20–40 cm, with perennial vetiver showing the most significant improvement due to its deeper rooting depth and denser root distribution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 106337"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142526595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Air injection in paddy soil reduces N2O and NH3 emissions and regulates the nitrogen cycle","authors":"Jichao Tang ,&nbsp;Quanyi Hu ,&nbsp;Chengfang Li ,&nbsp;Cougui Cao ,&nbsp;Xuelin Zhang ,&nbsp;Ying Zhang ,&nbsp;Wenfeng Tan ,&nbsp;Bo Cheng ,&nbsp;Dongliang Xiong ,&nbsp;Tianqi Liu ,&nbsp;Yakov Kuzyakov","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106329","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106329","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rice (<em>Oryza sativa</em> L.) is a staple food and a significant source of pollutant gases, such as nitrous oxide (N₂O) and ammonia (NH₃). While aeration irrigation can significantly increase rice yield, its impact on N₂O and NH₃ emissions, particularly the nitrogen (N) cycling mechanisms, remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the effects of soil air injection (SAI) on N₂O and NH₃ emissions, soil properties, rice N uptake and microbial N cycling, compared with soil without air injection (the control). SAI increased soil oxygen diffusion rate (SODR) by 31–107 %, raised soil pH by 0.4–0.9 units, enhanced total N uptake by rice by 8.3 %, and reduced N₂O emissions by 17 % and NH₃ volatilization by 16 %. The increase in SODR enhanced the N content in rice leaves, which subsequently suppressed NH₃ volatilization. The reduction in N₂O emissions was mainly attributed to the decline in <em>norC</em> gene abundance, while the increased abundances of <em>amoB</em> and <em>GDH1</em> genes contributed to the suppression of NH₃ volatilization. The abundance of <em>norC</em> was negatively correlated with Actinobacteria, whereas <em>amoB</em> and <em>GDH1</em> abundances were positively correlated with Thaumarchaeota and Proteobacteria, respectively. Actinobacteria abundance initially increased and then decreased with rising SODR, while Thaumarchaeota abundance consistently increased as SODR rose. Additionally, the increase in soil pH promoted the abundance of Proteobacteria. In conclusion, SAI increased N uptake in rice leaves and influenced key N-cycling microorganisms (Actinobacteria, Thaumarchaeota, and Proteobacteria) and genes (<em>norC</em>, <em>amoB</em> and <em>GDH1</em>) by enhancing SODR and soil pH, thereby reducing N₂O and NH₃ emissions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 106329"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142526596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Performance of different wheat varieties and their associated microbiome under contrasting tillage and fertilization intensities: Insights from a Swiss long-term field experiment","authors":"Sarah Symanczik ,&nbsp;Maike Krauss ,&nbsp;Natacha Bodenhausen ,&nbsp;Stéphane Declerck ,&nbsp;Marcé Doubell ,&nbsp;Hanna Faist ,&nbsp;Angela Sessitsch ,&nbsp;Friederike Trognitz ,&nbsp;Dominika Kundel","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106328","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106328","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Winter wheat is an important global cereal crop. However, conventional farming practices, characterised by intensive tillage and high fertilizer inputs, pose significant threats to the environment. In response, more conservative management practices are being applied aiming to maintain wheat production while promoting a beneficial microbiome. Here, we evaluated the suitability of three different wheat varieties for less intensive agricultural systems, focusing on reduced tillage and fertilizer intensity. The study was conducted over two consecutive years in a Swiss long-term field experiment comparing conventional versus reduced tillage and full fertilization versus half fertilization. In addition, we investigated the composition of plant-associated microbial communities using amplicon sequencing of phylogenetic marker genes, specifically targeting bacteria and fungi in rhizosphere samples and fungi in root samples. Our results revealed that in our study wheat variety most strongly predicted grain yield and quality, independent of tillage and fertilization intensity. Specifically, wheat varieties demonstrated higher yields and N uptake in plots subjected to conventional ploughing and full fertilization compared to those under reduced tillage and half fertilization. We found no significant effect of wheat variety on the composition of microbial communities. However, tillage emerged as the primary factor influencing microbial community composition in the rhizosphere, while fertilization intensity significantly impacted fungal communities in the root system. These findings underscore the complex interplay between agronomic practices, plant genetics, and microbial dynamics in agroecosystems, emphasizing the need for holistic and adaptive approaches and their further development to ensure sustainable crop production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 106328"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142526594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integration soil contact model – A flexible pressure-sinkage method for simulating low speed vehicles with wheels and tracks","authors":"S. Kulju ,&nbsp;J. Ala-Ilomäki","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106312","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106312","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An integration soil contact model and a modular terramechanics simulator VieteriSim for vehicles running on wheels and tracks were developed. The presented computational method extends the soil contact model by introducing a user defined pressure-sinkage relationship according to a theoretical function or an experimental data set, a numerical integration of pressure over a contact area with a desired resolution and vector based rolling resistance coefficient calculation. The convergence of the model and the capability of the computational method are demonstrated by simulating a cut-to-length timber forwarder running on a soft terrain with and without bogie tracks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 106312"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142444648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pearl millet yield reduction by soil erosion and its recovery potential through fertilizer application on an Arenosol in the Sahel","authors":"Tomohiro Nishigaki ,&nbsp;Kenta Ikazaki ,&nbsp;Hitoshi Shinjo ,&nbsp;Ueru Tanaka ,&nbsp;Dougbedji Fatondji ,&nbsp;Shinya Funakawa","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106324","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106324","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the heightened contribution of soil erosion to soil degradation in the Sahel, its impact, particularly topsoil loss, on crop productivity remains unclear. To address this issue, we investigated the effects of simulated erosion by removing topsoil on the grain yield of pearl millet in the Sahel. Three-year field experiments conducted on an Arenosol in Niger examined different levels of topsoil removal (0, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10 cm) and fertilization (unfertilized and fertilized) on the grain yield of pearl millet. Results showed that topsoil removal of 2.5 cm or more significantly reduced grain yield, with effects projected to become apparent in 5–6 years based on erosion rates previously reported. Under normal rainfall conditions in the first and third years, 2.5-cm topsoil removal under unfertilized conditions resulted in a yield reduction of 37 % cm⁻¹, surpassing the values reported in other humid to semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Conversely, the grain yield remained unaffected following a 1-cm topsoil removal. Fertilizer application compensated for the grain yield loss in the plots of 2.5- and 5.0-cm topsoil removal but not effectively in the 10-cm removal plot. In conclusion, the loss of the thin Ap horizon markedly reduced plant-available water and nutrients in soils, leading to a decreased grain yield of pearl millet in the Sahel. Given the Ap horizon thinness and soil erosion prevalence in the Sahel, recognizing the topsoil loss in the early stages of soil erosion and implementing countermeasures are imperative to avoid a sharp decline in grain yield.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 106324"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142440944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantifying the shear behavior of fine-grained soil with herbaceous plant roots under freeze-thaw conditions using X-ray CT scan","authors":"Baiyang Song ,&nbsp;Dai Nakamura ,&nbsp;Takayuki Kawaguchi ,&nbsp;Shunzo Kawajiri ,&nbsp;Dahu Rui","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106326","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106326","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the reinforcement effect of Kentucky bluegrass roots on slope soil under freeze-thaw conditions, with a focus on the Hokkaido region of Japan. Using direct shear tests combined with X-ray CT scanning, we analyzed the impact of root parameters (such as root mass and volume) on the shear strength of root-soil composites. The results revealed that freeze-thaw cycle did not cause significant root breakage or diminish the root system's ability to stabilize the soil compared to non-freeze-thaw conditions. Root-soil samples demonstrated notable ductility during shear deformation, with shear stress continuing to increase after reaching peak values. In contrast, soil samples stabilized after reaching peak shear stress without further increase. Although no significant differences in shear behavior were observed between root-soil and soil samples in the initial shearing stage, the freeze-thaw cycle led to some consolidation in root-soil samples, reducing their resistance to elastic deformation. Moreover, longer root growth periods resulted in a more pronounced increase in shear stress. CT scan image reconstruction allowed us to quantify root system parameters, such as root volume and distribution near the shear plane, which showed a strong correlation with maximum shear stress. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of herbaceous plant roots, particularly Kentucky bluegrass, in maintaining soil stability under freeze-thaw conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 106326"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142440945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gully erosion susceptibility mapping considering seasonal variations of NDVI using a machine learning approach in the Mollisol region of China","authors":"Ruilu Gao ,&nbsp;Maofang Gao ,&nbsp;Shuihong Yao ,&nbsp;Yanru Wen","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106322","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2024.106322","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gully erosion is the most severe form of soil erosion, and mapping gully erosion susceptibility accurately and automatically is crucial for guiding policy decisions. Topography and vegetation cover were general factors for assessing gully susceptibility, yet little attention has been paid to the spatiotemporal variations in vegetation. This study aims to predict gully-prone areas using stable factors (topography, hydrology, soil, etc.) considering the monthly variability in vegetation based on a machine learning approach in the Mollisol region of China. A total of 1890 gully and non-gully points were extracted to establish an inventory database. Twelve treatments were conducted including the stable factors and individual NDVI from January to December, respectively. All potential factors were evaluated for contributing to the gully erosion prediction, and a set of rules based on accuracy, AUC, and kappa were used to evaluate the model performance. The results demonstrated that NDVI varied widely between gully and non-gully areas and the importance of NDVI varied in diverse months. NDVI in August was the most important explanatory factor (25 %) to gully occurrence mapping, followed by the plan curvature (14 %), and elevation (13 %), respectively. The gully-prone areas predicted by NDVI in August exhibited higher accuracy, followed by that in May and June. This was attributed to the greater difference in NDVI between the gully and non-gully areas in June (0.30), May (0.23), and August (0.16). Overall, the very low, low, moderate, high, and very high gully susceptibility levels occupied 35 %, 23 %, 18 %, 14 %, and 10 % of the study area, respectively. This study advances our understanding of spatial-temporal heterogeneity in NDVI among gully and non-gully areas that need to be considered in gully mapping. Further, an automatic and accurate gully mapping approach can provide valuable information to identify areas where urgent and appropriate measures should be applied.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"245 ","pages":"Article 106322"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142432052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}