Geoderma Regional最新文献

{"title":"Chernozems in Czechia: Soil properties, classification and environmental controls","authors":"Jessica Reyes Rojas ,&nbsp;Anna Margoldová ,&nbsp;Jan Skála ,&nbsp;Daniel Žížala ,&nbsp;Vít Penížek ,&nbsp;Tomáš Hrdlička ,&nbsp;Aleš Vaněk ,&nbsp;Tereza Zádorová","doi":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00957","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00957","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chernozems and related soils (chernozemic soils) represent an important part of the soil cover and soil organic carbon (SOC) pools in Czechia. Despite their importance, a comprehensive understanding of their variability, classification, and key environmental controls is still limited. This study, using an extensive database of almost 4000 soil profiles, describes the most important soil characteristics and their variability within and among the Czech chernozemic taxonomic units and identifies the dominant drivers that influence their properties and classification. Moreover, their position within the World Reference Base (WRB) 2022 is analysed. Overall, Czech chernozemic soils are characterised by deep humus horizons (mean = 56 cm) with mean SOC content of 1.25% and neutral pH (mean = 7). Hydromorphic chernozems show the deepest and SOC-richest humus horizons, while shallow and SOC-poor humus horizons are typical for eroded chernozems. Majority of studied profiles were classified within one of the mollic Reference soil groups in WRB, of which 43% were attributed to Chernozems. Luvisols (4%), Regosols (7%) and Calcisols (3%) were classified among clay illuvial or eroded profiles. Multivariate statistical analysis showed environmental factors dominating over individual soil properties. Substrate characteristics (texture and CaCO₃ content), were the most important for the SOC content, outweighing the influence of climatic factors or terrain position. The latter predominantly affected humus horizon depth and was best suited to differentiate hydromorphic chernozems. Climatic factors controlled soil pH and distinguished clay illuvial soils. A broader understanding of these patterns must also consider the influence of historical land management and Holocene vegetation shifts which were beyond the scope of this study.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56001,"journal":{"name":"Geoderma Regional","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00957"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143852339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fertility status of Chernozems and Phaeozems under different moisture regimes in southwestern Poland","authors":"Beata Labaz,&nbsp;Cezary Kabala,&nbsp;Jaroslaw Waroszewski,&nbsp;Pawel Jezierski,&nbsp;Adam Bogacz,&nbsp;Melania Matuszak","doi":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00959","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00959","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chernozems and Phaeozems, consider the most fertile soils in the world, are of particular interest in Poland due to their little contribution to soil cover, which does not exceed 1.5 %. The study focused on the characterization and regional and global comparison of SOC and fertility status of chernozemic soils in SW Poland to provide arguments for their further protection. The soils developed from loess were cross-analyzed in relation to their classification (Chernozems versus Phaeozems) and moisture status (well-drained versus imprefectly-drained soils). The soils have a silt loam texture and a greater thickness of humus horizon, pH, base saturation, content of SOC, nitrogen, and plant-available P, K and Mg than majority soils in Poland. The mean values were comparable or higher than in the other chernozemic regions in Poland and the world; only pH and SOC were lower than in Chernozems of the steppe zones. On a regional scale, Chernozems had a higher pH, base saturation, SOC, P and K concentrations and pools than Phaeozems. Whereas, the moisture status did not significantly differentiate the fertility of chernozemic soils, which confirms that long-term moisture control of historically waterlogged soils allowed for their cultivation with the same intensity as well-drained soils. Comparison with historical data suggested that SOC and nutrients increased or remained at a similar level over the 70 years. The study confirmed a high and stable SOC and fertility status of chernozemic soils in SW Poland, maintained rather than degraded by agricultural use. Considering an ongoing climate change, leading to increasing frequency of droughts in Central Europe, as well as rapid urbanization, resulting in destruction of native soils, the results argue for permanent monitoring and legal protection of Chernozems and Phaeozems as soils of great importance for national food security and SOC sequestration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56001,"journal":{"name":"Geoderma Regional","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00959"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143777097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ancestral roots: Exploring microbial communities in traditional agroecosystems for sustainable agriculture","authors":"Guillermo Luis Arellano-Wattenbarger ,&nbsp;Mateo Córdoba-Agudelo ,&nbsp;Jorge Rocha","doi":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00960","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00960","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scientific research on microorganisms associated with crops in agroecosystems has revealed how modern practices disrupt microbial communities, compromising their vital ecological and nutritional functions, including their roles in plant adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses. For this reason, there is an urgent need to understand the beneficial functions of microorganisms in low-input or natural soils and their application for transitioning to more sustainable agricultural practices. We propose that traditional agroecosystems are a promising study model since productivity is achieved through ancestral practices, maintaining greater diversity and functions of microorganisms associated with crops. In this review, we explore traditional agroecosystems worldwide based on the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), selecting three representative agroecosystems: 1) Rice paddy in Asia &amp; Pacific; 2) Oasis Agroecosystem in the Near East and North Africa; and 3) Milpa in Latin America and the Caribbean. Next, through a systematic qualitative approach, we examine the progress in studying the structure and function of the plant-associated microbiome of the selected traditional agroecosystems. We discuss how microbial communities are influenced by ancestral agricultural practices, impacting ecosystem services such as nitrogen fixation and mineralization, phosphorus solubilization and mineralization, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Finally, we discuss perspectives for biotechnological applications and basic research in traditional agroecosystems toward sustainable agriculture, emphasizing the participation and compensation of local farmers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56001,"journal":{"name":"Geoderma Regional","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00960"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143777096","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of green onion (Allium fistulosum) cropping on topsoil nitrogen species contents in a Páramo ecosystem","authors":"Daniela Cristina Rey-Romero ,&nbsp;Martha Constanza Daza-Torres ,&nbsp;Viviana Sanchez-Torres ,&nbsp;Edgar Ricardo Oviedo-Ocaña","doi":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00958","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00958","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Páramos are unique ecosystems vital for biodiversity conservation and water supply. However, land-use change has increased reactive nitrogen (N) concentration, leading to environmental pollution. Despite their importance, limited research has been conducted on their soil N pools, which are crucial for regulating N losses and supporting ecosystem services. Therefore, this study analyzed the influence of green onion (<em>Allium fistulosum</em>) cropping on soil N pools and their controlling factors in a Colombian páramo. We collected topsoil (0–20 cm) samples from 50 plots located in cultivated and non-cultivated land. The samples were analyzed for total N (TN), nitrate‑nitrogen (N-NO₃⁻), ammonium‑nitrogen (N-NH₄⁺), and other 13 physicochemical edaphic properties. Cultivated soils exhibited 40 % lower TN and nearly eight times higher N-NO₃⁻ concentrations compared to non-cultivated soils, while N-NH₄⁺ remained relatively stable. TN depletion was linked to SOM loss driven by farming practices, including fresh chicken manure fertilization, burning, and ploughing. Agricultural management practices neutralized soil acidity, favoring nitrification and increasing the risk of N-NO₃ losses via leaching or runoff. Key edaphic properties influencing soil N pools included pH, soil organic carbon, electrical conductivity, available potassium, available sulfur, available phosphorus, soil water content, and bulk density. These findings highlight the need to incorporate these factors into models of soil N dynamics in páramos to better assess the impact of agricultural management on ecosystem functions. Our results provide valuable insights for promoting sustainable N management in sensitive páramo ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56001,"journal":{"name":"Geoderma Regional","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00958"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143760287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A simple model for water table fluctuations for agronomic decision making in the Argentinian Pampas","authors":"H. Videla-Mensegue ,&nbsp;M.S. Magra ,&nbsp;A. Macchiavello ,&nbsp;C. Álvarez ,&nbsp;E. Noellemeyer ,&nbsp;O.P. Caviglia","doi":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00956","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00956","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The shallow and fluctuating water table present significant challenges and opportunities for agricultural regions worldwide. This study explores the intricate interplay between water table fluctuations, soil type, potential evapotranspiration and rainfall in order to develop a user-friendly model for predicting water table dynamics. Our aim was to calibrate and validate the Water Table Fluctuation (WTF) model and the application of the WTF model assessing various agronomic scenarios across diverse soil types and climate conditions within the Argentinean Pampas. The methodological approach involved compiling an extensive database from 67 sites across the study area. Simulations were conducted for three representative sites under varying climatic conditions, soil types, and initial water table depths. The calibration and evaluation results showed an RMSE of 34.6 and 36.4 cm and an average RRMSE of 19 and 21.3 %, respectively; indicating very good performance. Wet climate scenarios with shallow initial water table depths indicated a high risk of waterlogging, whereas deeper initial depths showed reduced risk and increased usability of water for crops. The Argiudoll soil showed greater sensitivity to changes in the climate conditions, while Haplustoll and Hapludoll soils were less responsive. Overall, the WTF model provides a valuable tool for farmers, enabling them to make informed decisions about water management and crop planning. By simplifying the complex dynamics of water table fluctuations into an accessible format, the model enhances the capacity of farmers to adapt to changing environmental conditions, thereby supporting sustainable agricultural practices in the Argentinean Pampas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56001,"journal":{"name":"Geoderma Regional","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00956"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143767953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vegetation type and Fe and Al oxides are important factors influencing the spatial distributions of soil organic carbon and mineral-associated organic carbon in mountain ecosystems","authors":"Wenzhi Zhou ,&nbsp;Suyan Li ,&nbsp;Xiangyang Sun ,&nbsp;Rongsong Zou ,&nbsp;Libing He ,&nbsp;Jiantao Yu ,&nbsp;Guanyu Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00955","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00955","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In mountain ecosystems, changes in elevation can lead to alterations in regional microclimates, thereby affecting the distribution and transformation of soil organic carbon (SOC). Mineral-associated organic carbon (MOC) plays a crucial role in preserving SOC. However, research on the distribution of SOC and MOC content in mountain ecosystems is limited. Therefore, we conducted correlation analysis to analyze the effects of environmental factors (mean annual temperature and precipitation, elevation, and vegetation) and soil oxides (SO) on the contents of SOC and MOC in the Wuling Mountain. Selective dissolution methods have been used to further extract soil carbon (C) associated with Al and Fe minerals, as well as extractable Al and Fe. The results indicated that temperature and precipitation are important drivers of changes in the SOC and MOC contents. Moreover, the changes in the SOC and MOC contents were the result of the combined effects of multiple factors, such as climate, elevation and vegetation. There was a significant difference in the organic C stock among the different vegetation types: mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest &gt; subalpine meadow &gt; broad-leaved forest &gt; shrubland-grassland. Not only were the Fe₂O₃ and Al₂O₃ contents in SO significantly correlated with SOC and MOC contents, but the extractable Fe and Al contents were also positively correlated with the extractable C content. The extractable Al and Fe contents increase with soil depth, whereas the MOC content decreases and the MOC/SOC ratio increases. Therefore, we speculated that the content of minerals such as Al and Fe in surface soils determines the MOC content, whereas in deeper soils the content of organic matter determines the content of MOC. Our research results emphasize that Fe and Al minerals promote SOC sequestration in mountain soils, which is important for understanding soil C cycling and predicting changes in SOC stocks in mountain soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56001,"journal":{"name":"Geoderma Regional","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00955"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143740037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental magnetism linked to weathering processes: A study on surface soils from an East Antarctic oasis","authors":"Adyasha Rath ,&nbsp;G.S. Joju ,&nbsp;Anish Kumar Warrier ,&nbsp;Marcos A.E. Chaparro ,&nbsp;Firoz Badesab ,&nbsp;Mamilla Venkateshwarlu ,&nbsp;B.S. Mahesh ,&nbsp;Rahul Mohan","doi":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00954","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00954","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We determined and discussed the mineral magnetic properties of the soil samples (<em>n</em> = 78) from the Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica. Environmental magnetism analysis was conducted to identify the mechanisms controlling the formation and distribution of iron oxide minerals such as magnetite and hematite. Magnetic susceptibility (χ_lf) exhibited a mean (± SD) value of 109.5 (± 76.6) × 10⁻⁸ m³kg⁻¹, indicating the presence of magnetically strong minerals. A statistically significant correlation (<em>r</em> = 0.79; <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) between χ_lf and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), the S-ratio values (0.97–0.99) and temperature-dependent magnetization measurements, suggests that low-coercivity magnetic minerals, such as magnetite, primarily regulate the magnetic signal. The percentage of frequency-dependent susceptibility remains below 2 % for most samples, indicating an insignificant presence of ultrafine superparamagnetic grains. The χ_ARM/SIRM parameter (mean (± SD) values of 53.7 (± 26.3) × 10⁻⁵ mA⁻¹) suggests a predominance of coarse-grained magnetic minerals, while magnetic hysteresis parameters indicate the dominance of multidomain magnetic grains, with minor proportions of single-domain and superparamagnetic grains. Various inter-parametric ratios reveal the absence of bacterial magnetite, anthropogenic magnetite, and authigenic greigite, suggesting that the magnetic minerals in these Antarctic soils from Schirmacher Oasis predominantly result from weathering processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56001,"journal":{"name":"Geoderma Regional","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00954"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143725216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Digital soil mapping of erosion-induced degradation of Chernozems on the East-European Plain","authors":"A.P. Zhidkin ,&nbsp;D.V. Fomicheva ,&nbsp;E.N. Shamshurina ,&nbsp;E.A. Zazdravnukh ,&nbsp;D.I. Rukhovich ,&nbsp;H.Y. Fang","doi":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00953","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00953","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil erosion remains a pressing problem especially on the Chernozems, since these soils are the most fertile and agriculturally used. The paper presents an analysis of soil erosion rates, land use history, soil properties and the state of the soil cover in 6 key sites of 10 thousand hectares each, located in different parts of the Chernozem belt on the East European Plain. The maps of erosion-induced degradation of Chernozems were constructed using field and laboratory data in &gt;1600 soil survey points by two Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) methods: “Statistical” and “Modelling”. The area of eroded soils obtained by two DSM methods differs by up to 5 times. The maps constructed by the “Modelling” DSM are in good agreement with literary data and have a logical shape and location of eroded soils and sediments patterns. The results demonstrate the prospects for further development of DSM using simulation erosion models. “Statistical” DSM should be tested in areas with high soil erosion rates and in the presence of pronounced micro relief. The share of moderately and severely eroded soils varies greatly at different sites – from 1 % to 28 %. The extent of degradation of Chernozems depends on the rates of soil erosion and duration of plowing. The share of eroded soils on the Central Russian Upland is 14–28 % according to “Modelling” DSM. This region needs significant soil conservation measures. The erosion rates and duration of plowing is relatively low on the Oka-Don Lowland and Bugulmino-Belebeevskaya Upland, the share of eroded soils on the studied sites is only 1–2 %. Soil sediments occupy 7–10 % of arable land and are confined to numerous micro-depressions of the relief.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56001,"journal":{"name":"Geoderma Regional","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00953"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143697354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping soil fertility properties in central Ethiopia at 100 m spatial resolution","authors":"Musefa A. Redi ,&nbsp;Gerard B.M. Heuvelink ,&nbsp;Johan G.B. Leenaars","doi":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00952","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00952","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate soil property maps are essential for effective soil nutrient management. In Ethiopia, fertilizer applications often ignored spatial variability in soil properties, leading to inefficiencies. This study employed digital soil mapping to generate three-dimensional (3D) maps of five key soil fertility properties—total nitrogen (TotalN), extractable phosphorus (OlsenP), exchangeable potassium (ExchK), pH-H₂O (pH), and organic carbon (OC)—at 100 m resolution across central Ethiopia. The objectives were to (1) develop maps at six depth intervals while assessing prediction uncertainty; (2) evaluate the integration of topsoil data with soil profile data for model training; and (3) compare the maps with Africa-SoilGrids, SoilGrids, and iSDAsoil maps. We used two datasets: soil profile (1,379 profiles with 4,179 layers) and topsoil (13,724 locations), harmonized with transfer functions. Quantile regression forest was used to generate maps with 90 % prediction intervals. Models were calibrated with 80 % of the dataset and 194 covariates, including depth, and evaluated with the remaining 20 %. Integrating topsoil data with the soil profile dataset improved prediction accuracy for the five soil fertility properties in the topsoil (0–20 cm), demonstrating near-zero bias, reduced root mean squared error, and a higher model efficiency coefficient (MEC), compared to only using the soil profile dataset. It also enhanced uncertainty quantification for pH, OlsenP, TotalN, and ExchK in the topsoil. However, these benefits diminished with depth, with slight improvements in the subsoil (20–50 cm) but none in the deeper layers (50–200 cm) where pH and OC predictions were even slightly biased. Among the combined dataset models, the highest performance was for pH (MEC = 0.80), while the lowest was for OlsenP (MEC = 0.13). The maps generated from the combined dataset models showed MEC improvements of 27 % to over 1,000 % compared to SoilGrids, Africa-SoilGrids, and iSDAsoil. Additionally, the prediction intervals were also a realistic representation of the prediction uncertainty, with prediction interval coverage probability (PICP) values close to their ideal value. This markedly outperformed SoilGrids and iSDAsoil, which had unrealistically low PICP values. We conclude that the 100 m resolution 3D maps from this study offer satisfactory accuracy and realistic uncertainty quantification, making them the currently best available resource for developing location-specific fertilizer recommendations in central Ethiopia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56001,"journal":{"name":"Geoderma Regional","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00952"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Soil conductance classification for crop performance assessment using electromagnetic induction and geospatial techniques in coastal region of Indian Sundarbans","authors":"Manoj Kumar Nanda ,&nbsp;Sukanta Kumar Sarangi ,&nbsp;Mark Glover ,&nbsp;Debolina Sarkar ,&nbsp;Argha Ghosh ,&nbsp;Momsona Mondal ,&nbsp;Jorge Pena-Arancibia ,&nbsp;Mohammed Mainuddin","doi":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00951","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geodrs.2025.e00951","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sustainable crop production in the coastal zone of the Indian Sundarbans presents a significant challenge due to seasonal salinity build-up, particularly during the post-monsoon season. The measurement of apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) of soil using electromagnetic induction (EM) technique has emerged as a popular method for rapidly assessing soil salinity, serving as a proxy for traditional cost and labour-intensive laboratory analysis methods. This study investigated two test sites, Bijoynagar (9.24 ha) and Sonagaon (9.69 ha), to assess the spatial pattern of ECa at four depths of exploration (DOE)- 30 cm, 50 cm, 80 cm, and 160 cm below the surface using the DualEM-1HS. The measured ECa data were interpolated using Ordinary Kriging (OK) to get contiguous grid layers of ECa at respective depths which are subsequently classified into six Soil Conductance Units (SCUs) using K-means clustering technique. The Bijoynagar site, where mung beans and a few other vegetables were cultivated in the rice fallow during the survey recorded lower ECa than the Sonagaon site. The major part of the Sonagaon site was laid fallow during the survey, with patches of summer rice grown sporadically. The coefficient of variation of ECa within each SCU was most pronounced at the surface level (up to 30 cm depth), which was often influenced by agricultural practices such as tillage and irrigation. Strong correlations were observed between the laboratory-measured electrical conductivity of soil-water suspensions (ECe) and the cluster numbers, as evidenced by a high Spearman Rank Correlation coefficient (0.905). The ECa of the crop rhizospheric layer (surface to 50 cm depth) exhibited the highest correlation coefficients for mung bean stover yield, biomass yield, and rice grain yield. Spearman rank correlations between cluster numbers and the yield of summer rice and mung beans grown in different SCUs were also significant at the 5 % level. The investigation of the electromagnetic induction approach for assessing apparent soil conductivity has been crucial in understanding local fluctuation of soil salinity and its impact on performance of the two major crops grown in the Sundarbans. The improved EM survey involving hand-held GPS and Android application ‘GeoTracker’ followed by geostatistical analysis, and clustering in open-source GIS platform customized in this study offers a robust package of practices that enabled quick, precise and effective classification of land into Soil Conductance Units for site specific crop management in the coastal saline region of Indian Sundarbans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56001,"journal":{"name":"Geoderma Regional","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article e00951"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143697355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}