Work

Comprehensive Evaluation of Cultivated Land Quality in Black Soil of Northeast China: Emphasizing Functional Diversity and Risk Management

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Due to natural factors and high-input, high-output use of cultivated land, the cultivated land quality (CLQ) in the black soil of Northeast China (BSNC) is facing serious threats, including soil erosion, compaction, and nutrient loss. Currently, the regional relevance of cultivated land quality evaluation (CLQE) is insufficient, making it difficult to reflect the quality characteristics and changing trends of cultivated land in black soils. This study identifies the potential degradation risks of black soil cultivated land and constructs a comprehensive evaluation framework based on "cultivated land function and degradation risk" to evaluate the overall quality of cultivated land in BSNC. The results indicate that: (1) The key characteristic indicators were selected using a combination of subjective and objective methods, including 11 indicators reflecting cultivated land functions and 7 indicators reflecting degradation risks. This system consists of 18 indicators organized into 3 levels. (2) Black soil CLQ exhibits a decreasing trend from north to south, with the majority classified as second or third grade, accounting for 75.68% of the total cultivated land area. Cultivated land functionality generally increases from west to east, with the Liaohe Plain performing the best. Degradation risk increases from west to east, with low-risk cropland primarily concentrated in the Songnen Plain and western sandy areas, covering 38.55% of the total area. (3) There is a trade-off between primary productivity and resource utilization efficiency functions across different types of regions, while resource utilization efficiency function shows a synergistic relationship with soil nutrients and maintenance function. It is essential to protect the ecological function of cultivated land while enhancing its production function to achieve sustainable and efficient land use.

Source: Applied Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/app15073753