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Geoscience ›› 2011, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (3): 562-568.

• Water Resource and Environment • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Relationship between Soil Acidification and Nitrogen Inputs in the Poyang Lake Area, Jiangxi Province, China

 WEN  Bang-Yong-1, YANG  Zhong-Fang-1, HOU  Jing-Xie-1, YANG  Xiao-Yan-1, YIN  Guo-Qing-2, ZHONG  Cun-Di-2   

  • Online:2011-06-22 Published:2011-06-23

Abstract:

The Poyang Lake area in Jiangxi Province is one of the most soil acidification areas in China. This paper aims to study the relationship between soil acidification and soil nitrogen inputs through fertilization, atmospheric deposition and irrigation in this area. Firstly, soil pH variation in the last two decades was investigated by comparing data from the multipurpose regional geochemical survey carried out in the early 21st century and that from the second soil survey in the 1980s, and the result showed that the area of serious acidification had increased from 5822% to 7844%. Nitrogen input fluxes from fertilization, atmospheric deposition and irrigation are 12384 kg·hm-2·a-1, 7413 kg·hm-2·a-1 and 1102 kg·hm-2·a-1, respectively. With these nitrogen inputs, protons enter into soils, which causes soil acidification. Anthropogenic activities bring proton input to soil by 1867 kmol·hm-2·a-1. Nitrogen fertilization is the first factor for soil acidification of the Poyang Lake area. The negative correlation between soil pH and N implies that organic N has little concern with soil acidification and so enhancing organic fertilization and reducing chemical N fertilization are good measures for preventing further acidification. Soil pH has a positive correlation with Ca, so Cariched matter will reduce soil acidification.

Key words: soil acidification, atmospheric deposition, input flux, nitrogen fertilizer, Poyang Lake area