Evolution of Soil Properties and Soil Limitation Factors in Different Soil Use and Genetic Conditions in South China
我国华南地区不同利用条件下土壤演变对障碍因子的影响

The evolution of soil properties and identification of soil limitation factors under various soil use conditions in south China are important for the process of soil genesis and land use management. This paper determined soil classification with typical soil profiles in nine provinces in south China on the basis of Chinese soil taxonomy, evaluated the evolution of soil properties in terms of weathering intensity, and analyzed soil limitation factors influencing soil productivity. Generally, the soil properties such as silt content, pH, cation exchangeable capacity (CEC), base saturation (BS), available phosphorus and available potassium developed in forestlands were lower than those in dry farmlands, while organic matter and total nitrogen were opposite. With the strengthen of soil weathering, from Cambosols, Argosols, Ferrosols to Ferralosols, soil clay content was gradually increased, on the contrary, soil properties such as soil pH, CEC, effective CEC (ECEC), organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium were gradually decreased. Although soil properties in dry farmlands had the same variation tendency as in those in forestlands, their variation were weak. The results of principal component analysis showed that the soil had main limitation factors as malnutrition, acidification, argillification, and low phosphorus and potassium availability for soil uses. The importance of the limitation factors was different in different soil uses and soil types and soil argillification became the most main limitation factor with soil weathering. So, establishment on suitable ameliorative measures would be based on the conditions of soil uses and types when the soils are used and managed.