Study on the Relationship between Soil Water,Salt,Mineral Element Changes and Gravel-sand Mulched Field Degradation in Orchards with Different Mulching Durations
This study investigated the changes in soil moisture characteristics and mineral elements in gravel-sand mulched fields with different mulching durations to explore the degradation mechanism of gravel-sand mulched fields.Long-term analysis and measurement of the mixed sand layer,soil moisture,mineral elements,and salt content in usable and abandoned gravel-sand mulched fields were conducted in a fixed location.The results showed that the sand-to-soil ratio in gravel-sand mulched fields planted for 1,3,7,and 15 years decreased from 9.16 to 1.60,while the ratio in abandoned gravel-sand mulched fields was 3.59.After 3 years of mulching,the average soil moisture content increased by 13.06 mg/g compared to the native land.After 15 years of mulching,soil moisture content in the 0 to 20,20 to 40,40 to 60,60 to 80,and 80 to 100 mm layers was 2.4,3.5,4.0,4.4,and 4.7 mg/g higher than that in the native land,respectively.In orchards with different sand-mulched durations,changes in organic matter,total nitrogen and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen,total phosphorus and available phosphorus,total potassium and available potassium,and total salt contents in the 0 to 60 cm soil layer followed a pattern of increasing followed by decreasing with the length of gravel-sand mulching.This trend is closely related to the effectiveness and degradation of gravel-sand mulched fields and represents a major feature of the degradation of middle-aged and old gravel-sand mulched fields.