Land Use Practices Effects on Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in North-central Vietnam

Abstract

Background: Soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil nitrogen (SN) are critical for maintaining soil health, fertility and sustainable cultivation practices. These indicators of soil quality are influenced by anthropogenic activities and global climate change (GCC). To effectively manage soil, it is essential to understand the dynamics of the soil properties, especially SOC and SN. Methods: The study aims to evaluate how different land use practices (LUPs) impact SOC and SN contents in North-Central Vietnam. The study focuses on the effects of anthropogenic activities and GCC. A total of 48 soil samples were collected in the field surveys during 2021-2023 from three typical land use types (LUTs), including natural forest land (NFL), crop cultivation land (CCL) and bare hill land (BHL) at the 0-10 cm surface topsoil. The samples were analyzed for soil texture, pH, bulk density (BD), SOC and SN. The effects of LUPs on SOC and SN contents were assessed using ANOVA software. Result: The predominant soil textures observed in all samples were clay and sandy loam, with low silt percentages. The NFL and CCL areas exhibited lower bulk density compared to BHL. The results indicate that CCL had the highest SOC and SN stocks, followed by BHL and NFL. The C/N ratio in CCL and NFL was greater than 10, suggesting a high decomposition rate of organic matter in cultivated and bare land areas. The pH of all soil samples was uniformly acidic. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating the impact of LUPs, specifically on SOC and SN contents and other soil properties.