Soil nutrient variance by slope position in a Mollisol farmland area of Northeast China

Abstract

In order to generate scientifically-based comparative information to improve fertilization efficiency and reduce nutrient loss, 610 samples of 122 soil profiles were collected at the 0–60 cm depth to compare soil nutrient contents including soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) among different slope positions in a Mollisol farmland area of Northeast China. The contents of SOM and TN typically decreased with increased soil depth at back and bottom slope. Soil loss and deposition tended to decrease SOM and TN at the 0–20 cm soil depth on both the back slope and the slope bottom. The TP firstly decreased from 0–20 cm to 30–40 cm, and then not constantly increased at the back slope and the bottom slope. Due to the characteristics of soil nutrients and crop absorption, the contents of both AP and AK were typically the highest at the summit, followed by the slope bottom and the back slope in the 0–20 cm layer. Generally, in order to sustain the high soil productivity and protect the environment, attention should be paid to soil conservation on back slope; in addition, additional N and P fertilizer is necessary on the back slope.