[GIS-based evaluation of farmland soil fertility and its relationships with soil profile configuration pattern]

Taking the mid and low yielding fields in Yanjin County, Henan Province as a case, and selecting soil organic matter, total N, total P, total K, available N, available P, available K, pH value, and cation exchange capacity as indicators, a comprehensive evaluation on soil fertility was conducted by the method of fuzzy mathematics and using software ArcGIS 9.2. Based on this evaluation, the differences in the soil fertility level under different soil profile configuration pattern were analyzed. In the study region, soils were slightly alkaline, poorer in total N, total P, available N, cation exchange capacity, organic matter, and available K, and medium in available P and total K. The integrated fertility index was 0.14-0.63, indicating that the soil fertility in the region was on the whole at a lower level. There existed significant differences in all indicators except available P and total K under different soil profile configuration patterns (P < 0.05), suggesting the close relationship between soil fertility and soil profile configuration. The soil profile loamy in surface soil and clayey in subsurface soil had a higher level of soil fertility, followed by that loamy in surface soil and sandy in subsurface soil, and sandy in both surface and surface soil. Overall, the soils in the region were bad in profile configuration, poor in water and nutrient conservation, and needed to be ameliorated aiming at these features.