Impact of land use covers upon karst processes in a typical Fengcong depression system of Nongla, Guangxi, China

• Published in: Environmental earth sciences Vol. 55; no. 8; pp. 1621 - 1626
• Main Authors: Zhang, Cheng, Pei, Jianguo, Xie, Yunqiu, Cao, Jianhua, Wang, Lanling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.10.2008; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biogeochemistry; Carbon dioxide; Corrosion; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecosystems; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Fallow land; Geology; Karst; Land use; Limestone; Marine and continental quaternary; Organic matter; Original Article; Pollution, environment geology; Soil depth; Soil organic matter; Soil pH; Soils; Surficial geology; Woodlands; Guangxi China; Far East; Asia; China; China, People's Rep., Guangxi; China, People's Rep; Nongla Guangxi China; Corrosional rate; Karst processes; Land use; impact statements; carbon dioxide; corrosion; carbonate rocks; karst; human activity; karstification; sedimentary rocks; depressions; depth; land use; limestone; organic materials; pH; soils
• ISSN: 0943-0105; 1866-6280; 1432-0495; 1866-6299
• DOI: 10.1007/s00254-007-1111-1

The direction and intensity of karst processes can be deeply affected by soil physical and chemical variations which were resulted from land use. Taking Nongla Fengcong depression area, Mashan County, Guangxi as an example, authors discussed the impact of land use on karst processes based on the data of field limestone tablet. The results showed that the corrosional rates at varied soil depth are quite different. Corrosional rate in woodland and orchard is mostly bigger than 20 mg/a, which is much higher than that in tilled land and shrub. Generally, corrosional rate decreased from orchard, woodland, tilled land, fallow land and shrub successively, in which soil organic matter (OM) and soil pH are two major controlling factors: corrosion process is controlled remarkably by soil OM in woodland and orchard. The higher the organic matter content is and the less the pH value is, the higher the corrosional rate is. Owing to lower organic matter content, the corrosional rate is mainly affected by soil CO₂ in tilled land and shrub.