Effect of Land Use Change on Soil Quality and Clay Mineralogy in Valarude Region of Zanjan Province

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

Effect of land use type on soil functioning within an ecosystem can be assessed by soil quality indices. Such studies that are
carried out to improve land resources quality, lead to control the land degradation and help us to identify the sustainable
management. In order to study the effect of land use change from pasture to agriculture on soil quality and clay mineralogy,
Valarude region of Zanjan province was selected. Composite soil samples were taken from 0 – 30 and 30 – 60 cm depths of
both land uses with three replicates and totally 60 soil samples were prepared. Important soil quality indicators such as bulk
density, weighted mean diameter of aggregates, quantities of organic carbon, and total nitrogen, soil microbial respiration
rate, amount of microbial biomass C and urease and alkaline phosphatase activities were measured. Results revealed that the
land use change from pasture to agriculture, led to a significant reduction in the amounts of organic carbon (62%), total
nitrogen (70%), mean weight diameter of aggregates (32%), microbial respiration rate (75%) and microbial biomass C
quantity (47%). The assay of enzyme activities showed that alkaline phosphatase activity did not change significantly but
urease activity decreased in agriculture land (87%). Mineralogical studies showed that the both land uses had illite,
kaolinite; chlorite, smectite and mixed layer minerals and change of land use did not have a significant effect on soil clay
minerals. Overall, it can be concluded that a change in land use from pasture to agriculture with widespread agricultural
practices, especially intensive tillage activities, may lead to decrease soil quality.

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Water and Soil Science
Volume 26, 1-1 - Serial Number 2
June 2016
Pages 305-316

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