Liquefaction susceptibility and deformation characteristics of saturated coral sandy soils subjected to cyclic loadings-a critical review

Coral sandy soils widely exist in coral island reefs and seashores in tropical and subtropical regions.Due to the unique marine depositional environment of coral sandy soils,the engineering characteristics and responses of these soils subjected to monotonic and cyclic loadings have been a subject of intense interest among the geotechnical and earthquake engineering communities.This paper critically reviews the progress of experimental investigations on the undrained behavior of coral sandy soils under monotonic and cyclic loadings over the last three decades.The focus of coverage includes the contractive-dilative behavior,the pattern of excess pore-water pressure(EPWP)generation and the liquefaction mechanism and liquefaction resistance,the small-strain shear modulus and strain-dependent shear modulus and damping,the cyclic softening feature,and the anisotropic characteristics of undrained responses of saturated coral sandy soils.In particular,the advances made in the past decades are reviewed from the following aspects:(1)the characterization of factors that impact the mechanism and patterns of EPWP build-up;(2)the identification of liquefaction triggering in terms of the apparent viscosity and the average flow coefficient;(3)the establishment of the invariable form of strain-based,stress-based,or energy-based EPWP ratio formulas and the unique relationship between the new proxy of liquefaction resistance and the number of cycles required to reach liquefaction;(4)the establishment of the invariable form of the predictive formulas of small strain modulus and strain-dependent shear modulus;and(5)the investigation on the effects of stress-induced anisotropy on liquefaction susceptibility and dynamic deformation characteristics.Insights gained through the critical review of these advances in the past decades offer a perspective for future research to further resolve the fundamental issues concerning the liquefaction mechanism and responses of coral sandy sites subjected to cyclic loadings associated with seismic events in marine environments.

Gravel hardness effect on compaction characteristics of gravelly soil

The compaction characteristics of gravelly soil are affected by gravel hardness.To investigate the evolution and influencing mechanism of different gravel hardness on the compaction characteristics of gravelly soil,heavy compaction tests and crushing tests were conducted on gravelly soils with gravels originated from hard,soft and extremely soft rocks.According to orthogonal experiments and variance analysis,it was found that hardness has a significant impact on the maximum dry density of gravelly soil,followed by gravel content,and lastly,moisture content.For gravel compositions with an average saturated uniaxial compressive strength less than 60 MPa,the order of compacted maximum dry density is soft gravels>hard gravels>extremely soft gravels.Each type of gravelly soil has a threshold for gravel content,with 60%for hard and soft gravels and 50%for extremely soft gravels.Beyond these thresholds,the compacted dry density decreases significantly.There is a certain interaction between hardness,gravel content,and moisture content.Higher hardness increases the influence of gravel content,whereas lower hardness increases the influence of moisture content.Gravelly soils with the coarse aggregate(CA)between 0.7 and 0.8 typically achieve higher dry densities after compaction.In addition,the prediction equations for the particle breakage rate and CA ratio in the Bailey method were proposed to estimate the compaction performance of gravelly soil preliminarily.The results further revealed the compaction mechanism of different gravelly soils and can provide reference for subgrade filling construction.

Shear resistance characteristics and influencing factors of root-soil composite on an alpine metal mine dump slope with different recovery periods

Artificial vegetation restoration is the main measure for vegetation restoration and soil and water conservation in alpine mine dumps on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China.However,there are few reports on the dynamic changes and the influencing factors of the soil reinforcement effect of plant species after artificial vegetation restoration under different recovery periods.We selected dump areas of the Delni Copper Mine in Qinghai Province,China to study the relationship between the shear strength and the peak displacement of the root-soil composite on the slope during the recovery period,and the influence of the root traits and soil physical properties on the shear resistance characteristics of the root-soil composite via in situ direct shear tests.The results indicate that the shear strength and peak displacement of the rooted soil initially decreased and then increased with the increase of the recovery period.The shear strength of the rooted soil and the recovery period exhibited a quadratic function relationship.There is no significant function relationship between the peak displacement and the recovery period.Significant positive correlations(P<0.05)exists between the shear strength of the root-soil composite and the root biomass density,root volume density,and root area ratio,and they show significant linear correlations(P<0.05).There are no significant correlations(P>0.05)between the shear strength of the root-soil composite and the root length density,and the root volume ratio of the coarse roots to the fine roots.A significant negative linear correlation(P<0.05)exists between the peak displacement of the rooted soil and the coarse-grain content,but no significant correlations(P>0.05)with the root traits,other soil physical property indices(the moisture content and dry density of the soil),and slope gradient.The coarse-grain content is the main factor controlling the peak displacement of the rooted soil.

Effects of gravel on the water absorption characteristics and hydraulic parameters of stony soil

The eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains in China are a typical mountainous region of soil and gravel,where gravel could affect the water movement process in the soil.This study focused on the effects of different gravel contents on the water absorption characteristics and hydraulic parameters of stony soil.The stony soil samples were collected from the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains in April 2023 and used as the experimental materials to conduct a one-dimensional horizontal soil column absorption experiment.Six experimental groups with gravel contents of 0%,10%,20%,30%,40%,and 50%were established to determine the saturated hydraulic conductivity(K_(s)),saturated water content(θ_(s)),initial water content(θ_(i)),and retention water content(θ_(r)),and explore the changes in the wetting front depth and cumulative absorption volume during the absorption experiment.The Philip model was used to fit the soil absorption process and determine the soil water absorption rate.Then the length of the characteristic wetting front depth,shape coefficient,empirical parameter,inverse intake suction and soil water suction were derived from the van Genuchten model.Finally,the hydraulic parameters mentioned above were used to fit the soil water characteristic curves,unsaturated hydraulic conductivity(K_(θ))and specific water capacity(C(h)).The results showed that the wetting front depth and cumulative absorption volume of each treatment gradually decreased with increasing gravel content.Compared with control check treatment with gravel content of 0%,soil water absorption rates in the treatments with gravel contents of 10%,20%,30%,40%,and 50%decreased by 11.47%,17.97%,25.24%,29.83%,and 42.45%,respectively.As the gravel content increased,inverse intake suction gradually increased,and shape coefficient,K_(s),θ_(s),andθ_(r)gradually decreased.For the same soil water content,soil water suction and K_(θ)gradually decreased with increasing gravel content.At the same soil water suction,C(h)decreased with increasing gravel content,and the water use efficiency worsened.Overall,the water holding capacity,hydraulic conductivity,and water use efficiency of stony soil in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains decreased with increasing gravel content.This study could provide data support for improving soil water use efficiency in the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains and other similar rocky mountainous areas.

Characteristics of In-Situ Soil Water Hysteresis Observed through Multiple-Years Monitoring

A soil water retention curve (SWRC) is an essential soil physical property for analyzing transport and retention of water in a soil layer. A SWRC is often described as a single-valued function that relates the soil water potential ψ to volumetric water content θ of the soil. However, an in-situ ψ − θ relation should show soil water hysteresis, though this fact is often neglected in analyses of field soil water regimes while long-term in-situ soil water hysteresis is not well characterized. This study aimed at probing and characterizing in-situ ψ − θ relations. The developments of large hysteresis in the in-situ ψ − θ relations were observed only a few times during the study period of 82 months. Any of the large hysteretic behaviors in the ψ − θ relations began with an unusually strong continual reduction in ψ. The completion of a hysteresis loop required a recorded maximum rainfall. Because the study field had very small chances to meet such strong rainfall events, it took multiple years to restore the fraction of soil water depleted by the unusually strong continual reduction in ψ. While wetting-drying cycles had occurred within a certain domain of ψ, hysteretic behaviors tended to be so small that the in-situ ψ − θ relation can be approximated as a single-valued function of θ(ψ). These observed patterns of the in-situ ψ − θ relations were characterized by kinds of difference in dθ/dψ between a drying process and a wetting process at a given ψ. Thus, more amounts of experimental facts about wetting SWRCs in parallel with drying SWRCs should be needed for correct modelling, analyzing, and predicting soil water regimes in fields. It is also necessary to increase our understandings about the long-term trends of occurrences of extreme weather conditions associated with possible change in climate.

A dynamic soil freezing characteristic curve model for frozen soil

The soil freezing characteristic curve(SFCC)plays a fundamental role in comprehending thermohydraulic behavior and numerical simulation of frozen soil.This study proposes a dynamic model to uniformly express SFCCs amidst varying total water contents throughout the freezing-thawing process.Firstly,a general model is proposed,wherein the unfrozen water content at arbitrary temperature is determined as the lesser of the current total water content and the reference value derived from saturated SFCC.The dynamic performance of this model is verified through test data.Subsequently,in accordance with electric double layer(EDL)theory,the theoretical residual and minimum temperatures in SFCC are calculated to be-14.5℃to-20℃for clay particles and-260℃,respectively.To ensure that the SFCC curve ends at minimum temperature,a correction function is introduced into the general model.Furthermore,a simplified dynamic model is proposed and investigated,necessitating only three parameters inherited from the general model.Additionally,both general and simplified models are evaluated based on a test database and proven to fit the test data exactly across the entire temperature range.Typical recommended parameter values for various types of soils are summarized.Overall,this study provides not only a theoretical basis for most empirical equations but also proposes a new and more general equation to describe the SFCC.

Water infiltration and soil-water characteristics of compacted loess under applied vertical stress

Additional stress formed by postconstruction buildings in loess-filling areas affects water infiltration in soil and causes soil deformation.To investigate this effect,under constant water head,vertical infiltration tests on compacted loess with two initial dry densities for different applied vertical stresses were developed using vertical stresscontrollable one-dimensional soil columns.The timehistory curves of vertical deformation,wetting front depth,cumulative infiltration depth,volumetric water content(VWC)and suction were measured,and the soil-water characteristic curves(SWCCs)were determined.The results showed that:(1)the infiltration ability of the soil column weakens with increasing applied vertical stress and initial dry density;(2)vertical deformation increases rapidly at first and then tends to be stable slowly at the consolidation and wetting-induced deformation stage,and is positively correlated with applied vertical stress and is negatively correlated with initial dry density.The stability time of wetting-induced deformation and the corresponding wetting front depth increase with the increase of applied vertical stress,while they decrease obviously when initial dry density increases;(3)the influence of applied vertical stress on soilwater characteristics in soil columns with various initial dry densities is related to the deformation depth of soil column.The VG(Van Genuchten)model is suitable for fitting the SWCCs at different monitoring positions.A normalized SWCC model introducing the applied vertical stress was proposed for each initial dry density using the mathematical relationship between the fitting parameters and the applied vertical stress.

Study on Distribution Characteristics and Occurrence Form of Soil Fluorine in Sorghum Base of Renhuai City

In order to find out the effects of soil fluorine on ecological environment and crop safety in the sorghum cultivation base of Renhuai City, Guizhou Province, the content and the occurrence forms of soil fluorine and its influencing factors of Maoba Town were investigated and studied. The results showed that the total fluorine content in the soil of the sorghum base ranged from 668.60 to 2 596.80 mg/kg, with an average of 1 483.25 mg/kg, which was 3.10 and 1.85 times of the national soil background value and the average value of the soil in endemic areas, respectively. The spatial distribution of fluorine in the soil of the study area was uneven, and the fluorine content was in the order of Anliang Village>Yangliu Village>Houba Village>Xiongfeng Village. The soil fluorine contents of various forms varied greatly, and the distribution law was as follows: residual state>water soluble state>organically bound state>exchangeable state>Fe/Mn-F state. The residual fluorine content was the highest, accounting for more than 99% of total fluorine content, while the sum of other four forms was less than 1%, with their respective proportions ranging from 0.10% to 0.30%. The content and proportion of available fluorine in water-soluble and exchangeable states were relatively low, which had limited influence on the surrounding water environment and crop safety. The physicochemical properties of soil, such as pH, organic matter, cation exchange capacity and clay particles had a certain influence on the occurrence forms of soil fluorine, thus changing the availability and migration of soil fluorine, which might endanger the ecological environment safety, food safety and human health.

Assessment of Surface Water Quality of King Abdullah Canal, Using Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Water Quality Index, Jordan

The main aim of this research is to evaluate the water quality of King Abdullah Canal (KAC) using the water quality index method (WQI). For this purpose, nine different sampling sites were used in the calculation of WQI during the period of January to December 2012. The samples were analyzed for various physico-chemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, total suspended solids, ions of Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Fluorite, Chloride, Sulfate, Bicarbonate, and Nitrate in different seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn). The analyzed results (by WQI method) have been used to suggest models for predicting water quality. The relative weight assigned to each parameter has a range from 1 to 5, based on the important parameters for drinking purposes. The computed WQI for the nine samples has a range from 46.66 to 542.08. The analysis reveals that the water quality status of the study area is varying from excellent to good in the upper part of the canal and from poor to very poor in the lower part of the canal. Comparing with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Jordan Standard (JS), the results indicate that the lower part of the canal is polluted. Therefore, the water is not safe for domestic use and needs further treatment, especially in the lower part of the canal.

Differential aluminum tolerance and absorption characteristics in Pinus massoniana seedlings colonized with ectomycorrhizal fungi of Lactarius deliciosus and Pisolithus tinctorius

Plant tolerance to aluminum(Al)toxicity can be enhanced by an ectomycorrhizal(ECM)fungus through biological filtering or physical blockage.To understand the roles of ECM colonization in Al absorption with regard to Al tolerance,Pinus massoniana seedlings were inoculated with either Lactarius deliciosus(L.:Fr.)Gray isolate 2 or Pisolithus tinctorius(Pers.)Coker et Couch isolate 715 and cultivated in an acid yellow soil with or without 1.0 mM Al^(3+)irrigation for 10 weeks.Biomass production,Al bioaccumulation and transport in seedlings colonized by the two ECM fungi were compared,and the three absorption kinetics(pseudo-first order,pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion)models used to evaluate variances in root Al^(3+)absorption capacity.Results show that both fungi increased aboveground biomass and Al tolerance of P.massoniana seedlings,but L.deliciosus 2 was more effective than P.tinctorius 715.Lower Al absorption capacity,fewer available active sites and decreased affinity and boundary layer thickness for Al^(3+),and higher Al accumulation and translocation contributed to the increased Al tolerance in the ECM-inoculated seedlings.These results advance our understanding of the mechanisms and strategies in plant Alto lerance conferred by ECM fungi and show that inoculation with L.deliciosus will better enhance Al tolerance in P.massoniana seedlings used for forest plantation and ecosystem restoration in acidic soils,particularly in Southwest China and similar soils worldwide.

Effects of soil moisture and light intensity on ecophysiological characteristics of Amorpha fruticosa seedlings

We investigated the combined effects of soil moisture and light intensity on the growth, development and ecophysiological characteristics of one-year old Amorpha fruticosa seedlings. Soil moisture and light intensity influenced the ecophysiological characteristics of Amorpha fruticosa seedlings. Soil moisture resulted in the decreases of growth rate, individual size, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, leaf water loss rate （WLR）, and biomass accumulation of plant parts, and led to increased leaf water saturation deficit （WSD）. Under water stress, more photosynthetic products were allocated to root growth. With decreasing light intensity, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, chla/b, water saturation deficit, water use efficiency, water loss rate and biomass accumulation declined, while Chla, Chlb, Chla＋b and carotenoids （Car） increased and more photosynthetic products were allocated to stem and leaf growth. Maximum growth vigor, net photosynthetic rate and total biomass accumulation in Amorpha fruticosa seedlings was recorded at 75 80% soil water-holding capacity and 100% light density in greenhouse environments.

Assessment on Phosphorus Efficiency Characteristics of Soybean Genotypes in Phosphorus-Deficient Soils

A glasshouse study compared the growth and phosphorus （P） efficiency of 96 genotypes of soybean [Glycine max （L.） Merrill] in a P-deficient soil. The soybean genotypes differed greatly in growth, nodulation and P uptake after growing in the soil for 45 days, with shoot biomass ranging from 0.91 to 1.75 g per plant. The application of P improved biomass production, nodulation and P uptake and decreased root to shoot ratio, root length and surface area and P utilization efficiency. The 96 soybean genotypes were divided into 3 categories in P efficiency using the principal component analysis and cluster analysis, and 4 categories according to F values in combination with growth potentials. The Pefficient genotypes were associated with high biomass production, root to shoot ratio, root length and surface area and P uptake but low shoot to root P concentration ratio under P deficiency. The results indicate that there is a substantial genotypic variation in P efficiency in existing germplasm, and that P efficiency was correlated positively with dry weights of shoots and roots, ratio of root to shoot dry weight, root length and surface area, root P content and total P uptake. The shoot dry weight under P deficiency and relative shoot dry weight （deficient P/adequate P supply） are effective and simple indicators for screening P-efficient genotypes at the seedling stage.

Dynamic characteristics of lime-treated expansive soil under cyclic loading

To better understand the dynamic properties of expansive clay treated with lime, a series of laboratory tests were conducted using a dynamic triaxial test system. The influential factors, including moisture content, confining pressure, vibration frequency, consolidation ratio, and cycle number on the dynamic characteristics were discussed. Experimental results indicate that specimens at low moisture contents tend to damage along the 30~ shear plane and they present brittle failure, while saturated specimens show swelling phenomenon and plastic failure. A redtiction in cohesion has been observed for unsaturated samples at large number of cycles, while it is opposite for the internal friction angle. For the saturated specimens, both the cohesion and internal friction angle decrease with increasing number of cycles.

Do Land Characteristics Affect Farmers' Soil Fertility Management?

Soil fertility management （SFM） has important implications for sustaining agricultural development and food self-sufifciency. Better understanding the determinants of farmers’ SFM can be a great help to the adoption of effective SFM practices. Based on a dataset of 315 plots collected from a typical rice growing area of South China, this study applied statistical method and econometric models to examine the impacts of land characteristics on farmers’ SFM practices at plot scale. Main results showed that in general land characteristics affected SFM behaviors. Securer land tenure arrangements facilitated effective practices of SFM through more diversiifed and more soil-friendly cropping pattern choices. Plot size signiifcantly reduced the intensities of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application. Given other factors, 1 ha increase in plot size might reduce 3.0 kg ha-1 P2O5 and 1.8 kg ha-1 K2O. Plots far from the homestead were paid less attention in terms of both chemical fertilizers and manure applications. Besides, plots with better quality were put more efforts on management by applying more nitrogen and manure, and by planting green manure crops. Signiifcant differences existed in SFM practices between the surveyed villages with different socio-economic conditions. The ifndings are expected to provide important references to the policy-making incentive for improving soil quality and crop productivity.

Effects of seven different companion plants on cucumber productivity, soil chemical characteristics and Pseudomonas community

Companion cropping can influence cucumber productivity by altering soil chemical characteristics and microbial communities. However, how these alterations affect the growth of cucumber is still unknown. In this study, seven different plant species were selected as companion plants for testing their effects on cucumber productivity. The effects of different companion plants on changes in soil chemical properties such as electrical conductivity （EC） and contents of essential nutrients as well as the structure and abundance of the soil Pseudomonas community were evaluated. The results showed a higher cucumber yield in the wheat/cucumber companion system than that in the cucumber monocultured and other companion cropping systems. The lowest phosphorus （P） and potassium （K） contents in the soil were found in the cucumber monocultured system, and the highest NO3＋-N and NH4＊-N contents were observed in the rye/cucumber companion system. PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） and real-time PCR analysis showed that the trifolium/cucumber companion system increased the diversity of the soil Pseudomonas community, while the chrysanthemum/cucumber companion system increased its abundance. Interestingly, plant-soil feedback trials revealed that inoculating the soil of the wheat/cucumber companion system increased the growth of cucumber seedlings. In conclusion, the effects of different companion plants on cucumber productivity, soil chemical characteristics and the soil Pseudomonas community were different, and wheat was a more suitable companion plant for increasing cucumber productivity. In addition, the altered microbial community caused by companion cropping with wheat contributed to increased cucumber productivity.

Characteristics of deep drainage and soil water in the mobile sandy lands of Inner Mongolia, northern China

Quantification of deep drainage and the response of soil water content to rainfall patterns are critical for an effective management strategy of soil water conservation and groundwater utilization. However, there has been little information on how rainfall characteristics influence soil water dynamics and deep drainage in mobile sandy lands. We used an underground chamber to examine the responses of deep drainage and soil water content in mobile sandy lands to rainfall characteristics in Inner Mongolia during the growing seasons of 2010, 2011 and 2012. Results showed that rainfall in this area was dominated by small events （〈5 mm）, which increased soil water con- tent in the surface soil layers （0-40 cm）, but did not increase soil water content in the deeper soil layers （greater than 40 cm）. Soil water content at the 0-100 cm depth increased significantly when the total amount of rain was 〉20 mm. Rainfall amount, intensity and the duration of dry intervals were significantly related to the soil water content in different soil layers. Deep drainage was significantly correlated with rainfall amount and intensity, but not with the duration of dry intervals. The coefficients of deep drainage in the mobile sandy lands ranged from 61.30% to 67.94% during the growing seasons. Our results suggested that rainfall infiltration in the mobile sandy lands had considerable potential to increase soil water storage while recharging the groundwater in this region.

Soil Physico-Chemical Properties and Microflora as Influenced by Bispyribac Sodium 10% SC in Transplanted Kharif Rice

The effects of bispyribac sodium 10% SC and butachlor 50% SC on soil physico-chemical properties and microflora in transplanted kharifrice were investigated over two seasons （2010 and 2011 ） Effects of the herbicide on bulk density, water holding capacity, moisture content, soil pH, organic matter content, electrical conductivity, as well as total nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium contents were analyzed along with microflora population （total bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi）. No significant changes in soil physico-chemical properties were observed. Herbicide treatments resulted in decreases in microbial counts initially. With the degradation of applied herbicides within a considerable time, the microflora populations even exceeded the initial count at 60 d after application of the herbicide.

Effects of pesticides on soil biochemical characteristics of a paddy soil

The impact of triazophos, bensulfuron-methyl, chlobenthiazone on soil biochemical characteristics in a paddy soil under controlled moisture(flooded soil) and temperature(25℃) condition was studied. The electron transport system(ETS)/dehydrogenase activity displayed a negative correlation with triazophos, bensulfuron-methyl, chlobenthiazone concentrations, and the activity decreased as the concentration of the pesticides increased. The higher doses, 5 and 10 field rates, of triazophos, bensulfuron-methyl, chlobenthiazone significantly inhibited ETS activity, while lower rates failed to produce any significant reducing effect against the control. The relative toxicity of triazophos, bensulfuron-methyl, chlobenthiazone in decreasing the ETS activity was in the order: triazophos > chlobenthiazone > bensulfuron-methyl, irrespective of the rates of application. Triazophos, bensulfuron-methyl, chlobenthiazone caused an improvement in the soil phenol content and it increased with increasing concentration of triazophos, bensulfuron-methyl, chlobenthiazone. Triazophos, bensulfuron-methyl, chlobenthiazone incorporation did not produce any significant change in soil protein content. The response of biomass phospholipid content was nearly similar to ETS activity. The phospholipid content was decreased with the addition of triazophos, bensulfuron-methyl, chlobenthiazone in the order of triazophos > chlobenthiazone > bensulfuron-methyl; and the toxicity of applied amount was in the order: 10 FR(field rate) > 5 FR > 1 0 FR > 0 5 FR > control.

Improved soil characteristics in the deeper plough layer can increase grain yield of winter wheat

In the North China Plain(NCP), soil deterioration threatens winter wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) production. Although rotary tillage or plowing tillage are two methods commonly used in this region, research characterizing the effects of mixed tillage on soil characteristics and wheat yield has been limited. A fixed-site field trial was carried out during 2011–2016 to examine the impacts of three tillage practices(5-year rotary tillage with maize straw removal(RT);5-year rotary tillage with maize straw return(RS);and annual RS and with a deep plowing interval of 2 years(RS/DS)) on soil characteristics and root distribution in the plough layer. Straw return significantly decreased soil bulk density, increased soil organic carbon(SOC) storage and SOC content, macro-aggregate proportion(R_(0.25)) and its stability in the plough layer. The RS/DS treatment significantly increased the SOC content, total nitrogen(TN), and root length density(RLD) in the 10–40 cm layer, and enhanced the proportion of RLD in the 20–30 and 30–40 cm layers. In the 20–30 and 30–40 cm layers, an increase in SOC and TN could lead to higher grain production than commensurate increases in the surface layer, resulting in a sustainable increase in grain yield from the RS/DS treatment. Thus, the RS/DS treatment could lead to high productivity of winter wheat by improving soil characteristics and root distribution at the deeper plough layer in the NCP.

Influence of crack characteristics on the morphological development of Benggang and hydrological processes

Benggang is a special type of soil erosion,which widely distributes in the granite residual soil area of southern China.Owing to the influence of local climate and topography,shallow cracks having different morphological characteristics are easily formed on the slope surface.These shallow cracks damage the surface structure of the slope and accelerate water infiltration,making it easier to cause severe soil and water loss.However,the mechanism of Benggang process is still unclear,especially for slopes with different shallow crack characteristics.In this study,granite residual soil was collected from Benngang erosion area in Yudu County,Jiangxi Province,southern China.Three experimental treatments with slope surface crack rates of 0%,5.23%,and 11.70%were performed.Simultaneous monitoring of moisture content and soil temperature in the slope were carried out during rainfall,and the characteristics of preferential flow were monitored with different crack rates.Morphological development and evolution process of Benggang with different crack rates were studied.Results show that high surface crack rate of the shallow surface on the slope accelerated the development of shallow gully erosion,leading to premature occurrence of gully erosion.As the shallow crack rate increased from 0%to 5.23%and 11.70%,the width-depth ratio of the rills at the slope bottom increased from 0.69 to 1.02 and 1.16,respectively.At the same time,a correlation between moisture and temperature data was observed for the process of water-heat coupled migration.The upper soil temperature of slope decreased quickly due to preferential flow.The simultaneous monitoring of soil moisture and temperature can effectively track preferential flow and indicate the water movement.Temperature data was a more sensitive indicator of the seepage paths of preferential flow compared to moisture data.