Contour Farming Suitability of the Black Soil Region in Northeast China and Its Spatial Characteristics

Contour farming technology plays a key role in reducing soil erosion,enhancing water use efficiency,and fostering sustain-able agricultural development,Despite being a straightforward yet efficacious farming technique,it has not seen widespread implement-ation in China.Considering the deteriorating quality of arable lands in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China(BSR-NEC),it is ne-cessary to investigate spatial patterns and identify suitable areas for contour farming in this region.To achieve this objective,spatial autocorrelation and grouping analysis methods were employed to classify the land into four categories of suitability for contour farming:highly suitable,moderately suitable,generally suitable,and unsuitable.The results reveal that:1)the contour farming suitable area in BSR-NEC covers 89861.32 km^(2),accounting for 21.59%of arable land as of 2020.Heilongjiang Province owns the largest suitable area of 32853.68 km^(2),and Inner Mongolia has the highest proportion of 28.89%.2)In terms of the spatial distribution,regions with higher suitability for contour farming are concentrated in the Da Hinggan Mountains region,particularly Nenjiang City(Heilongjiang Province),which has the highest area of 2593.07 km^(2).Areas with a high proportion of suitable arable lands for contour farming are mainly found in the Da Hinggan Mountains and Changbai Mountains regions,with Ergun City(Inner Mongolia)having the highest pro-portion at 47.2%.Regions with higher suitability and proportion are concentrated in the Da Hinggan Mountains region,primarily cover-ing the Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang.3)Regarding spatial clustering,both the area and proportion of suitable contour farming areas exhibit noticeable clustering effects,though not entirely consistent.4)Group analysis results designate 148 counties in BSR-NEC as highly suitable areas,predominantly located in the Changbai Mountains region,Liaodong Peninsula,Hulun Buir Plateau,and the north and south regions of the Da Hinggan Mountains.The zoning of suitable areas for contour farming in BSR-NEC informs the strategic de-velopment of policies and measures,allowing for the implementation of targeted policies in distinct areas suitable for contour farming.This provides a valuable reference for promoting contour farming technology more effectively and efficiently.re effectively and effi-ciently.

Spatio-temporal Evaluation of Multi-scale Cultivated Land System Resilience in Black Soil Region from 2000 to 2019:A Case Study of Liaoning Province,Northeast China

It is of great significance to systematically analyze the cultivated land system resilience(CLSR) for the black soil protection and national food security.The CLSR is impacted by planting structure adjustment and cultivated land quality decline,posing major hidden dangers to food security.It is urgent to evaluate the CLSR at multiple spatio-temporal scales.This study took Liaoning Province in the black soil region of Northeast China as an example.Based on the resilience theory,this study constructed the CLSR evaluation system from the input-feedback perspective at the provincial-scale and the city-scale,and used the rank-sum ratio comprehensive evaluation method(RSR) to analyze the key influencing factors of CLSR in Liaoning Province and its 14 cities from 2000 to 2019.The results showed that:1) the time series changes of CLSR at the provincial-scale and the city-scale in Liaoning Province were similar,both showing an increasing trend.2) The CLSR in Liaoning Province presented a spatial pattern of ‘high in the west and low in the east’ at the city-scale.3) There were seven and six main influencing factors of CLSR at the provincial-scale and the city-scale,respectively.In addition to the net income per capita of rural households,other influencing factors of CLSR were different at the provincial-scale and the city-scale.The feedback factors were dominant at the provincial-scale,and the input factors and feedback factors were dominant at the city-scale.The results could provide a reference for the utilization of black soil and draw on the experience of regional agricultural planning and adjustment.

Effects of Slow-release Nitrogen Fertilizer on Yield and Nitrogen Accumulation of Summer Maize in Shajiang Black Soil Area

[Objectives] This study was conducted to verify the field application effect of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer on summer maize in Shajiang black soil area by simultaneous sowing and fertilization, and explore the application scope and nitrogen metabolism mechanism, so as to lay a foundation for fertilizer reduction and efficiency improvement. [Methods] With maize variety Beiqing 340 and sulfur-coated urea as experimental materials, five nitrogen application levels were set, namely, control (C0), slow-release nitrogen 70 kg/hm^(2) (C70), slow-release nitrogen 140 kg/hm^(2) (C140), slow-release nitrogen 210 kg/hm^(2) (C210) and slow-release nitrogen 280 kg/hm^(2) (C280). The phosphorus and potassium fertilizers were all in accordance with the unified standard. [Results] With the application rate of slow-release nitrogen increasing, the nitrogen accumulation in organs increased first and then decreased after tasseling stage of maize. In order to reduce the fertilizing amount and increase efficiency, 210 kg/hm^(2) of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer was the best fertilizing amount for summer maize in Shajiang black soil area. [Conclusions] This study provides reference for fertilizer reduction, efficiency improvement and sustainable development of summer maize in Shajiang black soil area.

Soil structure characters of different soil and water conservation plantations in typical black soil region

A study was conducted to determine the characters of soil structure in different water and soil conservation forests in Keshan County,northwest of Heilongjiang Province,China.The soil bulk density,the ratio of non-capillary porosity and capillary porosity（NCP/CP）,and the generalized soil structure index（GSSI） were measured for Fraxinus mandshurica,Larix gmelini,Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica,and Picea koraiensis plantations as well as the abandoned land（as control） adjacent to the forests in typical black soil region.Results show that at soil depth of 0–30cm,the soil bulk density of F.mandshurica forest and L.gmelini forest was lower than that of P.sylvestris var.mongolica forest and P.koraiensis forest,with the relative decrease of 8.04%–11.01%.The soil bulk density of L.gmelini forest was significantly different from that of the P.sylvestris var.mongolica forest and P.koraiensis forest.The NCP/CP values of the four types of plantations were all higher（59.75%–128.82% relatively） than that of abandoned land（p〈0.05）,indicating that the soil aeration and permeability under forest were enhanced,especially under L.gmelini forest.GSSI values of the four types of forests were also relatively higher（2.98%–4.36%） than abandoned land（p〈0.05）,indicating that those soil and water conservation forests,especially the F.mandshurica forest and P.koraiensis forest,can promote soil condition to approximate ideal soil structure.The result of this study can provide theoretical basis for scientifically evaluating the effects of vegetation restoration on soil quality in typical black soil region.

Study on Food-making Quality of Strong-gluten Wheat Varieties from Lime Concretion Black Soil Area in the Huanghuai Wheat Region

In this study, 13 strong-gluten wheat varieties screened by the Key Project of Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System ＂Study on Industrial Technology for Strong-gluten Wheat from Lime Concretion Black Soil Area in the Huanghuai Wheat Region＂ were used as experimental materials to investigate their bread-making quality, noodle-making quality and other related characteristics. The results showed that more than half of the wheat varieties had better bread-making quality; the bread made from wheat with longer dough mixing time than 3.0 min had better texture, lighter color, and better taste. All these 13 strong-gluten wheat varieties showed good noodle-making quality in color, appearance, smoothness and taste; the differences between varieties were mainly found in palatability and viscoelasticity. Jimai 20, Xinong 979, Zhengmai 7698, Ji＇nan 17 and Zhengmai 9023 exhibited excellent bread-making quality; Zhengmai 366, Jimai 20 and Xinong 979 displayed excellent noodle-making quality. Fresh dough sheets made from Zhengmai 366, Jimai 20 and Xinong 979 exhibited slight color variation within 24 h and high peak starch paste viscosity; dry and cooked noodles made from Zhengmai 366, Jimai 20 and Xinong 979 had good quality.

Effect of Measurement Time on Emission Flux of CO_2 and N_2O in Black Soil Region

[Objective] The aim was to investigate and reveal effect of measurement time on emission flux of CO2 and N2O to ensure the optimum time of emission flux, in order to provide scientific reference for emission reduction of greenhouse gas in black soil region. [Method] Based on experiment of long-term fertilizer location in black soil region, the paper studied on daily dynamic variation of CO2 and N2O discharge in 3 key growth periods （booting stage, grain-filling stage and mature stage） to reveal differences of CO2 and N2O emission flux in different times. [Result] Daily variations of CO2 and N2O emission flux were large, from 205 mg/（m2·h） to 552 mg/（m2·h） for CO2 and from 51 h to 295 μg/（m2·h） for N2O. Trend of CO2 discharge in different growth times showed a unimodal curve, and the peak was at noon of 12：00 and the peak valley was at 3：00 am; discharge of N2O was small in day time at booting stage and large at night. Regardless of rice growth period effect on CO2 and N2O emission flux, representative time of CO2 discharge was 6：00-8：00 or 16：00-21：00; and time of N2O was 8：00-10：00 or 16：00-21：00; if CO2 and N2O emission fluxes were measured simultaneously, the optimum time was 16：00-18：00; if the measurement was started during 9：00-12：00, correction coefficients of CO2 and N2O were 0.81 and 0.90, respectively. [Conclusion] The result provided scientific reference for reduction of greenhouse gas emission in black soil region.

Study on Relative Soil and Water Conservation Benefits of Ridge Tillage in Different Terrain Conditions in the Black Soil Area of Northeast China

Ridge tillage, which is a very common and important tillage measure in the black soil area of northeast China, has some soil and water conservation bene- fits, but has little attention. It is very important to explore the spatial distribution of the ridge direction of the arable land and its soil and water conservation benefits in different terrain conditions in the black soil area. So Binxian County of Heilongjiang Province was selected as the study area, and 168 field investigation units were ex- tracted by stratified sampling method and investigated. According to equations of slope gradient factor and slope gradient in ridge direction, and based on the soft- ware of Arcmap, SPSS and Excel, the investigation data of soil and water loss in Binxian County were analyzed and counted, The results show that in plain, hilly and mountainous areas, the average ground slope gradients are 1.92°, 6.20° and 8.27° respectively, and the average slope gradients along ridge direction are 1.33°, 4.52°and 6.45° respectively, which account for about 70%, 73% and 78% of the average ground slope gradients in the same terrain condition; the relative quantities of soil erosion in the present ridge tillage condition account for about 55%, 69% and 67% respectively of that in down-slope ridge tillage conditions, so the present ridge tillage has obviously relative soil and water conservation benefits. Based on these results, the reasons of the present ridge tillage status were analyzed, and some reform measures were proposed. The results could not only help to comprehend the spatial distribution and soil and water conservation benefits of ridge tillage in the black soil area of Northeast China, but also provide scientific references for the layout of local soil and water conservation measures.

Spatial Variability of Nutrient Properties in Black Soil of Northeast China

A total of 1400 soil samples from the plow layer （0-20 cm） at an approximate interval of 5 km were collected in the autumn of 2002 over the entire black soil arable crops region to determine the spatial variability of seven variables, such as total organic matter content （OMC）, total N, total P, total K, alkali-dissolvable N （AN）, available P （AP） and available K （AK）, with classical statistics and geostatistical analysis across the entire black soil area in Northeast China. In nonsampled areas ordinary kriging was utilized for interpolation of estimated nutrient determinations. Classical statistics revealed highly significant （P ≤ 0.01） correlations with all seven of the soil properties, except for OMC with AP and total K with AK. In addition, using coefficients of variation, all soil properties, except for total K, were moderately variable. A geostatistical analysis indicated that structural factors, such as parent material, terrain, and water table, were the main causes of the spatial correlations. Strong spatial correlations were noted with OMC, total N, total P, AN, and AP, while they were moderate for total K and AK. The effective spatial autocorrelation of OMC, total N, total P, and AN ranged from 1 037 to 1353 km, whereas the ranges of total K, AP, and AK were only from 6 to 138 km. The fit of the experimental scmi-variograms to the theoretical models indicated that except for AN, kriging could successfully interpolate other six variables. Thns, the geostatistical method used on a large scale could accurately evaluate the spatial variability of most black soil nutrient properties in Northeast China.

Bacterial Community Structure and Diversity in a Black Soil as Affected by Long-Term Fertilization

Black soil （Mollisol） is one of the main soil types in northeastern China. Biolog and polymerase chain reactiondenaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （PCR-DGGE） methods were used to examine the influence of various fertilizer combinations on the structure and function of the bacterial community in a black soil collected from Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. Biolog results showed that substrate richness and catabolic diversity of the soil bacterial community were the greatest in the chemical fertilizer and chemical fertilizer＋manure treatments. The metabolic ability of the bacterial community in the manure treatment was similar to the control. DGGE fingerprinting indicated similarity in the distribution of most 16S rDNA bands among all treatments, suggesting that microorganisms with those bands were stable and not influenced by fertilization. However, chemical fertilizer increased the diversity of soil bacterial community. Principal com- ponent analysis of Biolog and DGGE data revealed that the structure and function of the bacterial community were similar in the control and manure treatments, suggesting that the application of manure increased the soil microbial population, but had no effect on the bacterial community structure. Catabolic function was similar in the chemical fertilizer and chemical fertilizer＋manure treatments, but the composition structure of the soil microbes differed between them. The use of chemical fertilizers could result in a decline in the catabolic activity of fast-growing or eutrophic bacteria.

Basic Soil Productivity of Spring Maize in Black Soil Under Long-Term Fertilization Based on DSSAT Model

Increasing basic farmland soil productivity has significance in reducing fertilizer application and maintaining high yield of crops. In this study, we defined that the basic soil productivity （BSP） is the production capacity of a farmland soil with its own physical and chemical properties for a specific crop season under local environment and field management. Based on 22-yr （1990-2011） long-term experimental data on black soil （Typic hapludoll） in Gongzhuling, Jilin Province, Northeast China, the decision support system for an agro-technology transfer （DSSAT）-CERES-Maize model was applied to simulate the yield by BSP of spring maize （Zea mays L.） to examine the effects of long-term fertilization on changes of BSP and explore the mechanisms of BSP increasing. Five treatments were examined： （1） no-fertilization control （control）; （2） chemical nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium （NPK）; （3） NPK plus farmyard manure （NPKM）; （4） 1.5 time of NPKM （1.5NPKM） and （5） NPK plus straw （NPKS）. Results showed that after 22-yr fertilization, the yield by BSP of spring maize significantly increased 78.0, 101.2, and 69.4% under the NPKM, 1.5NPKM and NPKS, respectively, compared to the initial value （in 1992）, but not significant under NPK （26.9% increase） and the control （8.9% decrease）. The contribution percentage of BSP showed a significant rising trend （P〈0.05） under 1.5NPKM. The average contribution percentage of BSP among fertilizations ranged from 74.4 to 84.7%, and ranked as 1.5NPKM〉NPKM〉NPK〉NPKS, indicating that organic manure combined with chemical fertilizers （I.5NPKM and NPKM） could more effectively increase BSP compared with the inorganic fertilizer application alone （NPK） in the black soil. This study showed that soil organic matter （SOM） was the key factor among various fertility factors that could affect BSP in the black soil, and total N, total P and/or available P also played important role in BSP increasing. Compared with the chemical fertilization, a balanced chemical plus manure or straw fertilization （NPKM or NPKS） not only increased the concentrations of soil nutrient, but also improved the soil physical properties, and structure and diversity of soil microbial population, resulting in an iincrease of BSP. We recommend that a balanced chemical plus manure or straw fertilization （NPKM or NPKS） should be the fertilization practices to enhance spring maize yield and improve BSP in the black soil of Northeast China.

Soil erosion along a long slope in the gentle hilly areas of black soil region in Northeast China

Characteristics of soil erosion change along a long slope in the gentle hilly areas in black soil region in Northeast China are discussed. A simplified slope model based on segments was used to analyze the runoff data and soil erosion data observed between 2003 and 2004 over 10 field plots with different slope length in Heshan Farm, Heilongjiang Province. We found that soil erosion rate over long slopes in the black soil region changed alternatively along the slope and creates alternative zones of intensive erosion and week erosion.The exact place of each zone is different for different rainfall conditions. In a year with less and mild precipitation, rill cannot happen within the top 50 m, while in a year with large and intensive precipitation, rill can be formed starting even at 15 m from the top of the slope.

Using ^(137)Cs Tracer Technique to Evaluate Erosion and Deposition of Black Soil in Northeast China

Soil and water losses through erosion have been serious in the black soil region of Northeast China. Therefore, a sloping cultivated land in Songnen Plain was selected as a case study to： 1） determine the ^137Cs reference inventory in the study area; 2） calculate erosion and deposition rates of black soil on different slope locations; 3） conduct a sensitivity analysis of some model parameters; and 4） compare overall outputs using four different models. Three transects were set in the field with five slope locations for each transect, including summit, shoulder-slope, back-slope, foot-slope, and toe-slope. Field measurements and model simulation were used to estimate a bomb-derived ^137Cs reference inventory in the study area. Soil erosion and deposition rates were estimated using four ^137Cs models and percentage of ^137Cs loss/gain. The ^137Cs reference value in the study area was 2 232.8 Bq m^-2 with ^137Cs showing a clear topographic pattern, decreasing from the summit to shoulder-slope, then increasing again at the foot-slope and reaching a maximum at the toe-slope, Predicted soil redistribution rates for different slope locations varied. Among models, the Yang Model （YANG-M） overestimated erosion loss but underestimated deposition. However, the standard mass balance model （MBM1） gave predictions similar to a mass balance model incorporating soil movement by tillage （MBM2）. Sensitivity analysis of the proportion factor and distribution pattern of ^137Cs in the surface layer demonstrated the impact of ^137Cs enrichment on calculation of the soil erosion rate. Factors influencing the redistribution of fallout ^137Cs in landscape should be fully considered as calculating soil redistribution rate using ^137Cs technique.

Effect of Long-Term Application of Chemical Fertilizers on Microbial Biomass and Functional Diversity of a Black Soil

An experiment with seven N, P, K-fertilizer treatments, i.e., control (no fertilizer), NP, NK, PK, NPK, NP2K, and NPK2 where P2 and K2 indicate double amounts of P and K fertilizers respectively, was conducted to examine the effect of long-term continuous application of chemical fertilizers on microbial biomass and functional diversity of a black soil (Udoll in the USDA Soil Taxonomy) in Northeast China. The soil microbial biomass C ranged between 94 and 145 mg kg-1, with the NK treatment showing a lower biomass; the functional diversity of soil microbial community ranged from 4.13 to 4.25, with an increasing tendency from control to double-fertilizer treatments, and to triple-fertilizer treatments. The soil microbial biomass, and the microbial functional diversity and evenness did not show any significant differences among the different fertilizer treatments including control, suggesting that the long-term application of chemical fertilization would not result in significant changes in the microbial characteristics of the black soil.

Impact of Long-Term Fertilization on Phosphorus Status in Black Soil

A twelve-year field trial was carried out to determine the impact of long-term fertilization on phosphorus (P) distribu- tion in the soil profile, P balance, and the transformation and availability of soil P in a black soil (Phaeozem, FAO). Under a wheat-soybean-corn rotation, during twelve years where no fertilizer was applied, crops removed 60 and 81 mg P kg-1 soil in the control and NK treatment, respectively. About one third of the P absorbed by crops was originated from organic P. Ca2-P, Cag-P, Al-P and Fe-P were the main forms of inorganic P absorbed by crops. The surplus P from fertilization remained in the 0-20 cm soil layer and increased with the application rate of P. The combined application of NP or NPK increased available P to a lesser extent than the combined application of PK. Fertilizer P had mainly transformed to the Al-P, Fe-P, Ca2-P, and Cas-P forms. By using the P budget (X), changes in total P (Y1) and available P (Y2) in soils under the current cropping system could be predicted by the equations: Y1 = 0.02 + 1.01X and Y2 = 2.08 + 0.15X.

Study on the Method of Soil Productivity Assessment in Black Soil Region of Northeast China

The objective of this paper is to investigate a simple and practical method for soil productivity assessment in the black soil region of Northeast China. Firstly, eight kinds of physicochemical properties for each of 120 soil samples collected from 25 black soil profiles were analyzed using cluster and correlation analysis. Subsequently, parameter indices were calculated using physicochemical properties. Finally, a modified productivity index （MPI） model were developed and validated. The results showed that the suitable parameters for soil productivity assessment in black soil region of Northeast China were soil available water, soil pH, clay content, and organic matter content. Compared with original productivity index （PI） model, MPI model added clay content and organic matter content in parameters while omitted bulk density. Simulation results of original PI model and MPI model were compared using crop yield of land block where investigated soil profiles were located. MPI model was proven to perform better with a higher significant correlation with maize yield. The correlation equation between MPI and yield was： Y= 3.2002Ln（MP/）＋ 10.056, R^2 = 0.7564. The results showed that MPI model was an effective and practical method to assess soil productivity in the research area.

Effect of Temperature, pH and Salt on Fluorescent Quality of Water Extractable Organic Matter in Black Soil

Water erosion is the major reason for the loss of soil organic carbon in the Northeast China, which leads to the soil quality deterioration and adjacent water pollution. In this study, the effect of extraction temperature, pH value, and salt on the water extractable organic matter （WEOM） was determined by means of the UV absorbance, fluorescence excitation-emission matrix, and derived fluorescence indexes. In general, the carbon content and aromaticity of WEOM increased with the increasing of extraction temperature, with the exception that there was no significant difference in the amount at 0 and 20℃. More fluorophores, especially microbially-derived organic matter were extracted at high temperature. The pH values of extractant, including 5, 7, and 10, showed no effect on the carbon amount of WEOM, whereas the aromaticity and microbially-derived component gradually increased with the increasing of pH values. The fluorescence intensity of humic acid-like fluorophore was stronger in neutral and alkali condition than that in acidic condition. The addition of 10 mmol L-1 CaCl2 significantly decreased the carbon amount of recovered WEOM. Moreover, it significantly decreased the aromaticity of WEOM and the quantity of fulvic acid-like and humic acid-like fluorophores, whereas increased the percentage of tyrosine-like and tryptophan-like fluorophores in the total fluorophores and the amount of microbially-derived organic matter. Generally, 10 mmol L-1 KCl showed the same influence trend, but with low influence degree.

Field Capacity in Black Soil Region, Northeast China

In this work, 23 black soil profiles were surveyed and 113 soil samples were collected to determine the field capacity (FC) of the black soil in Northeast China. The effectiveness of three methods measuring FC, the Wilcox method (WM), the undisturbed soil pressure plate method (PUM) and the air-dried sieved soil pressure plate method (PDM) were compared to select a suitable laboratory measurement method. Results show that the FC values measured by PDM are greater than those measured by PUM, and the values measured by PUM are greater than those measured by WM. PUM is more suitable for the determination of FC in the study area. One regression equation between PUM and PDM has been established through which undisturbed soil can be replaced by air-dried sieved soil, which is easier to get, to measure FC. FCs vary from 23.50% to 37.00%, with an average of 31.65%, which differ greatly among the 23 black soil profiles. FC is found to be significantly positively correlated with the silt content, clay content and bulk density of the soil, but significantly negatively correlated with the sand content. An empirical pedotransfer function is established to estimate the FC using available soil physical and chemical properties.

Effects of Tillage Management on Infiltration and Preferential Flow in a Black Soil, Northeast China

The impacts of no-tillage （NT） and moldboard plough （MP） managements on infiltration rate and preferential flow were characterized using a combined technique of double-ring device and dye tracer on a black soil （Mollisols） in Northeast China. The ob- jective of this study is to evaluate how tillage practices enhance soil water infiltration and preferential flow in favor of soil erosion con- trol in the study area. The steady infiltration rates under NT management are 1.6 and 2.1 times as high as those under MP management in the 6th and 8th years of the tillage management in place, while the infiltrated water amounts under NT management are 1.4 and 2.0 times as high as those under MP management, respectively. The depth of methylene blue penetrated into NT soil increases from 43 cm in the 6th year to 57 cm in the 8th year, which are 16 cm and 19 em deeper than those in MP soil, respectively. The results of morphol- ogic image show that more biological macro-pores occur in NT soil than in MP soil. These macro-pores play a key role in enhancing preferential flow in NT soil, which in turn promotes water infiltration through preferential pathways in NT soil. The results are helpful to policy-making in popularizing NT and have the implications for tillage management in regard to soil erosion control in black soil region of China.

Relationship Between Water-Stable Aggregates and Nutrients in Black Soils After Reclamation

Water-stable aggregates, which are an index for the evaluation of the structural properties of the soil, are affected by many factors. Zhaoguang Farm, Longzhen Farm, and Jiusan Farm were chosen as the representative study sites in the region of black soils, a typical soil resource in Northeast China. The variation in the content of 〉 0.25 mm water-stable aggregates and its relationship with the nutrients in black soil were investigated after different years of reclamation. The results showed that the 〉 0.25 mm water-stable aggregates were more in the surface than in the subsurface soil and they changed in the following order： Longzhen Farm 〉 Zhaoguang Farm 〉 Jiusan Farm. The water-stable aggregates decreased sharply at the initial stage of reclamation and then became stable gradually with time. They were significantly correlated with the contents of organic C, total N, total P, and CEC in black soil, with the correlation coefficients r being 0.76, 0.68, 0.61, and 0.81 （P 〈 0.01）, respectively; however, their relationships with available P, available K, and total K were unclear. These showed that organic matter was the cementation of soil water-stable aggregates. Increasing decompositions and decreasing inputs of organic matter after reclamation were responsible for the amount of reduction of the water-stable aggregates. Thus, to maintain good soil aggregate structure, attention should be paid to improvement of soil nutrient status, especially the supply of organic C and N.

Quantitative Analysis of Moisture Effect on Black Soil Reflectance

Several studies have demonstrated that soil reflectance decreases with increasing soil moisture content, or increases when the soil moisture reaches a certain content; however, there are few analyses on the quantitative relationship between soil reflectance and its moisture, especially in the case of black soils in northeast China. A new moisture adjusting method was developed to obtain soil reflectance with a smaller moisture interval to describe the quantitative relationship between soil reflectance and moisture. For the soil samples with moisture contents ranging from air-dry to saturated, the changes in soil reflectance with soil moisture can be depicted using a cubic equation. Both moisture threshold (MT) and moisture inflexion (MI) of soil reflectance can also be determined by the equation. When the moisture range was smaller than MT, soil reflectance can be simulated with a linear model. However, for samples with different soil organic matter (OM), the parameters of the linear model varied regularly with the OM content. Based on their relationship, the soil moisture can be estimated from soil reflectance in the black soil region.