Extended wet sieving method for determination of complete particle size distribution of general soils

The traditional standard wet sieving method uses steel sieves with aperture?0.063 mm and can only determine the particle size distribution(PSD)of gravel and sand in general soil.This paper extends the traditional method and presents an extended wet sieving method.The extended method uses both the steel sieves and the nylon filter cloth sieves.The apertures of the cloth sieves are smaller than 0.063 mm and equal 0.048 mm,0.038 mm,0.014 mm,0.012 mm,0.0063 mm,0.004 mm,0.003 mm,0.002 mm,and 0.001 mm,respectively.The extended method uses five steps to separate the general soil into many material sub-groups of gravel,sand,silt and clay with known particle size ranges.The complete PSD of the general soil is then calculated from the dry masses of the individual material sub-groups.The extended method is demonstrated with a general soil of completely decomposed granite(CDG)in Hong Kong,China.The silt and clay materials with different particle size ranges are further examined,checked and verified using stereomicroscopic observation,physical and chemical property tests.The results further confirm the correctness of the extended wet sieving method.

Spatial distribution of soil salinization under the influence of human activities in arid areas,China

The Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China belongs to arid desert climate,with significant soil salinization issues.The study selected six rivers in Hotan Prefecture(Pishan,Qaraqash,Yurungqash,Celle,Kriya,and Niya rivers)to explore the spatial distribution of soil salinization in this area and its underlying mechanisms.Sampling was conducted along each river's watershed,from the Gobi in the upper reaches,through the anthropogenic impact area in the middle reaches,to the desert area in the lower reaches.Soil physical-chemical indicators,including total soluble salts,pH,K+,Na+,Ca2+,Mg2+,SO42-,Cl-,CO32-,HCO3-,organic matter,available nitrogen,available phosphorus,and available potassium,were tested,along with the total dissolved solids of surface water and groundwater.The results revealed that the soil water and nutrient contents in anthropogenic impact area were higher than those in Gobi and desert areas,while the pH and total soluble salts were lower than those in Gobi and desert areas.The ions in the soil of the study area were primarily Cl-,SO42-,K+,and Na+,and the ion concentration of soil salt were positively correlated with surface water and groundwater.Overall,the study area exhibited low soil water content,low clay content,infertile soil,and high soil salinization,dominated by weak to moderate chloride-sulfate types.Compared with Gobi and desert areas,the soil in anthropogenic impact area had higher soil water content,lower pH,lower soluble salts,and higher nutrients,indicating that human farming activities help mitigate salinization.These findings have practical implications for guiding the scientific prevention and control of soil salinization in the arid areas and for promoting sustainable agricultural development.

Simulation of gas-solid adsorption process considering particle-size distribution

The particle-size distribution of adsorbents usually plays an important role on the adsorption performance. In this study, population balance equation(PBE) is utilized in the simulation of an adsorption process to model the time-dependent adsorption amount distribution on adsorbent particles of a certain size distribution. Different adsorption kinetics model can be used to build the adsorption rate function in PBE according to specific adsorption processes. Two adsorption processes, including formaldehyde on activated carbon and CO_(2)/N_(2)/CH_(4) mixture on 4A zeolite are simulated as case studies, and the effect of particle-size distribution of adsorbent is analyzed. The simulation results proved that the influence of particle-size distribution is significant. The proposed model can help consider the influence of particlesize distribution of adsorbents on adsorption processes to improve the prediction accuracy of the performance of adsorbents.

Applicability of Fractal Models in Estimating Soil Water Retention Characteristics from Particle-Size Distribution Data

Soil water retention characteristics are the key information required in hydrological modeling. Frac-tal models provide a practical alternative for indirectly estimating soil water retention characteristics fromparticle-size distribution data. Predictive capabilities of three fractal models, i.e, Tyler-Wheatcraft model,Rieu-Sposito model, and Brooks-Corey model, were fully evaluated in this work using experimental datafrom an international database and literature. Particle-size distribution data were firstly interpolated into20 classes using a van Genuchten-type equation. Fractal dimensions of the tortuous pore wall and the poresurface were then calculated from the detailed particle-size distribution and incorporated as a parameter infractal water retention models. Comparisons between measured and model-estimated water retention cha-racteristics indicated that these three models were applicable to relatively different soil textures and pressurehead ranges. Tyler-Wheatcraft and Brooks-Corey models led to reasonable agreements for both coarse- andmedium-textured soils, while the latter showed applicability to a broader texture range. In contrast, Rieu-Sposito model was more suitable for fine-textured soils. Fractal models produced a better estimation of watercontents at low pressure heads than at high pressure heads.

Multifractal characteristics and spatial variability of soil particle-size distribution in different land use patterns in a small catchment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region,China

Characterizing soil particle-size distribution is a key measure towards soil property.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the multifractal characteristics of soil particle-size distribution among different land-use from a purple soil catchment and to generalize the spatial variation trend of multifractal parameters across the catchment.A total of 84 soil samples were collected from four kinds of land use patterns(dry land,orchard,paddy,and forest)in an agricultural catchment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region,China.The multifractal analysis method was applied to quantitatively characterize the soil particle size distribution.Six soil particle size distribution(PSD)multifractal parameters(D(0),D(1),D(2),(35)a(q),(35)f[a(q)],α(0))were computed.Additionally,a geostatistical analysis was employed to reveal the spatial differentiation and map the spatial distribution of these parameters.Evident multifractal characteristics were found.The trend of generalized dimension spectrum of four land use patterns was basically consistent with the range of 0.8 to 2.0.However,orchard showed the largest monotonic decline,while the forest demonstrated the smallest decrease.D(0)of the four land use patterns were ranked as:dry land<orchard<forest<paddy,the order of D(1)was:dry land<paddy<orchard<forest,D(2)presented a rand-size relationship as dry land<forest<paddy<orchard.Furthermore,all land-use patterns presented asΔf[α(q)]<0.The rand-size relationship ofα(0)was same as D(0).The best-fitting model for D(0),D(1),D(2)andΔf[α(q)]was spherical model,forΔα(q)was gaussian model,and forα(0)was exponential model with structure variance ratio was 1.03%,49.83%,0.84%,1.48%,22.20%and 10.60%,respectively.The results showed that soil particles of each land use pattern were distributed unevenly.The multifractal parameters under different land use have significant differences,except forΔα(q).Differences in the composition of soil particles lead to differences in the multifractal properties even though they belong to the same soil texture.Farming behavior may refine particles and enhance the heterogeneity of soil particle distribution.Our results provide an effective reference for quantifying the impact of human activities on soil system in the Three Gorges Reservoir region.

Sediment yield and erosion–deposition distribution characteristics in ephemeral gullies in black soil areas under geocell protection

Investigating the effect of geocells on the erosion and deposition distribution of ephemeral gullies in the black soil area of Northeast China can provide a scientific basis for the allocation of soil and water conservation measures in ephemeral gullies.In this study,an artificial simulated confluence test and stereoscopic photogrammetry were used to analyze the distribution characteristics of erosion and deposition in ephemeral gullies protected by geocells and the effect of different confluence flows on the erosion process of ephemeral gullies.Results showed that when the confluence flow was larger,the effect of geocell was more evident,and the protection against ephemeral gully erosion was stronger.When the confluence flow rates were 0.6,1.8,2.4,and 3.0 m^(3)/h,ephemeral gully erosion decreased by 37.84%,26.09%,21.40%,and 35.45%.When the confluence flow rates were 2.4 and 3.0 m^(3)/h,the average sediment yield rate of the ephemeral gully was close to 2.14 kg/(m^(2)•min),and the protective effect of ephemeral gully erosion was enhanced.When the flow rate was higher,the surface fracture of the ephemeral gully was more serious.With an increase in confluence flow rate,the ratio of erosion to deposition increased gradually,the erosion area of ephemeral gullies was expanded,and erosion depth changed minimally.In conclusion,geocell measures changed erosion patterns by altering the rill erosion/deposition ratio,converting erosion from rill erosion to sheet erosion.

Sorption of pyrene on two paddy soils and their particle-size fractions

In the present study, the sorption of pyrene on two kinds of bulk paddy soils, Gleyic Stagnic Anthrosols, and Ferric accumulic Stagnic Anthrosols as well as their particle-size fractions was investigated. The sorption isotherms fitted well with Freundlich equation. For both soils, the clay fraction（ 〈 2μm） and coarse sand fraction（2000-250μm） had higher sorption capacity than fine sand fraction（250-20 μm） and silt fraction（20-2 μm）. The IogKoc values obtained of each soil and its particle-size fractions were similar, proving that SOM content was a key factor affecting pyrene sorption. The Kd values showed a significant correlation with contents of dithionite-extractable Fe in both paddy soils and a good relationship with CEC in Gleyic Stagnic Anthrosols, indicating possible effects of surface properties of particle-size fractions on the sorption of pyrene.

Effects of soil potassium levels on dry matter and nutrient accumulation and distribution in cotton

Background Potassium(K)is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development.However,plant fertilization ignoring the soil K level is very likely to cause excessive fertilizer use,and further arouse a series of side effects.This study investigated the response of cotton growth to different soil K levels and the uptake of major nutrients,aiming to evaluate the appropriate K supply level for cotton growth.Using a random block design with 6 soil K levels,we conducted 18 micro-zones field experiments over two continuous years.The soil available K concentration of each treatment was K1(99.77-100.90 mg·kg^(-1)),K2(110.90-111.26 mg·kg^(-1)),K3(123.48-128.88 mg·kg^(-1)),K4(140.13-145.10 mg·kg^(-1)),K5(154.43-155.38 mg·kg^(-1)),and K6(165.77-168.75 mg·kg^(-1)).Cotton nutrient contents,soil nutrient contents,accumulation and distribution of dry matter in cotton were determined,and the relationships between K content in soil and plants and dry matter accumulation were analyzed.Results The soil K content had a significantly positive relationship with dry matter and K accumulation in cotton plants.There were significant differences in dry matter accumulation,single-plant seed cotton yield,mineral nutrient uptake and the proportion of K accumulation in reproductive organs among different soil K levels.The results showed that there was significant difference between K4 and lower K level treatments(K1 and K2),but no significant difference between K4 and higher K level treatments(K5 and K6)in dry matter,single-plant seed cotton yield,or accumulation,distribution and seed cotton production efficiency of N,P and K.Conclusion The soil K level of K4 was able to provide sufficient K for cotton growth in our experiment.Therefore,when the soil K level reached 140.13 mg·kg^(-1),further increasing the soil K concentration no longer had a significant positive effect on cotton growth.

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.

Characteristics and distributions of humic acids in two soil profiles of the southwest China Karst area

Characteristics and distributions of humic acid(HA) and soil organic matter(SOM) in a yellow soil profile and a limestone soil profile of the southwest China Karst area were systematically investigated to reveal their evolutions in different soils of the study area. The results showed that characteristics and distribution of SOM along the two soil profiles were notably different. Total organic carbon(TOC) contents of soil samples decreased just slightly along the limestone soil profile but sharply along the yellow soil profile. TOCs of the limestone soils were significantly higher than those of the corresponding yellow soils, and C/N ratios of SOMs showed a similar variation trend to that of TOCs, indicating that SOM can be better conserved in the limestone soil than in the yellow soil. The soil humic acids were exhaustively extracted and further fractionated according to their apparent molecular weights using ultrafiltration techniques to explore underlying conservation mechanisms. The result showed that C/N ratios of HAs from different limestone soil layers were relatively stable and that large molecular HA fractions predominated the bulk HA of the top soil, indicating that HA in the limestone profile was protected while bio and chemical degradations were retarded. Combined with organic elements contents and mineral contents of two soils, weconcluded that high calcium contents in limestone soils may play a key role in SOM conservation by forming complexation compounds with HAs or/and enclosing SOMs with hypergene CaCO_3 precipitation.

Prevalence and ecological factors affecting the distribution of plant-parasitic nematodes in Prunus groves in Spain

A wide survey was conducted to study plant-parasitic nematodes(PPNs)associated with Prunus groves in Spain.This research aimed to determine the prevalence and distribution of PPNs in Prunus groves,as well as the influence of explanatory variables describing soil,climate and agricultural management in structuring the variation of PPNs community composition.A total of 218 sampling sites were surveyed and 84 PPN species belonging to 32 genera were identified based of an integrative taxonomic approach.PPN species considered as potential limiting factors in Prunus production,such as Meloidogyne arenaria,M.incognita,M.javanica,Pratylenchus penetrans and P.vulnus,were identified in this survey.Seven soil physico-chemical(C,Mg,N,Na,OM,P,pH and clay,loamy sand and sandy loam texture classes),four climate(Bio04,Bio05,Bio13 and Bio14)and four agricultural management variables(grove-use history less than 10 years,irrigation,apricot seedling rootstock,and Montclar rootstock)were identified as the most influential variables driving spatial patterns of PPNs communities.In particular,younger plantations showed higher values for species richness and diversity indices than groves cultivated for more than 20 years with Prunus spp.Our study increases the knowledge of the distribution and prevalence of PPNs associated with Prunus rhizosphere,as well as on the influence of explanatory variables driving the spatial structure PPNs communities,which has important implications for the successful design of sustainable management strategies in the future in this agricultural system.

Spatial and Temporal Distributions of Soil Organic Matter in the Mixed Plantations of Alder and Cypress in the Hilly Areas of Central Sichuan Basin

The investigation was conducted on the spatial and temporal distributions of soil organic mater （SOM） in the mixed plantations of alder （Aluns crernastogyne） and cypress （Cupressus funebris ） （MPAC）, which distributed in the hilly areas of central Sichuan Basin （HACSB）. The results show that： （1） the spatial distribution of SOM among different sites at the same age are not significant before 15-year-old, but significant at 20-year-old, and not significant again after 25-year-old; （2） the SOM contents in 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm layers increase sharply from 10- to 15-year-old, and decline gradually from 15- to 30- year-old; the SOM contents of the 30-year-old PCP were 80. 38% and 78.42% higher than that of the 10-year-old, but 29.16% and 53.37% lower than that of 15-year-old in the 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm layers, respectively. The decrease of SOM contents would lead to the degradation of soil fertility and the decline of forest productivity.

Effect of Plant Roots on Soil Nutrient Distributions in Shanghai Urban Landscapes

Twenty-seven surface soil samples were collected from four landscape sites in Shanghai, and seven soil profile samples were gathered from the two older sites for evaluation of horizontal and vertical distribution of soil properties to reveal their relationship with plant roots. Results indicated that urban soil had significant heterogeneities. Soil total nitrogen was significantly correlated with organic matter and total potassium was more abundant than total phosphorus. The available contents of iron, manganese, zinc and copper were higher than the standards for plant growth established by Soltanpour. pH and electrical conductivity increased with increasing soil vertical depth, possibly due to leaching, while the nutrients limiting plant growth such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper and zinc had more shallow distributions due to absorption by plant roots. However, with the increasing of soil depth, contents of magnesium, sodium, sulfur and chloride increased due to leaching and bio-cycling, which was further shown by the correlation analysis.

Spatial Distribution of Soil Salinization Based on GIS in Tianjin Binhai New Area

The distribution of soil salinization was investigated based on GIS and field sampling in Tianjin Binhai New Area. The results showed that the average soil total salt content was 0.818%, with an average pH of 8.43, and the average CI and Na＋ contents were 0.27% and 0.22%, respectively. Presenting zonal distribution feature, the soil total salt content increased gradually from west to east of Binhai New Area. Statistics on the distribution areas of different salinization degrees showed that the area of non-salinzed soils only accounted for 3.18% of the total area; with an area of 107.43 km2, mild saline soil accounted for 6.34% of the total area; the area of moderate saline soil was 173.51 km2, accounting for 10.24%; and the area of sal- inzed soils was 217.36 km2, accounting for 12.82% of the total soil area. The area of saline soils （total salt content 〉0.6%） was 1 142.8 km2, accounting 67.42% of the total land area in Binhai New Area. And the areas for the soils with total salt content of 0.6%-1.0%, 1.0%-1.5%, 〉1.5% were respectively 388.47, 411.82, 342.51 km2, accounting for 22.92%, 24.3%, 20.21% of the total area.

Spatial Distribution of Soil Organic Matter and Nutrients in the Pear Orchard Under Clean and Sod Cultivation Models

The soil organic matter and nutrients are fundamental for the sustainability of pear production, but little is known about the spatial distribution of soil organic matter and nutrients in a pear orchard. With the soil of the pear （cv. Dangshansu on P.betulifolia Bunge. rootstock） orchard under clean and sod cultivation models as test materials, the experiment was conducted to evaluate spatial variability of soil organic matter （SOM）, total nitrogen （STN）, total phosphorus （STP）, total potassium （STK）, available nitrogen （SAN）, and available potassium （SAK） in and between rows at different soil depths （0-60 cm）. The SOM, STN, STP, STK, SAN and SAK of the different soil layers under the two tillage models were different in the vertical direction. The SOM, STN, STP and SAN in the 0-20 cm soil layer were higher than those in the 20-40 and 40- 60 cm soil layers. The STK of 40-60 cm soil layer was higher than that in the 0-20 and 20-40 cm soil layers. The STK increased with the depth of soil in the vertical direction in the clean cultivated pear orchard. Variability of the SOM, STN, STP, STK, SAN and SAK of sample sites in between rows of the same soil layer was found in the pear orchard soil in the horizontal direction under clean and sod cultivation management systems, except that STK of all sites did not show the difference in identical soil layers in the pear orchard under clean cultivation. The sod cultivation model improved the SOM, STN, and STK in the 0-20 cm soil layer in the pear orchard, and the three components increased by 12.8, 12.7 and 7.3% compared to clean cultivation, respectively. The results can be applicable to plan collection of orchard soil samples, assess orchard soil quality, and improve orchard soil management practices.

Spatial Distribution of Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils of an Industry-Based Peri-Urban Area in Wuxi, China

In industry-oriented peri-urban areas, the heavy metal accumulation in soils caused by industrialization has become a potential threat. The top soil samples from 27 paddy fields and 75 vegetable fields were collected from a typical industry- based peri-urban area of about 8 km^2 in Wuxi, China, to study the accumulation and distribution of As, Hg, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, and Cd in comparison with heavy metal contents in soils near developed industrial sites （Guangzhou, China; Wallsend Burn of Tyneside, UK; and Osnabrück, Germany）. Kriging interpolation was used to determine the metals, spatial distribution. The results showed that most soils, compared to the background values, contained elevated contents of As, Hg, Cu, Zn, and Pb with some having elevated contents of Cd and Cr. Except for less than 10% of the soil samples of Cu, Zn and Cd contents, these heavy metal contents were lower than the soil threshold levels of the Grade Ⅱ criteria for the Chinese environmental quality standard. Probably, because of the scattered distribution and diversity of industries in the study area, spatial distributions of these heavy metals from Kriging interpolation indicated little similarity. Nevertheless, when compared with other areas in the Taihu Lake region, mean contents of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd were relatively high in the Wuxi peri-urban area. Additionally, compared to soils in agricultural areas around Guangzhou, Osnabrück, or Wallsend Burn, contents of most heavy metals in soils from this area were lower.

Vertical distribution of plant nematodes in an aquic brown soil under different land uses

The vertical distribution of the dominant genera of plant nematodes at the depth of 0–150 cm of an aquic brown soil were studied for four land use patterns, i.e., paddy field, maize field, fallow field and woodland in the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chi- nese Academy of Sciences in November of 2003. The results showed that the numbers of some dominant genera under different land uses decreased with the increase of soil depth. Helicotylenchus was most dominant genus under each land use type. Genera of Filenchus, Psilen- chus and Tylenchus in paddy field occurred at the depth of 0–20 cm; while Paratylenchus in fallow field and woodland, as well as Praty- lenchus in maize field presented in the deeper soil layers (0–80 cm). Significant correlations between the numbers of dominant genera of plant nematodes and soil chemical properties were found in this study. The number of Helicotylenchus under different land uses was posi- tively correlated with C/N ratio, total C, total N, total P, alkai-N, and Olsen-P. The numbers of Filenchus and Paratylenchus in paddy field, Pratylenchus in maize field and Paratylenchus in fallow field were negatively correlated with soil pH, and positively correlated with total C, total N and alkai-N. This study results showed that it is essential to sample at a certain depth according to the vertical distribution informa- tion of different genera of plant nematodes in adequately assessing the population size of plant nematodes.

Species composition,distribution patterns and ecological functions of biological soil crusts in the Gurbantunggut Desert

As one of the most important biological factors that maintain the stability of the largest fixed and semi-fixed desert in China,the Gurbantunggut Desert,the biological soil crusts (BSCs) develop well and play critical ecological roles in the desert ecosystem. In this paper,we briefly summarize our research findings since 2002 including species composition,distribution pattern and ecological functions of BSCs in the desert. Our results indicate abundant species diversity of BSCs in the Gurbantunggut Desert in comparison to other deserts in China. At the scales of sand dune or whole desert,the distribution patterns of BSCs are location-specific. The existence of BSCs in this desert could:(1) accelerate the formation of desert soil and the weathering of minerals; (2) accumulate organic matter in surface soil through related species in soil crusts; (3) enhance the abilities of sand surface to resist wind erosion; (4) influence seed germination of vascular plants; and (5) enhance the production of dew deposition on sandy soil surface.

Distribution and characteristics of gravelly soil liquefaction in the Wenchuan M_s 8.0 earthquake

In this paper,a distribution map of gravelly soil liquefaction that was caused by the Wenchuan M8.0 earthquake in China is proposed based on a detailed field investigation and an analysis of geological soil profiles. The geological background of the earthquake disaster region is summarized by compiling geological cross sections and borehole logs. Meanwhile,four typical liquefied sites were selected to conduct sample drillings,dynamic penetration tests (DPT),and shear wave velocity tests,to understand the features of liquefied gravelly soil. One hundred and eighteen (118) liquefied sites were investigated shortly after the earthquake. The field investigation showed:(1) sandboils and waterspouts occurred extensively,involving thousands of miles of farmland,120 villages,eight schools and five factories,which caused damage to some rural houses,schools,manufacturing facilities and wells,etc.; (2) the Chengdu plain is covered by a gravelly soil layer with a thickness of 0 m to 541 m according to the geological cross sections; (3) there were 80 gravelly soil liquefied sites in the Chengdu plain,shaped as five belt areas that varied from 20 km to 40 km in length,and about ten gravelly soil liquefied sites distributed within Mianyang area; and (4) the grain sizes of the sampled soil were relative larger than the ejected soil on the ground,thus the type of liquefied soil cannot be determined by the ejected soil. The gravelly soil liquefied sites are helpful in enriching the global database of gravelly soil liquefaction and developing a corresponding evaluation method in further research efforts.

Effect of Cultivation on Spatial Distribution of Nematode Trophic Groups in Black Soil

Geostatistics combined with GIS was applied to assess the spatial distribution of nematode trophic groups following two contrasting soil uses in the black soil region of Northeast China. Two plots, one with fallow for 12 years and the other cultivated, were marked on regular square grids with 2-m spacing. Soil samples were collected from each sampling point, nematodes were extracted from these samples and classified into four trophic groups: bacterivores, fungivores, plant parasites, and omnivores/predators. The numbers of total nematodes and trophic groups analyzed had normal distributions on both fallow and cultivated plots. The absolute abundances of total nematodes and trophic groups were observed to be much more homogeneous on cultivated plot than on fallow one. Geostatistical analysis showed that the densities of total nematodes and trophic groups on both fallow and cultivated plots exhibited spatial dependence at the sampled scale and their experimental semivariograms were adjusted to a spherical or exponential model, except those of bacterivores and fungivores on cultivated plot. The spatial distribution of nematode trophic groups was found to be different for the two land uses, indicating that cultivation changed the native condition for soil nematode activities.