Journal of Environmental Biology

A comparative study on three methods of soil quality evaluation of microtopography in the semi-arid Loess Plateau, China 

Yaojun Bo^1,2, Qingke Zhu¹*, Yaoxian Bao³, Weijun Zhao¹, Yanming Zhao¹ and Hongzhi Zhang⁴

¹College of Water and Soil Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China

²College of Life Sciences, Yulin University, Yulin, Shaanxi, 719000, China

³Beijing SPC Environment Protection Tech Co., Ltd, Beijing, 100142, China

⁴Yangjiazhuang Township Government, Dingzhou, Hebei, 073000, China

*Corresponding Author E-mail: zhuqingke2013@126.com

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Publication Data

Paper received:

30 May 2014

Revised received:

24 September 2014

Accepted:

26 September 2014

Abstract

Three soil property test data of microtopography in the semi-arid Loess Plateau were used to compare the? following three soil quality evaluation methods: correlation coefficient method, factor analysis method and Nemoro index method. The results of these methods were analyzed and compared to determine the most suitable method for comprehensive evaluation of soil quality. While correlation coefficient method and factor analysis method produced similar results, Nemoro index method showed several differences from the other two methods and exhibited higher sensitivity in its assessment results. The soil quality index (SQI) parameters of three methods showed consistent scales and variation trends among the various microtopographies, and there was a highly significant linear positive correlation between the SQI parameters of any two given methods. This result suggested that the three methods were all reliable and could be employed for comprehensive assessment of soil quality of microtopography in the study region. However, the Nemoro index method involves relatively uncomplicated mathematics and is very easy to absorb, and thus should be preferentially employed when three grading standards can be identified. The factor analysis method is the next most preferable, followed by correlation coefficient method. ???  

 Key words

Correlation coefficient method, Factor analysis method, Microtopography, Nemoro index method, Soil quality assessment 

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