Effects of constructing farmland with large amounts of iron tailings as soil reconstruction materials on soil properties and crop growth.

With continuous population growth and farmland decrease, the food security is seriously threatened. Farmland reclamation has been used as a means of raising the agricultural productivity and improving the ecological environment. However, the lack of reclaimed soil represents a serious problem.

Are Iron Tailings Suitable for Constructing the Soil Profile Configuration of Reclaimed Farmland? A Soil Quality Evaluation Based on Chronosequences.

Iron tailings used as soil substitute materials to construct reclaimed farmland soil can effectively realize the large-scale resource utilization of iron tailings and reduce environmental risks. It is vital to understand the mechanisms affecting reclaimed soil quality and determine the appropriate pattern for reclamation with iron tailings. Thus, a soil quality index (SQI) was developed to evaluate the soil quality of reclaimed farmland with iron tailings in a semi-arid region.

Significant loss of soil inorganic carbon at the continental scale.

Widespread soil acidification due to atmospheric acid deposition and agricultural fertilization may greatly accelerate soil carbonate dissolution and CO release. However, to date, few studies have addressed these processes. Here, we use meta-analysis and nationwide-survey datasets to investigate changes in soil inorganic carbon (SIC) stocks in China.