Soil quality evaluation of typical ecological restoration slopes
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Graphical Abstract
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Abstract
Evaluating soil quality (SQ) is crucial for ensuring the long-term stability of restored slope ecosystems, yet selecting efficient assessment methods remains challenging. The aim of this study was to develop a targeted SQ evaluation system to compare the differences in the effectiveness of ecological restoration methods for slopes. We analysed the characteristics of 18 soil physicochemical and biological indices within a total data set (TDS) for five restored slopes with distinct ecological restoration techniques and three untreated slopes (as the control) in Yichang, China. Principal component analysis, entropy weight method, and Norm were employed to identify a minimum data set (MDS) and four soil quality index (SQI) models, linear unweighted (SQIL-A), linear weighted (SQIL-W), nonlinear unweighted (SQINL-A), and nonlinear weighted (SQINL-W), were used to comprehensively evaluate the MDS-based SQ. The results revealed that (1) MDS, consisting of microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP), microbial biomass quotient (qMBC), catalase (CAT), and bulk density (BD), effectively characterized the SQ of the ecological restoration slopes; (2) the SQINL-W model demonstrated superior discrimination among different ecological restoration slopes, with a significantly greater coefficient of determination (R2=0.881, P < 0.01) than other SQI models; and (3) all five ecological restoration techniques effectively improved SQ of slope to varying degrees, elevating it from low to high levels, with the vegetative cement-soil eco-restoration & vegetation concrete eco-restoration technique demonstrating the best effect (SQINL-W=0.627). Our study developed a practical SQ evaluation system based on the validated MDS and the most suitable SQI model (SQINL-W). This system enables reliable assessment on the effectiveness of restoration techniques.
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