Abstract
Freeze–thaw cycles alter soil properties markedly and cause a subsequent change in soil erosion, however previous studies about freeze–thaw cycles’ influence on soil physical properties were restricted to simulating runoff and soil loss on cropping slopes in cold regions and failed to invoke responses of soils under different degraded conditions to freeze–thaw cycles. This study was designed to compare and quantify the responses of different degraded soils to freeze–thaw cycles in laboratory setting. The soil conditions were divided into five types: original profile, degraded profile, parent profile, deposited profile and compacted surface. Samples were collected from the black soil region in Northeast China and were frozen (− 12 °C for 12 h) and then thawed (8 °C for 12 h) for certain times. Samples without freeze–thaw cycles were treated as control group. Porosity, aggregate mean weight diameter, saturated hydraulic conductivity and water retention curves were tested for control and experimental samples. Results showed that porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity significantly increased (maximum for degraded profile), while mean weight diameter decreased (maximum for compacted surface) compared with control group. After 30 freeze–thaw cycles, remaining water contents increased in deposited and original profiles, while decreased in compacted surface. Generally, well-structured soils are more difficult to be broken by repeated FTCs. The first freeze–thaw cycle displayed evident influence on soil physical properties under original profile, and at least one threshold of cycle time (between 5 and 20) existed. These findings may help improve understanding the functional mechanism of freeze–thaw cycles on soil erosion processes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.References
Benoit GR (1973) Effect of freeze–thaw cycles on aggregate stability and hydraulic conductivity of three soil aggregate sizes. Soil Sci Soc Am J 37:1–3. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1973.03615995003700010007x
Benoit GR, Bornstein J (1970) Freezing and thawing effects on drainage. Soil Sci Soc Am J 34:551–557. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1970.03615995003400040007x
Bullock MS, Nelson SD, Kemper WD (1988) Soil cohesion as affected by freezing, water content, time and tillage. Soil Sci Soc Am J 52:770–776. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1988.03615995005200030031x
Chamberlain EJ, Gow AJ (1979) Effect of freezing and thawing on the permeability and structure of soils. Eng Geol 13:73–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-7952(79)90022-X
Chang D, Liu JK (2013) Review of the influence of freeze–thaw cycles on the physical and mechanical properties of soil. Sci Cold Arid Reg 5:457–460. https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1226.2013.00457
Chenu C, Bissonnais YL, Arrouays D (2000) Organic matter influence on clay wettability and soil aggregate stability. Soil Sci Soc Am J 64:1479–1486. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2000.6441479x
Cruse RM, Mier R, Mize CW (2001) Surface residue effects on erosion of thawing soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 65:178–184. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2001.651178x
Denmead OT, Shaw RH (1962) Availability of soil water to plants as affected by soil moisture content and meteorological conditions. Agron J 54:385–390. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1962.00021962005400050005x
Du Z, Ren T, Hu C, Zhang Q (2015) Transition from intensive tillage to no-till enhances carbon sequestration in microaggregates of surface soil in the North China Plain. Soil Till Res 146:26–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2014.08.012
Fan HM, Zhang RF, Zhou LL, Wu M, Liu YH (2009) Impact of climate change on freeze-thaw function and freeze–thaw erosion in black soil region of Northeast China. Arid Land Resources 23:48–53 (in Chinese)
Gao S, Jia YF, Fan HM, Li GN (2015a) Effect of freezing and thawing on soil anti-scourability under different land use types in the black soil region of northeast China. J Soil Water Conserv 29:69–73 (in Chinese)
Gao XF, Xie Y, Liu G, Liu BY, Duan XW (2015b) Effects of soil erosion on soybean yield as estimated by simulating gradually eroded soil profiles. Soil Till Res 145:126–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2014.09.004
Herbst M, Diekkrüger B, Vereecken H (2006) Geostatistical co-regionalization of soil hydraulic properties in a micro-scale catchment using terrain attributes. Geoderma 132:206–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2005.05.008
Jabro JD, Iversen WM, Evans RG, Allen BL, Stevens WB (2013) Repeated freeze–thaw cycle effects on soil compaction in a clay loam in Northeastern Montana. Soil Sci Soc Am J 78:737–744. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2013.07.0280
Jury WA, Horton R (2004) Soil physics, 6th edn. Wiley, New Jersey
Knapen A, Poesen J, Govers G, Baets SD (2008) The effect of conservation tillage on runoff erosivity and soil erodibility during concentrated flow. Hydrol Process 22:1497–1508. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.6702
Konrad JM (1989) Physical processes during freeze–thaw cycles in clayey silts. Cold Reg Sci Technol 16:291–303. https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-232X(89)90029-3
Kværnø SH, Øygarden L (2006) The influence of freeze–thaw cycles and soil moisture on aggregate stability of three soils in Norway. Catena 67:175–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2006.03.011
Lehrsch GA (1998) Freeze-thaw cycles increase near-surface aggregate stability. Soil Sci 163:63–70. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-199801000-00009
Lehrsch GA, Sojka RE, Carter DL, Jolley PM (1991) Freezing effects on aggregate stability affected by texture, mineralogy, and organic matter. Soil Sci Soc Am J 55:1401–1406. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1991.03615995005500050033x
Li GY, Fan HM (2014) Effect of freeze-thaw on water stability of aggregates in a black soil of Northeast China. Pedosphere 24:285–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(14)60015-1
Li ZW, Zhang GH, Geng R, Wang H (2015) Spatial heterogeneity of soil detachment capacity by overland flow at a hillslope with ephemeral gullies on the Loess Plateau. Geomorphology 248:264–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.07.036
Liu J, Fan HM, Zhou LL, Wu M, Chai Y, Liu YH (2009) Study on effects of freeze-thaw cycle on bulk density and porosity of black soil. J Soil Water Conserv 23:186–189 (in Chinese)
Liu HH, Zhang TY, Liu BY, Liu G, Wilson GV (2013) Effects of gully erosion and gully filling on soil depth and crop production in the black soil region, northeast China. Environ Earth Sci 68:1723–1732. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-012-1863-0
Liu L, Zhang KK, Zhang ZD, Qiu QQ (2015) Identifying soil redistribution patterns by magnetic susceptibility on the black soil farmland in Northeast China. Catena 129:103–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2015.03.003
Liu HY, Yang Y, Zhang KK, Sun CL (2017) Soil erosion as effected by freeze–thaw regime and initial soil moisture content. Soil Sci Soc Am J 81:459–467. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2016.08.0271
Logsdail DE, Webber LR (1959) Effect of frost action on structure of Haldimand clay. Canadian J Soil Sci 39:103–106. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjss59-014
Malik Z, Lu S (2015) Pore size distribution of clayey soils and its correlation with soil organic matter. Pedosphere 25:240–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(15)60009-1
Oztas T, Fayetorbay F (2003) Effect of freezing and thawing processes on soil aggregate stability. Catena 52:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0341-8162(02)00177-7
Salager S, Youssoufi MSE, Saix C (2007) Influence of temperature on the water retention curve of soils, modelling and experiments. Springer Proc Phys 6:251–258. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-69873-6_24
Schneider M, Goss KU (2011) Temperature dependence of the water retention curve for dry soils. Water Resour Res 47:1–5. https://doi.org/10.1029/2010WR009687
Six J, Bossuyt H, Degryze S, Denef K (2004) A history of research on the link between (micro)aggregates, soil biota, and soil organic matter dynamics. Soil Till Res 79:7–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2004.03.008
Staff SS (1999) Soil taxonomy. United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington, D.C.
Staricka JA, Benoit GR (1995) Freeze-drying effects on wet and dry soil aggregate stability. Soil Sci Soc Am J 59:218–223. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1995.03615995005900010033x
Viklander P (1998) Permeability and volume changes in till due to cyclic freeze/thaw. Canadian J Soil Sci 35:471–477. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-35-3-471
Viklander P, Eigenbrod D (2000) Stone movements and permeability changes in till caused by freezing and thawing. Cold Reg Sci Technol 31:151–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-232X(00)00009-4
Wang DY, Ma W, Niu YH, Chang XX, Wen Z (2007) Effects of cyclic freezing and thawing on mechanical properties of Qinghai-Tibet clay. Cold Reg Sci Technol 48:34–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2006.09.008
Wang B, Zhang GH, Shi YY, Zhang XC (2014) Soil detachment by overland flow under different vegetation restoration models in the Loess Plateau of China. Catena 116:51–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2013.12.010
Wang J, Xie Y, Liu G, Zhao Y, Zhang SS (2015) Soybean root development under water stress in eroded soils. Acta Agric Scand B Soil Plant Sci 65:374–382. https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2015.1014405
Wen ML, Liu BY, Wei X, Liu HH (2009) Impact of freezing and thawing on bulk density of black soil. Chin J Soil Sci 40:492–495 (in Chinese)
Willis WO (1955) Freezing and thawing, and wetting and drying in soils treated with organic chemicals. Soil Sci Soc Am J 19:263–267. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1955.03615995001900030004x
Wu YQ, Zheng QH, Zhang YG, Liu BY, Cheng H, Wang YZ (2008) Development of gullies and sediment production in the black soil region of northeastern China. Geomorphology 101:683–691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.03.008
Xu J, Ren JW, Wang QZ, Wang SH, Yuan J (2018) Strength behaviors and meso-structural characters of loess after freeze–thaw. Cold Reg Sci Technol 148:104–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2018.01.011
Yoder RE (1936) A direct method of aggregate analysis of soils and a study of the physical nature of erosion losses. J Am Soc Agron 28:337–351. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1936.00021962002800050001x
Zhang KL, Liu HY (2018) Research progresses and prospects on freeze thaw erosion in the black soil region of Northeast China. Sci Soil Water Conse 16:17–24 (in Chinese)
Zhang YG, Wu YQ, Liu BY, Zheng QH, Yin JY (2007) Characteristics and factors controlling the development of ephemeral gullies in cultivated catchments of black soil region, Northeast China. Soil Till Res 96:28–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2007.02.010
Zhao YS, Wang EH, Cruse RM, Chen XW (2012) Characterization of seasonal freeze-thaw and potential impacts on soil erosion in northeast China. Can J Soil Sci 92:567–571. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjss2010-045
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants nos. 41730748 and 41471224). The authors are very grateful to all staff of the Jiusan Soil Conservation Station of Beijing Normal University for their assistance in the field and laboratory work. The authors thank reviewers and editors who kindly provided their valuable comments and suggestions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ma, Q., Zhang, K., Jabro, J.D. et al. Freeze–thaw cycles effects on soil physical properties under different degraded conditions in Northeast China. Environ Earth Sci 78, 321 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8323-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8323-z