Spatial variability and the relationships of soil mineral n and topographic factors in a small watershed

Objective of this study was to understand the spatial pattern of soil properties and topographic factors and their relationships in a small watershed. We used classical statistical coupling with geo-statistical theory to characterize and compare the spatial variability of soil mineral N and topographic factors in the wind-water erosion crisscross region on the Loess Plateau. The results show that: (1) The nitrate's variable extent is strong while other properties are moderate variability, and the impacts of soil types, land uses on variable extent are significant. (2) All properties have different spatial dependence extent in the study area. Ammonium and elevation are strong spatial dependence while nitrate, slope gradient and slope aspect are moderate spatial dependence. (3) The analysis results of fractal dimension and spatial heterogeneity proportion are coherent, and the decreased sequence is: nitrate (1.9826) > slope aspect (1.9767) > slope angle (1.9420) > ammonium (1.8791) > elevation (1.7461). (4) In 0°/90°, 45°/135° aspects, nitrate is isotropy while elevation is anisotropy, and others are weak anisotropy. (5) Ammonium and elevation have strong spatial autocorrelation while nitrate has not. There exist extremely notable positive correlations between nitrate and ammonium, slope gradient and aspect, and the negative correlations between ammonium, slope aspect and elevation, which indicate that the distribution of ammonium and slope gradient have elevation gradients.