Abstract:
Distribution and stability ofsoil aggregates at the
Camellia tetracocca tea plantations were surveyedin the field and studied in the laboratory. The size distribution and stabilityof the soil aggregates at areas with 5, 15, 25, and 40 years of the teacultivation history were compared. It was found: (1) the soil aggregates at theplantations were mainly larger than 2mm in size. They accounted for 40.92% to65.02% of the total at the differed sampling lots. Thelargest aggregates were in the areas that had grown the tea bushes for 15 or 25years, while the smallest at the 40-year lots. (2) The 2~5 mmaggregates constituted the highest percentage of all sizes; Whereas, thosesmaller than 0.25 mm the lowest. There was a significant difference between the2~5 mmsize group and others (
P<0.05).And, (3) The MWD and GMD of soil aggregates increased at sites with shorterplanting years but decreased as the age lengthened, while R
0.25 graduallydecreased as the cultivation increased by the years. The fractal dimension rosewith increasing time of cultivation and peaked on the least stable 40-yearlots. The years of
C. tetracocca cultivation seemed to affect theaggregate distribution and stability of the plantation soil. The greatestimpact appeared when the tea bushes had grown on the land for 40 years.