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همتی, ., Moravej, K., Navidi, M., Golchin, A., Askari, M. (2025). Assessing the effects of land use change on soil quality using composite indicators and total and minimum dataset analyses. , 39(2), 225-246. doi: 10.22092/ijsr.2025.370015.780
سمیرا همتی; Kamran Moravej; Mir Naser Navidi; Ahmad Golchin; Mohammad Sadegh Askari. "Assessing the effects of land use change on soil quality using composite indicators and total and minimum dataset analyses". , 39, 2, 2025, 225-246. doi: 10.22092/ijsr.2025.370015.780
همتی, ., Moravej, K., Navidi, M., Golchin, A., Askari, M. (2025). 'Assessing the effects of land use change on soil quality using composite indicators and total and minimum dataset analyses', , 39(2), pp. 225-246. doi: 10.22092/ijsr.2025.370015.780
همتی, ., Moravej, K., Navidi, M., Golchin, A., Askari, M. Assessing the effects of land use change on soil quality using composite indicators and total and minimum dataset analyses. , 2025; 39(2): 225-246. doi: 10.22092/ijsr.2025.370015.780

Assessing the effects of land use change on soil quality using composite indicators and total and minimum dataset analyses

پژوهش های خاک
Article 7, Volume 39, Issue 2, September 2025, Pages 225-246    PDF (1.62 M)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.22092/ijsr.2025.370015.780
Authors
سمیرا همتی* 1; Kamran Moravej2; Mir Naser Navidi3; Ahmad Golchin1; Mohammad Sadegh Askari2
1Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
2Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran.
3Soil and Water Research Institute, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran
Abstract
Land-use change is one of the major factors influencing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils, ultimately affecting their overall quality. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of converting barren lands with semi-arid natural vegetation into olive orchards on soil quality in the Loshan region, Guilan Province, Iran. A total of 76 soil samples were collected from the 0–30 cm depth under two land uses (barren land and olive orchard), and 24 physical, chemical, and biological properties were measured. Soil quality index (SQI) was calculated using two approaches: the simple additive index (SQIA) and the weighted additive index (SQIW), based on both the total dataset (TDS) and the minimum dataset (MDS). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to identify the most influential soil indicators. In barren lands, the selected MDS indicators included bulk density, soil organic carbon, electrical conductivity, magnesium, cation exchange capacity, sodium adsorption ratio, mean weight diameter of aggregates, and calcium carbonate. In olive orchards, key indicators consisted of clay content, organic carbon, microbial respiration, available phosphorus, sodium, sodium adsorption ratio, and calcium carbonate. The results indicated that soil quality was significantly higher in olive orchards compared to barren lands. SQI values in olive orchards ranged from 0.75 to 0.79, while in barren lands they varied between 0.41 and 0.48. Furthermore, the MDS approach provided reliable performance with fewer variables compared to TDS, and the weighted indices offered more accurate evaluations by accounting for the relative importance of indicators. Overall, the findings demonstrate that the conversion of barren lands into olive orchards under semi-arid conditions can substantially improve soil quality. The use of MDS-based quantitative indices combined with weighted models provides an effective approach for regional soil quality assessment and sustainable land.
Keywords
Principal Component Analysis; Soil health; Soil quality index
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