Drivers of nutrient content and spatial variability of soil multifunctionality in the topsoil of Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

Soil nutrient status is a crucial measure of soil fertility, which not only coordinates and provides the nutrients necessary for plant growth, but also stimulates the decomposition of soil humus and biogeochemical cycles. Therefore, understanding the distribution characteristics of soil nutrients in the Kyrgyzstan, while exploring the drivers of their variability, is important for understanding ecological processes and the distribution of soil resources. Simultaneously, the study of the spatial distribution of soil multifunctionality and its drivers across Kyrgyzstan can better elucidate the functions of the entire ecosystem, assist in optimizing the allocation of resources and serve as a reference material for the scientific and rational management of the country’s soil ecosystems. In this paper, We have used field sampling data from Kyrgyzstan, to examined the geographic variability and distribution of soil nutrients and soil multifunctionality within different soil depths, as well as the drivers in the country, using a combination of factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings indicated: (1)The topsoil of Kyrgyzstan (0–30 cm) stores 4.24 ± 0.59 Pg of SOC, 0.33 ± 0.06 Pg of total nitrogen (TN), 0.31 ± 0.03 Pg of total phosphorus (TP), and 5.12 ± 1.84 Pg of total potassium (TK). The nutrient reserves of various land-cover categories vary greatly across the nation, with grasslands accounting for the largest reserves (40%) but urban areas allocating the smallest proportion (0.3%). (2): the analysis revealed that using the linear or nonlinear fitting equations, the majority of soil nutrients exhibited a strong correlation with each other and also environmental parameters; (3): in Kyrgyzstan, soil multifunctionality varied substantially from –0.63 to 2.30 across regions. (4): according to the SEM results, NPP, wind speed (VS), MAP, longitude (Lon), SWC, and pH directly affected soil multifunctionality. In addition, several indirect effects of ST, MAT, Sard, and latitude (Lat) on soil multifunctionality were observed. Lon, map, SWC, and pH also had various direct and indirect impacts on soil multifunctionality. The findings of this study shed light on the functions of the entire soil ecosystem in the Kyrgyz Republic that help better predict the effects of environmental changes on ecosystem multifunctionality in drylands and provide a scientific basis for rational utilization of soil resources, efficient management of dryland soils, and prevention of land productivity decline in the country.