Abstract
Underground coal mining leads to serious surface deformation, which negatively affects the physical properties of soils. Soil particle size distribution (PSD) is one of the most basic soil physical characteristic that influences other important properties, such as soil hydraulics and thermodynamics. Understanding the spatial variability of the soil PSD in subsided land can provide targeted guidance for land reclamation. In this study, we conducted a quantitative study on the spatial variability of the soil PSD in the Pingshuo mining area on the Loess plateau, Shanxi Province in China, and explored the effects of subsidence and reclamation on the soil PSD. A plot experiment, including one unmined plot, one subsided plot, and one reclaimed plot, was performed in Anjialing No.3 underground coal mine in the, Pingshuo mining area. Four multi-fractal parameters of the soil PSD—D(0), D(1), Δα(q), and Δf(α)—were analyzed at the three sample sites. The joint multi-fractal method was carried out to analyze the spatial correlation of the soil PSD to further reveal the impacts of coal mining subsidence and land reclamation on the soil PSD. The multi-fractal method can reflect the local non-uniformity and heterogeneity of the soil PSD, while the joint multi-fractal approach can illustrate the correlation of the soil PSD between different soil depths. The range and spatial variability of the soil PSD increased due to coal mining subsidence and the impact of subsidence on the spatial disturbance of the surface soil PSD was greater than that of the deeper layers. The spatial correlation of clay in subsided land (21.00–34.34%) was larger than those of unmined land (12.36–16.37%) and reclaimed land (15.08–19.50%), and the degree of correlation was lower in 0–20 cm (21.68%) and 20–40 cm than in 40–60 and 60–80 cm soil layers (34.34%). Whereas, for silt and sand, the correlation was smaller. Land reclamation decreased the spatial variability of the soil PSD, which was near that of the unmined land after reclamation.
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig1_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig2_HTML.jpg)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig3_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig4_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig5_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig6_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig7_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig8_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig9_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig10_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig11_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs12665-022-10257-4/MediaObjects/12665_2022_10257_Fig12_HTML.png)
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adeli A, Brooks JP, Read JJ, McGrew R, Jenkins JN (2019) Post-reclamation age effects on soil physical properties and microbial activity under forest and pasture ecosystems. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 50(1):20–34
Aghasi B, Jalalian A, Khademi H, Toomanian N (2017) Sub-basin scale spatial variability of soil properties in Central Iran. Arab J Geosci 10(6):136–156
Biswas A (2019) Joint multifractal analysis for three variables: characterizing the effect of topography and soil texture on soil water storage. Geoderma 334:15–23
Biswas A, Zeleke TB, Si BC (2012) Multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis in examining scaling properties of the spatial patterns of soil water storage. Nonlinear Process Geophys 19(2):227–238
Bowers MC, Tung WW, Gao JB (2012) On the distributions of seasonal river flows: lognormal or power law? Water Resour Res 48(5):5536–5547
Caniego FJ, Espejo R, Martin MA, San Jose F (2005) Multifractal scaling of soil spatial variability. Ecol Model 182(3–4):291–303
Deng Y, Cai C, Xia D, Ding S, Chen J (2017) Fractal features of soil particle size distribution under different land-use patterns in the alluvial fans of collapsing gullies in the hilly granitic region of southern China. PLoS ONE 12(3):555–575
Du YC, Han JC, Zhang SW, Huang YF, Wang HY, Luo LT (2017) Multidimensional analysis of particle size fractal characteristics in a farmland soil profile. In: KL Huang, KW Kim and J Liu (Eds), International Conference on Energy Engineering and Environmental Protection. IOP Conference Series-Earth and Environmental Science 52: 12053–12063.
Guan X, Yang P, Lv Y (2011) Analysis on spatial variability of soil properties based on multifractal theory. J Basic Sci Eng 19(5):712–720
Havrylenko SB, Bodoque JM, Srinivasan R, Zucarelli GV, Mercuri P (2016) Assessment of the soil water content in the Pampas region using SWAT. CATENA 137:298–309
Hu W, Shao MA, Wang QJ, Reichardt K (2008) Soil water content temporal-spatial variability of the surface layer of a Loess Plateau hillside in China. Sci Agric 65(3):277–289
Hu Z, Wang C, Li K, Zhu X (2018) Distribution characteristics and pollution assessment of soil heavy metals over a typical nonferrous metal mine area in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, China. Environ Earth Sci 77(18):638–657
Huang Y, Kuang X, Cao Y, Bai Z (2018) The soil chemical properties of reclaimed land in an arid grassland dump in an opencast mining area in China. RSC Adv 8(72):41499–41508
Jing Z, Wang J, Zhu Y, Feng Y (2018) Effects of land subsidence resulted from coal mining on soil nutrient distributions in a loess area of China. J Clean Prod 177:350–361
Jing Z, Wang J, Wang R, Wang P (2019) Using multi-fractal analysis to characterize the variability of soil physical properties in subsided land in coal-mined area. Geoderma 361
Kravchenko AN, Bullock DG, Boast CW (2000) Joint multifractal analysis of crop yield and terrain slope. Agron J 92(6):1279–1290
Li Y, Li M, Horton R (2011) Single and joint multifractal analysis of soil particle size distributions. Pedosphere 21(1):75–83
Li W, Wang J, Zhang Y, Zhang M (2021) A novel characterization on the interaction of soil and vegetation in a reclaimed area of opencast coalmine based on joint multi-fractal method. Ecol Indic 107094.
Liu X, Zhang G, Heathman GC, Wang Y, Huang C (2009) Fractal features of soil particle-size distribution as affected by plant communities in the forested region of Mountain Yimeng. China Geoderma 154(1–2):123–130
Manuel Miras-Avalos J, Trigo-Cordoba E, da Silva-Dias R, Varela-Vila I, Garcia-Tomillo A (2016) Multifractal behaviour of the soil water content of a vineyard in northwest Spain during two growing seasons. Nonlinear Process Geophys 23(4):205–213
Medina H, van Lier Q, Garcia J, Elena Ruiz M (2017) Regional-scale variability of soil properties in Western Cuba. Soil Tillage Res 166:84–99
Meng H, Zhu Y, Evans GJ, Yao X (2015) An approach to investigate new particle formation in the vertical direction on the basis of high time-resolution measurements at ground level and sea level. Atmos Environ 102:366–375
Milne AE, Haskard KA, Webster CP, Truan IA, Lark RM (2013) Wavelet analysis of the variability of nitrous oxide emissions from soil at decameter to kilometer scales. J Environ Qual 42(4):1070–1079
Miranda JG, Montero E, Alves MC, Gonzalez AP, Vazquez EV (2006) Multifractal characterization of saprolite particle-size distributions after topsoil removal. Geoderma 134(3–4):373–385
Nyamadzawo G, Shukla MK, Lal R (2008) Spatial variability of total soil carbon and nitrogen stocks for some reclaimed minesoils of Southeastern Ohio. Land Degrad Dev 19(3):275–288
Rueth B, Lennartz B (2008) Spatial variability of soil properties and rice yield along two catenas in southeast China. Pedosphere 18(4):409–420
Saleh TA (2020) Nanomaterials: classification, properties, and environmental toxicities. Environ Technol Innov 20(11):101067
Saleh TA (2021) Protocols for synthesis of nanomaterials, polymers, and green materials as adsorbents for water treatment technologies. Environ Technol Innov 9:101821
Sun C, Liu G, Xue S (2017) Response of soil multifractal characteristics and erodibility to 15-year fertilization on cropland in the Loess Plateau, China. Arch Agron Soil Sci 63(7):956–968
Ussiri DA, Lal R, Jacinthe PA (2006) Soil properties and carbon sequestration of afforested pastures in reclaimed minesoils of Ohio. Soil Sci Soc Am J 70(5):1797–1806
Wang D, Fu B, Zhao W, Hu H, Wang Y (2008) Multifractal characteristics of soil particle size distribution under different land-use types on the Loess Plateau. China Catena 72(1):29–36
Wang J, Yang R, Bai Z (2012) Succession law and model of reclaimed soil quality of opencast coal mine dump in grassland. Trans Chin Soc Agric Eng 28(14):229–235
Wang J, Guo L, Bai Z, Yang R, Zhang M (2013) Succession law of reclaimed soil and vegetation on opencast coal mine dump of loess area. Trans Chin Soc Agric Eng 29(21):223–232
Wang J, Yang R, Bai Z (2015a) Spatial variability and sampling optimization of soil organic carbon and total nitrogen for Minesoils of the Loess Plateau using geostatistics. Ecol Eng 82:159–164
Wang J, Zhang M, Bai Z, Guo L (2015b) Multi-fractal characteristics of the particle distribution of reconstructed soils and the relationship between soil properties and multi-fractal parameters in an opencast coal-mine dump in a loess area. Environ Earth Sci 73(8):4749–4762
Wang J, Guo L, Bai Z, Yang L (2016) Using computed tomography (CT) images and multi-fractal theory to quantify the pore distribution of reconstructed soils during ecological restoration in opencast coal-mine. Ecol Eng 92:148–157
Wang J, Wang P, Qin Q, Wang H (2017a) The effects of land subsidence and rehabilitation on soil hydraulic properties in a mining area in the Loess Plateau of China. CATENA 159:51–59
Wang J, Yang R, Feng Y (2017b) Spatial variability of reconstructed soil properties and the optimization of sampling number for reclaimed land monitoring in an opencast coal mine. Arab J Geosci 10(2):46–58
Wang J, Lu X, Feng Y, Yang R (2018a) Integrating multi-fractal theory and geo-statistics method to characterize the spatial variability of particle size distribution of minesoils. Geoderma 317:39–46
Wang J, Qin Q, Bai Z (2018b) Characterizing the effects of opencast coal-mining and land reclamation on soil macropore distribution characteristics using 3D CT scanning. CATENA 171:212–221
Wang J, Qin Q, Guo L, Feng Y (2018c) Multi-fractal characteristics of three-dimensional distribution of reconstructed soil pores at opencast coal-mine dump based on high-precision CT scanning. Soil Tillage Res 182:144–152
Xiao W, Hu Z, Zhang R, Zhao Y (2013) A simulation of mining subsidence and its impacts to land in high ground water area—an integrated approach based on subsidence prediction and GIS. Disaster Adv 6:142–148
Yuan Y, Zhao Z, Niu S, Xue Z, Wang Y, Bai Z (2018) Reclamation promotes the succession of the soil and vegetation in opencast coal mine: a case study from Robinia pseudoacacia reclaimed forests, Pingshuo mine, China. CATENA 165:72–79
Zeleke TB, Si BC (2006) Characterizing scale-dependent spatial relationships between soil properties using multifractal techniques. Geoderma 134(3–4):440–452
Zhang J, Zhang Q, Yang Z, Chen M, Li Y, Chen D (2010) Spatial variability of topsoil organic matter and total nitrogen in Linfen basin, Shanxi and its influencing factors. J Soil Sci 41(4):839–844
Zhang Y, Jiang D, Shi D, Jiang G, Cheng Z (2011) Research on soil erosion characteristics and soil and water conservation pattern in coal mine exploration area of Chongqing. Res Soil Water Conserv 18(6):94–99
Zhang C, Chen X, Quan X, Dong Y, Wei J (2015a) Characteristics of soil particle size in the Urumqi city. Res Soil Water Conserv 22(2):213–218
Zhang L, Wang J, Bai Z, Lv C (2015b) Effects of vegetation on runoff and soil erosion on reclaimed land in an opencast coal-mine dump in a loess area. CATENA 128:44–53
Zhang M, Wang J, Li S (2019a) Tempo-spatial changes and main anthropogenic influence factors of vegetation fractional coverage in a large-scale opencast coal mine area from 1992 to 2015. J Cleaner Prod 232(20):940–952
Zhang M, Wang J, Feng Y (2019b) Temporal and spatial change of land use in a large-scale opencast coal mine area: a complex network approach. Land Use Policy 86:375–386
Zhang Z, Wang J, Li B (2019c) Determining the influence factors of soil organic carbon stock in opencast coal-mine dumps based on complex network theory. CATENA 173:433–444
Zhao P, Shao M, Wang TJ (2011) Multifractal analysais of particle-size distributions of alluvial soils in the dam farmland on the Loess Plateau of China. Afr J Agric Res 6(18):4177–4184
Zhen Q, Zheng J, Zhang X, Shao M (2019) Changes of solute transport characteristics in soil profile after mining at an opencast coal mine site on the Loess Plateau, China. Sci Total Environ 665:142–152
Zhou D, Wu K, Cheng G, Li L (2015) Mechanism of mining subsidence in coal mining area with thick alluvium soil in China. Arab J Geosci 8(4):1855–1867
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFF0206802) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41877532).
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
Li, S., Wang, J., Zhang, J. et al. Effects of mining and reclamation on the spatial variability of soil particle size distribution in an underground coalmine area: a combination method using multi-fractal and joint multi-fractal theories. Environ Earth Sci 81, 117 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-022-10257-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-022-10257-4