Characterizing variations in soil particle size distribution in oasis farmlands—A case study of the Cele Oasis

Characterizing soil particle size distributions (PSD) and their variation is an important issue in environmental research. In this study, fractal theory was used to analyse the soil PSD and its variations in the Cele Oasis, which is located at the southern margin of the Tarim Basin. The characteristics of the soil PSD were then evaluated to identify the primary factors that influence soil PSD. The results showed that the fractal dimension (DD) values ranged from 2.11 to 2.27, and that there were significant differences among groups. Furthermore, the DD values showed a significant positive correlation with fine particles (<50 μm) and soil organic matter contents. According to a comparative analysis of DD values, the utilization years of farmlands had a significant influence on PSD, while the difference in the spatial distribution of farmlands did not. These results indicated that long-term and effective tillage management of the farmlands will be beneficial to keeping and improving the states of the soil PSD and other soil properties.