Quantifying the Effects of Pipeline Installation on Agricultural Productivity in West China

摘要

Pipeline construction can have considerable effects on agro-ecosystems. However, little research has documented pipeline installation disturbance on agricultural productivity. We sampled three sites in agricultural regions of West China in Gansu and Shaanxi provinces to study the effects of pipeline installation disturbance on crop productivity. Corn yield and five crop growth characteristics were measured and analyzed at six different distances on both sides of a pipeline at two sites: 0 (trench), 10 (piling or working zone), 20, 50, and 100 m. Crop productivity was assessed at a third site by sampling across pipelines at three different times after their construction (2, 6, and 8 yr). The results showed that agricultural productivity was mainly impaired inside the 20 m on both sides of the pipeline. The level of disturbance on agriculture productivity decreased as distance from pipeline increased. Crop productivity in the affected zones is expected to gradually improve over time. Pipeline installation had significant effect on soil organic matter, N content, and pH, and correlated with crop growth characteristics. Proper soil management practices, such as storing and backfilling topsoil separately from subsurface soil during the installation process, should be addressed to reduce the impacts of pipeline installation on crop productivity.