Land-use-induced soil erosion in semi-arid drylands induced by land-use changes creates patchworks of soils and vegetation different from those of natural conditions. Knowledge of the highly dynamic spatial heterogeneity in soil properties, not depicted in conventional soil maps, is important for managing land uses sustainably, and for understanding soil-climate interactions. This analysis of soil redistribution in a degraded rangeland in South Africa assessed the significance of anthropogenic soil heterogeneity within a small catchment with a silted reservoir. This study carries out analysis of soil redistribution in a degraded rangeland in South Africa, to assess the significance of anthropogenic soil heterogeneity within a small catchment with a silted-up reservoir. Surface soil (N = 51) and soil profile (N = 29) samples were collected from areas of various degrees of degradation and analysed for texture, pH, total nitrogen (TN), total organic carbon (TOC), available phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Diverse vegetation cover is reflected in a high soil heterogeneity, showing differences in soil texture. Average surface soil nutrient content was significantly higher in vegetated areas (grassland: TOC 1.08 %, TN 0.10 %, P 20.12 mg kg⁻¹, mixed vegetation: TOC 0.93 %, TN 0.08 %, P 13.54 mg kg⁻¹, depositional: TOC 1.68 %, TN 0.18 %, P 34.67 mg kg⁻¹) than at degraded sites (TOC 0.47 %, TN 0.06 %, P 7.52 mg kg⁻¹). K content was low to moderate but did not show any significant difference between landscape units. Potential exists for the formation of distinct young anthropogenic soils on the silted-up reservoir where deposited sediments differed in TOC, TN, P, and profile depth from the shallow natural soils. Consequently, azonal soils on dam-deposits are different from those occurring naturally, and not depicted on conventional soil maps. Their different water and nutrient cycling may affect vegetation and biogeochemical fluxes.

Land-use management should consider such soils, as they play an important role in rangeland ecology.

土地利用变化引起的半干旱干旱地区土地利用引起的水土流失造成土壤和植被的拼凑而成，不同于自然条件。常规土壤图中未显示的土壤特性中高度动态的空间异质性知识，对于可持续管理土地用途以及理解土壤与气候的相互作用非常重要。这项对南非退化牧场的土壤重新分布的分析评估了在一个淤积水库的小流域内人为土壤异质性的重要性。这项研究对南非退化的牧场中的土壤重新分布进行了分析，以评估具有淤积水库的小流域内人为土壤异质性的重要性。从不同退化程度的区域收集表层土壤（N = 51）和土壤剖面（N = 29）样品，并分析其质地，pH，总氮（TN），总有机碳（TOC），有效磷（P）和钾（K）。较高的土壤异质性反映了不同的植被覆盖，显示出土壤质​​地的差异。植被区平均表层土壤养分含量较高（草地：TOC 1.08％，TN 0.10％，P 20.12 mg / kg^-1，混合植被：TOC 0.93％，TN 0.08％，P 13.54 mg kg ^-1，沉积：TOC 1.68％，TN 0.18％，P 34.67 mg kg ^-1）在退化地点（TOC 0.47％，TN 0.06％） ，P 7.52 mg kg ^-1）。钾含量低至中度，但景观单位之间无明显差异。在淤积的水库中存在形成独特的新的人为土壤的潜力，那里的沉积沉积物的TOC，TN，P和剖面深度与浅天然土壤不同。因此，大坝沉积物上的偶氮土壤与自然存在的土壤不同，并且在常规土壤图上未进行描述。它们不同的水分和养分循环可能会影响植被和生物地球化学通量。

土地使用管理应考虑此类土壤，因为它们在牧场生态中起着重要作用。