Analysis of Cultivated Land Degradation in Southern China: Diagnostics, Drivers, and Restoration Solutions

Yanqing Liao ¹ Zhihong Yu ¹ Lihua Kuang ¹ Yefeng Jiang ¹ Chenxi Yu ¹ Weifeng Li ¹ Ming Liu ² Xi Guo ¹ Yingcong Ye ^1*

• ¹ Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China
• ² Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China

Cultivated land quality degradation is a critical challenge to food security, requiring effective naturebased restoration strategies based on comprehensive assessments of land quality. However, existing methods are often costly, limited in scope, and fail to capture the multidimensional complexity of the degradation processes. This study integrated vegetation indices, topographic data, and soil physical and chemical properties to construct a degradation identification model for identifying cultivated land degradationquality. Remote sensing indices were calculated using Google Earth Engine, enabling large-scale spatial analysis, while machine learning, combined with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), was employed to explore the driving factors of degradation. The results indicate that 11.86% of cultivated land in Yugan County experienced is degradedation, primarily in the central plain and riparian zones, driven by both natural factors (precipitation, temperature) and anthropogenic factors (straw incorporation, fertilization management). Soil erosion was concentrated in southern hills and near rivers, fertility decline occurred in the central plain, and soil acidification was evenly distributed with generally low degradation levels. Based on these findings, vegetationbased restoration solutions, including deep-rooted crops, crop rotation and intercropping, and straw incorporation, are proposed to address different types of cultivated land quality degradation and support sustainable land management.