Soil Quality Evaluation Based on a Minimum Data Set (MDS)—A Case Study of Tieling County, Northeast China

Soil quality is related to food security and human survival development. Due the acceleration of urbanization increase in abandoned land, topsoil has deteriorated, thus resulting land degradation recent years. In this study, a minimum data set (MDS) was constructed through principal component analysis (PCA) determine indicator for evaluating Tieling County, northeast China. addition, soil index (SQI) calculated analyze spatial distribution characteristics influencing factors. The results showed that MDS included total potassium (TK), clay, zinc (Zn), organic matter (SOM), water content (SWC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), pH, copper (Cu), which could replace all other indicators assessing research region. overall County trend being low east high west, it gradually increased from hilly area plain area. divided into one five levels, with grade-I best grade-V worst. proportion Grade-II grade-III largest, 28.5% 26.3%, respectively, smallest, 9.6%. evaluation are consistent field research, can provide reference evaluations, also provides basis formulation improvement measures.