The impact of land consolidation on arable land productivity: A differentiated view of soil and vegetation productivity

Abstract Changes in agricultural land productivity have become a crucial criterion for assessing the effectiveness of land consolidation (LC). In this study, agricultural land productivity under LC was observed and monitored in terms of two important factors: vegetation productivity and soil productivity, which were represented by net primary productivity (NPP) and soil organic matter (SOM), respectively. Based on spatial and temporal variations before and after the implementation of LC, the response of vegetation and soil productivity to LC was further discussed. The main results are as follows: (1) The effectiveness of LC could be quantitatively confirmed in terms of both vegetation and soil productivity. Compared with vegetation productivity, soil productivity had stronger and more positive response to LC. (2) The effectiveness of LC was characterized by temporal attenuation, which specifically showed that the improvement of vegetation and soil productivity followed a trajectory of "increase–stability" after the implementation of LC. (3) The effectiveness of LC was seasonal, coinciding with the farming period. In other words, the effectiveness of LC became completely prominent with the implementation of agricultural activities. This phenomenon was particularly more pronounced from the aspect of soil productivity.