Soil pH maps and proton budget in China in the 1980s and 2020s

We evaluated the changes in topsoil pH in China’s forestland, grassland, paddy fields and upland areas during the 1980s-2020s. Soil maps in the 1980s and 2010s were produced by random forest models. The commonly used “H+ budget” process model was used to quantify soil acidification rate at the provincial level from 1981 to 2050. Specifically, these scenarios during 2020-2050 combined different strategies including reducing N fertilization and N leaching, enhancing crop yields, and promoting straw return.