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Overgrazing Accumulates
Heavy Metal and Mineral
Salts in Corn Challenging
Food Security
BIOL 407 Research Report
Moyan Jia
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Section 001
03/24/2016

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Overgrazing Accumulates Heavy Metals and Mineral Salts

In Corn Challenging Food Security
1.0 Introduction
It is a common sense that soil and plants have closed relationship. Soil provides
support, water, and nutrients to the plants. Nutrients are necessary for plants
growth, especially the mineral salts containing nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and
potassium (K). [1] These 3 major macronutrients maintain the plants homeostasis;
however, the excess of nutrients probably leads to severe problems on plants
health.
Nowadays, the reduced yields of agricultural products caused by over-nutrition
are frequently reported. Excess amount of chemical fertilizer added to soil
accumulates in plants, which increases the heavy metal and mineral salts
concentrations and evolves to food security issue. [2]
In Inner Mongolia, China, Khorchin Grassland suffers the desertification and
salinization caused by overgrazing. Khorchin Grassland (46.512196, 122.081281)
locates on east-north in China. Under the influence of high altitude and high
latitude, Khorqin Grassland demonstrates the cold temperate continental climate,
in which corn and alfalfa are the dominant agricultural products. [3] Soil
components are chestnut soil and chernozem; pH value is approximately 7.0-7.5;
70% population relies on crop farming and stock farming. [4] Since 2008, the
livestock population has increased and the overstocking problem has risen up. The
large number of sheep, goats, and cattle, eat almost everything on the grassland. [5]
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Overgrazing leads to water loss, increases the level of pH value, and decreases the
level of fertility. In order to maintain the soil arable, farmers use fertilizer
containing mineral salts (N, P, and K) and heavy metals (Zn, Ni, Cu, Co, and Cd).
[6] Inappropriate usage of fertilizer accumulates toxic materials mentioned above
on corn leaves and seeds. The government regulates the soil by using organic
fertilizer instead of entirely chemical fertilizer to control the heavy metal
concentration, but the effect is not significant since the short adaptation period
after the environmental issue was official settled. [7]
In particular, Cadmium (Cd) is often used in corn chemical fertilizer to stimulate
seed germination and primary growth. [8] On the other hand, suffering long period
and high concentration of Cd also damages corn growth. According to Effects of
Heavy Metal Growth, Development and Yield of Maize, when Cd2+ concentration
is between 0.5-1.0 mg/L the corn germination is improved; if the concentration is
higher than the range, Cd2+ begins to significantly decrease soluble carbohydrate
level in starch, and Cd2+ restricts the activity of NADPH and further limits the
formation of chlorophyll. Cd is toxic to humans, so the concentration of Cd in
agricultural products is strictly supervised. [9]
The purpose of this research is to define the relationship between overgrazing and
excessive level of mineral salts and heavy metals and to find appropriate solutions.
The hypothesis is that overgrazing is the fundamental cause of increased mineral
salts and heavy metal levels which are toxic to human and considered as a severe
food security challenge.
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2.0 Materials and Methods

In order to investigate the corn production and heavy metal concentration in soil
solution, the data is collected and authorized from Inner Mongolian DaGong
Husbandry Co., Ltd (DaGong for short), whose meadow is located on Khorqin
Grassland. DaGong used to plant corns and raise Suffolk, a species of sheep
mainly eat alfalfa, at the same time on the near grasslands. To some reason, the
population size of Suffolk surged in 2010 and the grassland was destroyed, then
DaGong decided to grow corns alternatively to rest the soil. [10]
The original corn field is the control group, and the corn field substituted from
stocking grassland is the experimental group. The data of annual corn production
and heavy metal concentration in soil solution is measured and recorded. These
statistic numbers are further analyzed to compare and contrast between control
and experimental groups displayed in tables and figures.
On the other hand, the relative published journals provide a large number of
soil-related data measured in similar environment with Korqin Grassland. The
dressed conclusions in journals are also used to define the causation of
overstocking and agricultural products

yield. Whether the agricultural

management practices are suitable in Korqin Grassland is predicted based on

present data.
3.0 Results
The collected data from DaGong and relative scientific journals are demonstrated
in tables. The livestock population, the quality of soils, annual corn weight
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average, and the heavy metal concentrations on Khorqin Grassland are listed
below.
The numbers of livestock owned by DaGong from 2008 to 2016 are listed in table
1, which is an epitome of boosted overgrazing.
Livestock Population and Density from 2008 to 2016 [10]
Year

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012 2013 2014

2015

2016

Livestock
8000 8000 8200 8800 9000 9000 10000 10000 10000
population
Pasture area
28
28
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
(km2)
Livestock
285.7 285.7 273.3 293.3 300 300 333.3 333.3 333.3
density
(individual/km2)
Table 1: The livestock population and density continuously increase from 2008. [10]

Figure 1: Photo taken by manager Ruihong Chang of DaGong showing the

distinguished line between overgrazing-caused desertification grassland and normal
alfalfa pasture. [11]

Desertification caused by overgrazing is a major issue on Khorqin Grassland, in

order to control the environment sustainable, government began to appeal
shepherds to plant agriculture products like corns to rest and nourish the soil. Due
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to the acidification and infertility caused by overgrazing, farmers used chemical

fertilizer to maintain corn yield mainly in newly substituted fields. [12] For the
reason of comparison, the annual weights of corns planted in original field
(control group) and in substituted field from pasture (experimental group) are
shown in table 2.
Weight of Corn Kernels in Control and Experimental Fields [5]
Year

Weight of per 100 corn

Weight of per 100 corn

kernels (control) (g)

kernels (experimental) (g)

2008

28.67

28.68

2009

29.35

30.01

2010

28.45

28.39

2011

28.11

27.98

2012

29.67

29.67

2013

26.59

26.04

2014

28.06

28.02

2015

29.15

29.37

2016

27.43

27.15

Table 2: The weight per 100 kernels (seeds) of corn in experimental fields is relative
smaller than control field. The general trend of chronological corn weight decreases
in the experimental field. [5]

On the other hand, the heavy metal concentration also increases as the more
fertilizer is used. The concentration of Cd (mg) in soil solution (kg) abstracted
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from Khouqin Grassland is concluded in table 3.

Cd Concentration After N and P Fertilizer Usage [13]
Nitrogen (N) Fertilizer

Phosphorous (P) Fertilizer

Before

0.134 mg/kg

0.39 mg/kg

3 Years After

0.316 mg/kg

0.85 mg/kg

Table 3: Cd concentration is increased after N or P fertilizer is used. [13]

4.0 Discussion
The relationship between overgrazing and yield of corn on Khorqin Grassland is
demonstrated as graph shown in figure 2. As the population and density of
livestock increase, the yield of corn decreases, and the Cd concentration in soil
solution increases. Although the causation cannot be defined with present data, the
prediction of relationship between overgrazing and food security is negative.

Livestock Density vs Time

Livestock density (#/km2)

400
350
300

y = 7.665x - 15118
R = 0.8134

250
200
150
100
50
0
2006

2008

2010

2012
Year

2014

2016

2018

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Corn Yield (g/100 kernels)

Corn Yield
30.5
30
29.5
29
28.5
28
27.5
27
26.5
26
25.5
2006

y = -0.1787x + 387.85
R = 0.1512

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

Year

Figure 2: The graph of livestock density and corn yield vs time.

In general, the process of overgrazing-leading food challenge follows the trend

line of figure 3.

Overgrazing
Soil acidification and infertility
Plantation for resting soil
Fertilizer Usage to ensure yield
Heavy metal concentration increases
Figure 3: The process of food security caused by overgrazing

For the purpose of saving soil, shepherds become farmers; however, the farmers
want to ensure the yield of agricultural products and use fertilizer inappropriately.
As the result, the yield is reduced due to high quantity of heavy metals.
Heavy metals like mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), chrome (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and
aluminum (Al) are detected in food and toxic to human. [14] These heavy metals
taken via water and food into human body cause several diseases called poison
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symptoms, for example myelin, edema, anemia, diarrhea, hypotension, jaundice

etc. [15] High concentration of heavy metal is life threating. For instance, 300mg
Cd is lethal to an adult. [16]
The government decides to use natural fertilizer or sludge replacing chemical
fertilizer. It is reported that livestock feces and compost contain low concentration
of heavy metals and guarantee the growth of plant. The problems are that the
amount of natural fertilizer is lack and the collection and procession of feces are
complicated and time-consuming. [17][18] In fact, the fundamental method to
solve the problem is to control overgrazing. As the population of livestock is
reduced, the grassland gets rested, and then the soil is regulated fairly. What to do
next is to measure the heavy metal concentrations of produced corns and prevent
over standard ones getting into the market. Then the pasture should reduce and
rest for a period to let the soil recover its fertility.
As the hypothesis states, overgrazing is the indirect and fundamental reason of
high heavy metal concentration in corn. Heavy metal toxicant has been brought
the attention of the public, and the government has been in move. Reduction of
grazing strength and replacing fertilizer are the useful ways to solve the food
security challenge.

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References
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