Changes of Soil Properties with Various Soil Amendments in Saemangeum Reclaimed Tidal Saline Soil

Abstract

Due to its high salt content and poor physical properties in reclaimed tidal lands, it is important to ameliorate soil physical properties to improve the efficiency of desalination. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes of soil properties at Saemangeum reclaimed tidal saline soil with various soil amendments. Field experiment was conducted at Saemangeum reclaimed tidal land in Korea and the dominant soil series was Munpo series (coarse loamy, mixed, nonacid, Mesic, Typic, Fluvaquents). Woodchips, crushed-stone, oyster shell, coal bottom ash, and rice hull were added as soil amendments and mixed into surface soil to improve soil physical properties. There was large variability in soil hardness, but oyster shell treatment was significantly lower soil hardness at surface layer. Soil hardness was not significantly different below 15 cm depth. Infiltration rate was also significantly greater at oyster shell treatment. This may be due to the leaching of Ca ions from oyster shell and improved soil properties. However, there was no statistical significant difference of the soil bulk density, moisture content, and porosity. Improved physical properties increased desalinization rate in soil and retarded the resalinization rate when evapotranspiration rate was high. Although soil salinity was significantly decreased with oyster shell amendment, soil pH was increased that should be made up as a soil amendment. Our results indicated that oyster shell application increased infiltration rate and improved soil hardness, and thus oyster shell could be used to improve soil salinity level at Saemangeum reclaimed tidal saline soil.