Mineralogical Characteristics and Physico-Chemical Properties of a Newly Reclaimed Tidal Flat of Haenam Bay in the Southwestern Coast of Korea

Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to identify the soil physical and chemical properties and the mineralogies of recently reclaimed tidal flat land (RTFL) consisted of five different soil series within the investigation site located in Youngsan-river Bay of Southwestern coast in Korea, that has to be only used as upland according to the policy of designated absolute agricultural land. The results show that the soil textures of the soil horizons are sandy loam and silt loam for all five soil series, with typical soil colors of yellow to pale yellow for Ap horizons containing higher clay content greater (> 18%) and greenish gray containing higher sand content (> 60%). The pHs of surface horizons for Bokchun (BC), Junbook (JB) and Poseung (PS) soil series are not only acidic (< 4.5) but also soil color is dark brown with reddish brown mottles. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses represent the major minerals are illite, kaolinite and quartz for BC, JB and PS soil series while quartz and illite are major minerals for Taehan (TH) and Gwangpo (GP) soil series. Silicon and aluminum dominant in the Ap and Bg horizons are significantly higher in the soil series of BC, JB and PS than those in TH and GP. Also, we found that the kaolinite particles of varying sizes are arranged in face-to-face patterns along with the presence of spherical particles of quartz, especially in BC, JB and PS. Index map and Locations of soil profile investigation pits and soil sampling points for five soil series within the experimental site at the RTFS within the Haenam Bay. Numerous dendritic streams on the wide tidal flat and main tidal channel (maximum depth of 25 m) comprise the coastal embayment.