Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Dokdo Soil

Abstract

To understand the properties of soil in Dokdo, we collected soil samples from 12 locations on Seodo and 23 locations on Dongdo, in Dokdo of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province in 2007-2008 and analyzed the soil’s physical and chemical characteristics. Sand comprises the largest component (49.37%) of Dokdo soil, followed by silt (40.70%) and clay (9.93%). The soil structure consists mostly of sand loam, followed by loam and silt loam. The pH level of soils from Dokdo varied dramatically among sampling sites and seasons, ranging from 3.36 to 8.02. The total ion content of Dokdo soil also varies greatly among survey places and periods, but in general the total ion content was high in summer when vegetation develops, and low in spring. The exchangeable cation contents of the soil showed low levels in samples where the soil pH was low, including habitats dominated by Agropyron tsukushiense var. transiens and Echinochloa crus-galli, whereas the exchangeable cation contents were high where the organic contents were high, as in habitats dominated by Liriope platyphylla and Artemisia japonica subsp. littoricola. Soil N contents varied greatly among survey sites and higher N contents were found in soil inhabited by Chenopodiaceous plants than in habitats inhabited by other plants. The substantial differences in phosphorus contents among sites were related to excrement of black-tailed gulls. To understand the basic physical and chemical features of the soil on Dokdo, it will be necessary to conduct seasonal and long-term research on soil pH, ion contents, organic contents, N and P, as well as obtaining precise data from samples collected at different depths.