• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.370-377
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• 2014

There are very few studies about soil chemical and biological properties under tropical dry evergreen forest Coromandel Coast, India. The present study was conducted in six tropical dry evergreen forests sites such as Oorani, Puthupet, Vadaagram, Kotthatai, Sendrakillai and Palvathunnan. We measured the quantity of soil chemical, biological properties and selected soil microorganisms for investigating the impacts of soil microbial populations on soil chemical and biological properties. The result showed that total N, P, Ca, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Co, exchangeable K, Olson P, extractable Ca and phosphobacterial population were higher in the soil from Kothattai forest site. Organic carbon, total Mg, extractable Na, soil respiration, ${\beta}$-glucosidase activity, bacterial population, fungi population and actinomycetes population were higher in the soil from Palvathunn forest site. Total K, $NH_4{^+}$-N, $NO_3{^-}$-N, exchangeable K, extractable Ca, extractable Na, azotobacter population, bacillus population and rhizobacteria population were higher in the soil from Sendrakillai. Beijerinckia population, rhizobacteria and soluble sodium were higher in Puthupet forest soil. Total Si, total Na and exchangeable K were higher in soil from Oorani forest site. Total Mo and exchangeable K were higher in the soil from Vadaagaram forest site. The results showed that organic carbon, total N, $NH_4{^+}$-N, $NO_3{^-}$-N, extractable P, extractable Ca, soil respiration and ${\beta}$-glucosidase were significantly correlated with soil microbial populations. Therefore soil microorganisms are important factor for maintaining soil quality in tropical dry evergreen forest.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.56-64
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• 2017

Soil quality has been regarded as an important factor for maintaining sustainability of ecosystem. Main purpose of this research was i) to select minimum factor for predicting biomass, and ii) to calculate soil quality index for biomass according to soil chemical properties. Result showed that soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter (SOM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and available phosphorus are minimum data set for calculating biomass production in soil. Selected representative soil chemical properties were evaluated for soil quality index and rated from 1 to 5 (1 is the best for biomass production). Percentage of each grade in terms of biomass production in national wide was 14.52, 35.23, 33.03, 6.47, 10.75% respectively. Although, only soil chemical properties were evaluated for calculating optimum soil quality, result of this research can be useful to understand basic protocol of soil quality assessment in national wide.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.88-96
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• 2007

Organic farming systems based on ecological concepts have the potential to produce sustainable crop yields with no decline in soil and environmental qualities. Recent expansion of sustainable agricultural systems, including organic farming, has brought about need for development of sustainable farming systems based on value judgments for key properties of importance for farming. Chemical and microbiological properties were chosen as indicators of soil quality and measured at soil depth intervals of 5-20 and 20-35 cm in conventional and organic-based apple orchards located in Yeongchun, Gyeongbuk. The orchards were two adjacent fields to ensure the same pedological conditions except management system. Soil pH in organic farming was around 7.5, whereas below 6.0 in conventional farming. Organic farming resulted in significant increases in organic matter and Kjeldahl-N contents compared to those found with conventional management. Microbial populations, biomass C, and enzyme activities (except acid phosphatase) in apple orchard soil of organic farming were higher than those found in conventional farming. Higher microbial quotient ($C_{mic}/C_{org}$ ratio) and lower microbial metabolic quotient for $CO_2(qCO_2)$ in organic farming confirmed that organic farming better conserves soil organic carbon. Biological soil quality indicators showed significant positive correlations with soil organic matter content. These results indicate organic-based farming positively affected soil organic matter content, thus improving soil chemical and biological qualities.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.500-505
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• 2014

In recent years, organic ginseng cultivation has increased because customers prefer organic ginseng products due to the morphological quality as well as the safety such as the residuals of chemically-synthesized pesticides. Therefore, some of paddy and upland fields were converted into organic ginseng fields. Soil chemical properties, soil microflora, and soil-inhabiting animals were investigated in paddy-converted and upland organic ginseng fields in Sangju city, Korea. There was few difference in the soil chemical properties, and the soil nutrient concentrations, such as nitrate-N, Av. $P_2O_5$ between the two field types, and exchangeable cations such as K and Ca were within the ranges which are recommended by the standard ginseng-farming manual. Changes in microflora were also assessed by analyzing phospholipid fatty acid composition. Overall, indicators of microbial groups were greater in the upland field than in the paddy-converted soil, but they were not significantly different. In addition, there was no significant change in the abundance of nematodes, collembolans, and mites between the two field types probably because of the high variation within the field types. In this study, it was suggested that soil chemical and biological properties for organic ginseng cultivation were greatly influenced by the variation of topography and soil management practices rather than field types. Further study may be needed to investigate the influence of these factors on soil chemical and biological properties in organic ginseng soils.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2007

The relationships between the cover of herbaceous species and 15 soil chemical properties (organic carbon contents, total N, available P, exchangeable K, Na, Ca and Mg, HCl-extractable Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in nine poorly controlled waste landfill sites in Korea were examined by correlation analysis and multiple regression equations. Species showed different patterns of correlation between their cover values and soil chemical properties. The cover of Ambrosia artemisiifolia var. elatior, Aster subulatus var. sandwicensis and Erechtites hieracifolia were negatively correlated with the contents of Fe, Mn and Ni within landfill soils. Total cover of all species in quadrats was positively correlated with the contents of Cd and negatively correlated with the contents of Mn and Fe from stepwise regression analysis with 15 soil properties. Canonical correspondence analysis demonstrated that the distribution of native and exotic plants on poorly controlled landfills was significantly influenced by the contents of Na and Ca in soils, respectively.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.451-456
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• 1998

To find out the repeated application effect of chicken and pig manure composts on tomato growth and soil physico-chemical properties, different rates of the composts were applied to greenhouse soils with low fertility for 3 years and tomato was grown annually. As application rate of compost increased, the growth and fruit yield of tomato increased markedly, and there are also a little increase in sugar content in fruit juice and weight per fruit. When only compost was applied, however, physical and chemical properties in soil showed to be unbalanced such as significantly low bulk density and hardness, and high porosity as well as high organic matter and exchangeable K content, and low exchangeable Ca content than those of optimum range for soil diagnosis. Therefore mixed use of compost and chemical fertilizer is more promising way than the only use of compost to make suitable physico-chemical properties for tomato growth.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.308-312
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• 2013

The monitoring of chemical dynamic changes in controlled horticultural lands is very important for agricultural sustainability. Field monitoring was performed to evaluate the soil chemical properties of 200 controlled horticultural soil samples in Gyeongnam province every 4 years from 2000 to 2012. Soil chemical properties such as pH, amount of organic matter, available phosphate, nitrate nitrogen, and exchangeable potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium were analyzed. The amount of exchangeable calcium and soil pH were significantly higher in 2012 than in 2000. In 2012, the frequency distribution for values of pH, organic matter, available phosphate, and exchangeable potassium, calcium, and magnesium that were within the optimum range was 16.0%, 22.5%, 11.5%, 3.5%, 2.5%, and 5.0%, respectively. Especially, available phosphate and exchangeable calcium were excess level with portions of 76.0% and 96.5%, respectively. These results indicated that a balanced management of soil chemical properties can reduce the amount of fertilizer applied for sustainable agriculture in controlled horticultural lands.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.234-241
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• 2007

Biological amendments consisting of suspensions of selected microorganisms are often used in conjunction with various organic materials for amending soils to improve soil quality and plant growth. The effects of the biological amendment on chemical and biological properties of soil were investigated for a biological amendmentalone and when combined with different organic materials includingmunicipal compost (MC), poultry litter (PL), and cover crops (red clover (RC) and spring oats). A liquid preparation of a biological amendment called Effective Microorganisms was sprayed on the tested plots three times over a two-year period. Effective Microorganisms alone did not influence pH, K, or organic matter content in soil. However, increases in P in PL-treated soils in fall of both years andCa in MC-treated soil in fall 2001, and decreases in Ca, Mg, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) in RC-planted soil were associated with EM. Increased dehydrogenase(DH) activitiesassociated with Effective Microorganismswere only detected in July (P=0.0222) and October (P=0.0834) for RC-planted soils in the first year. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysisappeared to be enhanced by Effective Microorganisms in soils untreated or treated with MC and oatsbut only sporadically during the sampling period. FDA hydrolysis in both PL- and RC-treated soils as well as DH activity in PL-treated soils decreased with Effective Microorganisms treatment. Effective Microorganisms did not influence substrate utilization patterns expressed by the BIOLOG assay. We conclude that Effective Microorganisms effects on soil chemical and biological properties varied depending on the added organic materials. Effective Microorganisms periodically increased soil DH activity and FDA hydrolysis with RC and with MC plus oats, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.487-493
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• 2013

The effects of long-term fertilization on soil biological properties and microbial community structure in the plough layer in a rice paddy soil in southern Korea were investigated in relation to the continuous application of chemical fertilizers (NPK), straw based compost (Compost), combination these two (NPK + Compost) for last 40 years. No fertilization plot (Control) was installed for comparison. Though fertilization significantly improved rice productivity over control, the long-term fertilization of NPK and compost combination was more effective on increasing rice productivity and soil nutrient status than single application of compost or chemical fertilizer. All fertilization treatments had shown significant improvement in soil microbial properties, however, continuous compost fertilization markedly increased soil enzyme and microbial activities as compared to sole chemical fertilization. Results of microbial community structure, evaluated by EL-FAME (ester-linked fatty acid methyl esters) method, revealed big difference among Control, NPK, and Compost. However, both Compost and Compost+NPK treatments belonged to the same cluster after statistical analysis. The combined application of chemical fertilizer and organic amendments could be more rational strategy to improve soil nutrient status and promote soil microbial communities than the single chemical fertilizer or compost application.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2005

USGA green specification is currently accepted in construction method of Korea. This study was carried out to find the factors influencing growth of turfgrass associated with soil physical properties of soil root-zone on golf green constructed with USGA method. Three putting greens in poor turfgrass and one in good turfgrass condition were selected for investigation on one golf course site at mid-South Korean peninsula. Soil hardness, moisture content, root length, and turf density were measured on-site greens, and soil physical properties and soil chemical properties also analyzed in laboratory. As a result of on-site surveys and soil physical tests in laboratory, soil physical properties were most important factors which influenced on turfgrass growth at tested greens. The results of soil particle analysis on green No. 2, in good turf condition, matched USGA sand particle recommendations. But those greens such as Nos. 1, 11 and 16, in poor putting greens, showed high soil compaction and improper soil particle distribution. Those factors created low leaf density, poor root depth, and higher moisture content compared with lower part of topsoil. Such phenomena caused inadequate turfgrass growth with soil hardening associated with poor drainage. Therefore, declines of soil physical properties associated with improper particle distribution caused a major factor influencing on turfgrass growth in golf green. Adequate test of soil particle analysis by USGA specification and proper construction method followed by adequate turf maintenance should be performed to obtain optimal turf quality on putting green.