Soil Salinity Influencing Plant Stands on the Reclaimed Tidal Flats of Kyonggi-Bay in the Midwestern Coast of Korea

초록

To identify controlling factors for spatial variation of vegetation in reclaimed tidal flats, plant stands were investigated in a newly reclaimed as well as three matured tidal flats, and a natural tidal flat in the midwest coast of Korea. Electrical conductivity of saturated soil extract (ECe) was measured to assess soil salinity. Soil salinity differed significantly among plant stands. Depending on soil salinity, plant species showed different niches: glycophyte predominated low saline spots, halophyte predominated high saline spots. Soil salinity for each plant habitats was in order of as follow: bare soil or plant wilted > mixed pioneer halophyte > pioneer halophyte > mixed with pioneer halophyte and facultative halophyte > mixed facultative halophyte > facultative halophyte > mixed with facultative halophyte and glycophyte > glycophyte > mixed glycophyte stands. These results suggested that plant distribution might have been influenced by spatial edaphic gradient (soil salinity), and thus it could be utilized as an indicator for field soil salinity gradient. Relationship between soil salinity and plant distribution was not different among the aged reclaimed tidal flats, suggesting that the vegetative population might have changed into a similar direction since the reclamation.

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