The Challenge of Improving Coastal Mudflat Soil: Formation and Stability of Organo-mineral Complexes

The mudflats along the east coast of China can be important alternative sources for arable lands after amendment. The newly reclaimed mudflats as typical saline soils are not suitable for cultivation owing to high salinity and nutrient deficiencies. The key to amending mudflat saline soils into fertile soils is to reduce salinity in the top layer of soil. Salinity reduction is usually accomplished through rainfall and freshwater irrigation. However, lack of good soil aggregation status might attribute to salt solution rise through soil capillary. Increasing soil organic matter promoted the formation of organo-mineral complexes and clustered soil aggregates, which is a prerequisite of hindering re-salinization, improving fertility and facilitating the evolution of coastal mudflat soil into agricultural soil. Research on the formation of clustered soil aggregates during the evolution of mudflat soil into fertile soil should focus on the formation mechanism, influencing factors and regulatory mechanism of organo-mineral complexes in the early stage after organic matter enters the soil. In addition, exploration of the effects of the special properties of mudflat soil, for example, high saline, high pH and low levels of clay particles, on the formation and stability of organo-mineral complexes in soil is necessary. Research on this topic can provide scientific evidences to efficiently utilize organic resources and accelerate the evolution of mudflat soil into agricultural soil. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.