Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer ISSN:0367-6315(Print) 2288-2162(Online) 한국토양비료학회 학회지

Agricultural lands have decreased continuously because of urbanization, land consolidation, road construction, etc. Especially, rapidly urbanizing areas such as Cheongju-si in South Korea has the severe land-use change. In this regard, Our study was aimed investigating land-use changes including soil properties and soil information to provide the basic soil information and soil management practices in the region. The area of crop cultivated land of South Korea in 2016 reduced by 35,424 ha compared to that of 2014. The paddy and upland field decreased by 12,455 and 22,969 ha respectively. The reasons for the decrease of the paddy field are as follows: converting the paddy field to upland (22,780 ha) > others (3,646) > public facilities (2,740) > building (2,642) > idle land (1,439). The reasons for the increase of the upland filed are as follows: switching paddy to upland (22,780 ha) > others(5,330) > reclamation of upland (1,415). The main reason converting paddy field to upland was cultivating more profitable upland crops or fruit trees. The arable land in Chungju-si had been reduced by 1,087 ha in 2014 since 1999. The ratio of the reduced arable land was about 48%. Our results showed that paddy fields located in alluvial plains were changed into upland or green house. In particular, paddy fields have been changed to not only upland, orchard, greenhouse cultivation but also fallow land. Moreover, our research using 3686 soil codes (soil phases) and 3834.2 ha indicated that the number of soil series and soil phase increased to 74 and 160 from 65 and 126 individually. The largest increased area was Sachon (coarse loamy fluvaquentic endoaquepts) soil series 536.3 ha which were modified from the existing Yecheon, Sanju, Wolgog, and Seongsan soil series.

The various types of change of paddy field in Chungju-si.