Calcareous soil study reveals key to stable soil structure formation.
Soil aggregates are important for soil structure stability. This study looked at how aggregates form in calcareous loess soil. Researchers studied soil samples from different time points after land reclamation. They found that adding organic matter helped form large aggregates. The small particles in the soil contained a lot of calcium carbonate, which helps hold the soil together. In young calcareous soils, organic matter helps form big aggregates, while calcium carbonate from the soil itself helps stabilize smaller aggregates. This shows that early soil development in loess material doesn't follow the usual hierarchy of soil types with high clay content.