Physical, chemical and biochemical properties of soil in a Korean landfill

The objective of the present study was to examine the following aspects of soil environment in a landfill site: soil respiration and physical, chemical and biochemical properties. The K-Bad and Y-Bad sites showed lower soil respiration and higher soil temperature than the K-Good and Y-Good sites. The study results showed that increasing soil temperature up to 30°C was very closely related with increasing soil respiration; however, soil respiration decreased over 30°C. Dehydrogenase activity increased with increasing organic carbon content. Dehydrogenase and phosphatase activities reacted sensitively to fluctuations in soil temperature. We considered that the high temperature obstructed the root growth and microbial activities. In the terrestrial ecosystem cycle, these results can have an indirectly negative effect on plant growth, by putting down roots and germination of other plant species, and have a direct effect on soil fertility for a long time.