Soil reclamation: what is it and 6 types of activities, how to choose the right one

Soil reclamation refers to various types of work aimed at improving their composition and increasing returns for people. Most often, these activities have a close relationship with agriculture. They involve the use of different methods - chemical, thermal, cultural, hydraulic. All these procedures are aimed at improving the composition of the soil, cleansing and cleaning the landscape.

What is land reclamation

This term is understood as a significant improvement in soil structure through the implementation of a set of measures. Among the varieties of land reclamation, drainage and irrigation are considered the most significant.

Of great importance are cultural and technical works aimed at removing bushes and tussocks, strengthening loose sands, and agroforestry. Chemical methods may also be used. They involve the introduction of various substances. For example, liming is used for chernozem soil types.

Thanks to land reclamation, it is possible to maintain and improve soil fertility, increase yield parameters, and mitigate the impact of climatic factors. The main tasks of the procedure include the following:

Improvement of soils that are located in adverse conditions of the water regime. They manifest themselves as an excess or lack of moisture in comparison with the amount required for the effective use of the territory.
Improvement of lands that have unfavorable chemical and physical properties. These include heavy clay and silty soils, saline soil types, lands with high acidity parameters.
Improvement of soils that are subject to negative mechanical influence. It can be wind or water erosion, earth dispersal, landslides.

Process types

There are different types of soil reclamation, each of which has certain characteristics.

Hydroamelioration

The main task of hydrotechnical measures is considered to be the correction of the water regime. It is achieved through the implementation of drainage actions. The maximum efficiency of the procedure is observed with bilateral moisture regulation. An example is the combination of irrigation and land drainage.

Drying measures are aimed at normalizing excess moisture parameters on the treatment surface. Optimum indicators of soil moisture are mainly achieved by lowering the level of groundwater. As a result, it is required to create conditions for growing cultivated plants.

The essence of irrigation reclamation is the opposite. All activities are aimed at increasing the level of moisture in areas experiencing a shortage of natural water resources. Thanks to special work, it is possible to optimize atmospheric, soil and hydrological parameters. Thus, it is possible to increase the fertility of the soil.

Agroforestry

Agrotechnical measures are understood as a significant improvement in the agronomic characteristics of the soil due to the deepening and cultivation of the arable part. These actions are needed for areas with low humus content, low natural fertility, shallow humus horizon.

To improve the water regime of the soil, special processing techniques are used. To do this, use the creation of intermittent furrows, crevices, rollers, holes and other obstacles that interfere with the flow of water and snow.

Chemical reclamation

This type of reclamation aims to significantly improve the agrochemical and agrophysical characteristics of the land. Different procedures can be used for this:

Liming - is the enrichment of the soil with lime preparations. Most often, this procedure is carried out for non-chernozem soils. However, sometimes it is also performed for chernozems.
Gypsum - in such a situation, gypsum is applied, which reduces the alkalinity of the soil. This procedure is needed for s alt licks.
Acidification - in this case, the soil is acidified. Such activities are mainly used for areas where tea is planned to be grown.

It is also permissible to use other means - peat, defecation, compost, manure, green manure or other organic means that contribute to the enrichment of the earth.

Thermal

Such procedures are aimed at correcting the thermal regime of the soil. To do this, they carry out activities that help transform the granulometric composition of surface horizons. An example is the introduction of sand into peat soil.

Cultur altechnical

This term is understood as a set of technical measures aimed at improving the structure of the soil surface and the root horizon for growing cultivated plants. This can be achieved by cleaning stones, stumps, bumps. Pits can also be filled up and ramparts dismantled.

This type of soil improvement is worth using even in constantly cultivated fields, because over time they become clogged with stones and unwanted plants. These factors provoke a decrease in yield and can spoil the elements of agricultural machinery.When the fields are overgrown with weeds, their useful area is significantly reduced.

Forest reclamation

Forest plantations can be used to protect soils. This measure is considered an independent method of melioration. Forest belts contribute to the effective regulation of water flow. Therefore, the lands in the forests are almost not subject to erosion. This feature is typical for large agricultural enterprises. It is also observed in farms that need a water regulating element.

Thus, forest reclamation is an additional factor that helps to constantly create favorable hydrotechnical conditions.

Factors influencing choice

The choice of a specific reclamation method depends on a number of factors. The main indicator is the initial state of the soil.Oxidation or liming operations are carried out only when nutrition or restoration is necessary, when the soil structure is disturbed due to chemical imbalance. Thus, specialists should choose land reclamation methods taking into account the current situation.

Thus, when carrying out reclamation measures for podzolic soils, it is worth giving preference to drainage methods, since this type of soil is formed against the background of excess moisture. They also add special chemicals that retain and accumulate nutrients.

External factors are also of great importance when choosing a melioration method. The presence of a forest belt and climatic factors make adjustments to the structure of agrotechnical measures. Also, the choice of methods for improving the operational characteristics of the soil is influenced by the features of the future use of land. Each cultivated plant needs specific parameters of the composition of the earth.

Reclamation work is often used to improve soil structure and is actively used in agriculture. Today, modern tools and special technical means are chosen for this.