Sodic soils are widespread in South Africa reflecting the predominance of sodium chloride in groundwaters and soil solutions.
Out and about on Op-Goedehoop, you will notice some work been done by the conservation team on the sodic site off leopards rock road.
Sodic soils are widespread in South Africa reflecting the predominance of sodium chloride in groundwaters and soil solutions. Sodic soils are subject to severe structural degradation and restrict plant performance through poor soil-water and soil-air relations. Sodicity is shown to be a latent problem in saline-sodic soils where deleterious effects are evident only after leaching profiles free of salts. A classification of sodic soils based on sodium adsorption ratio, pH and electrolyte conductivity is outlined.
Gypsum is a relatively common mineral that has a number of specialized agronomic uses, principally as a Ca source on legumes and as a soil conditioner on sodic soils. The purpose of this experiment is to document the different types of soil rehabilitation form brush packing to rock packing and then the use of gypsum.
by John Llewellyn