Sealing Effects on Properties of Urban Soils

Abstract

Surface sealing is one of the main causes of soil degradation . Soils are degraded by sealing in all developed countries (e.g. US, Japan, China ), and this phenomenon also has an increasing impact on soils in developing countries. Relatively large areas in the cities are sealed. The sealed soils are an essential component of urban landscapes and play a crucial role in urban ecosystems. Compared to unsealed soils, Ekranosols exert much lesser impact on the functioning of ecosystems in urban areas and provide fewer ecological functions. This chapter is extensive overview of research related to impact of soil sealing on physical, biological and chemical soil properties. Issues of classification of Ekranic soils is also discussed.