Runoff and soil erosion from areas of burnt scrub: comparison of experimental results with those predicted by the WEPP model

The effects of burning on runoff and soil erosion from scrub-bearing hillslopes in northwest Spain were investigated by monitoring of experimental plots over a 4-year period. At the beginning of this period, two plots (BP1 and BP2) were subjected to low-intensity controlled burns, and two plots left as controls; in the year following the controlled burns, however, one of the control plots (plot WF) was burnt in a wildfire of higher intensity than the controlled burns. Runoff and erosion losses from the BP plots were only slightly higher than from the control plot, with the loss in no case exceeding 300 g m⁻² yr⁻¹. Erosion losses from plot WF were considerably higher (1314 g m⁻² over the 1st year post-burning, 8.5 times higher than from the control plot). These results were compared with those predicted using the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) hillslope model (Version 95.7). In general, WEPP predictions of total runoff volume over the study period were acceptable: coefficients of determination for the regression of predicted on observed values were 0.41, 0.68, 0.66 and 0.57 for the control plot and plots BP1, BP2 and WF, respectively. Erosion losses were likewise predicted with reasonable accuracy, though the model showed a consistent tendency to under-estimate, particularly with plot WF.     

The influence of tillage systems on soil organic matter and soil hydrophobicity

Management practices including various tillage systems influence quantity and composition of soil organic matter (SOM). Parameters for evaluating both the SOM quantity (organic C [C_ox], total N [N_t]) and quality (microbial biomass C, hydrophobic and hydrophilic organic components) were determined in soil samples, taken from two soil depths (0–0.1 m and 0.1–0.3 m) in a field experiment in the period 2001–2007, with different tillage systems. The experiment, founded in 1995 in Prague-Ruzyně, includes conventional soil tillage (CT) plus some selected methods of conservation tillage: (a) no tillage (NT), (b) no tillage + mulch (NTM), and (c) minimum tillage with pre-crop residues incorporated (MTS). C_ox and microbial biomass C contents increased significantly with conservation tillage as compared to CT in 0–0.1 m layer, non-significant increase was found in 0.1–0.3 m layer. N_t increased non-significantly in both layers. Along with the depth of sampling, the content of the characterized parameters decreased in all variants; but the decrease in the conventionally tilled variant was, for the most part, lower than in the conservation tillage. The functional hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups of soil organic matter were identified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and the hydrophobic/hydrophilic group intensities ratio was calculated as the parameter of soil hydrophobicity. A higher soil hydrophobicity existed in all three conservation tillage treatments compared to CT due to the significantly higher content of hydrophobic organic components. C_ox correlated significantly with microbial biomass C, N_t, hydrophobic components, and soil hydrophobicity (R = 0.552–0.654; P < 0.05). Hydrophilic components did not correlate with other soil characteristics, with the exception of hydrophobic components. These data show that shifting from CT to the conservation tillage systems increased the content of SOM in top soil layer in relatively short time, improved the SOM quality and increased soil hydrophobicity in the condition of experiment.     

Tillage and crop management effects on soil erosion in central Croatia

Soil erosion continues to be a primary cause for soil degradation and the loss of soil quality throughout the world. Our objectives were to quantify soil erosion (referred to as erosional drift) and to assign erosion risk to six tillage and crop management treatments evaluated from 1995 to 1999 for a 5-year maize (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine hyspida L.), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), oil-seed rape (Brassica napus var. oleifera L.), and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plus double-crop soybean rotation on Stagnic Luvisols in central Croatia. Standard black fallow (tilled, unsown, and without any vegetative cover) Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) plots were used to establish the erosion potential associated with the rainfall pattern for each year. Soil loss from the check plots was several times greater than the T value, which is estimated to be 10 t ha⁻¹ per year. During the 2 years when spring seeded maize or soybean were grown (1995 and 1996) erosion risk was extremely high, especially for treatments where tillage and planting (row direction) were up and down the slope. When autumn seeded winter wheat or oil-seed rape were grown (1996/1997 or 1997/1998), soil erosion was insignificant. Also, except when plowing and sowing were up and down slope, erosion loss for the spring barley plus double-crop soybean crops in 1999 was insignificant. With no-tillage, soil erosion from the maize and soybean crops was reduced 40 and 65% compared to plowing up and down slope, even though the planting direction was still up and down the slope. With the exception of maize in 1995, erosion losses were moderate to insignificant when plowing and planting were performed across the slope. We conclude that erosion risk can be used as a reliable indicator of sustainable land management and that using no-tillage or plowing and planting perpendicular to the predominant slope are effective soil conservation practices for this region.     

The influence of afforestation and tree species on soil methane fluxes from shallow organic soils at the UK Gisburn Forest Experiment

There is growing evidence that land use is an important factor in influencing soil methane (CH₄) fluxes, and afforestation is viewed as a potential tool for mitigating CH₄ releases from soils. However, the influence of different tree species on soil CH₄ fluxes is not well understood. We measured soil CH₄ fluxes under four tree species and grassland on similar soils at the Gisburn Experimental Forest (NW England) at 2 weekly intervals over 12 months using a static chamber technique. The treatments were Norway spruce (Picea abies), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), oak (Quercus petraea), alder (Alnus glutinosa) and grassland. Positive soil CH₄ fluxes were observed from grassland plots (average 4.6 kg/ha/year) and negative fluxes from all four tree species (average of all tree species ?0.5 kg/ha/year). There were, however, no statistically significant differences between individual treatments. Soil water table depth and moisture content had the greatest influence on soil CH₄ fluxes. It is possible that the afforestation of shallow organic and/or poorly drained soils such as these may have a relatively low capacity for mitigating CH₄ fluxes. Although methanotrophic bacteria may exist (i.e. there is the potential for oxidation), they may not be able to dominate due to their requirements for specific environmental conditions.     

The influence of variation in soil copper on the yield and nutrition of cauliflower grown in organic soil microplots

Abstract

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea Botrytis cv. Snow Crown) was grown in field microplots of an organic soil containing residual fertilizer Cu varying from 81 to 1063 ppm (w/w) as a result of three levels of Cu applications made in the previous two seasons. The variation in soil‐Cu was found to have no significant influence on the yield, nutrition or copper status of the crop.     

The influence of organic matter in reducing the destabilization of soil by simulated tillage

Different agricultural practices can result in a decline in soil organic carbon (SOC) and a consequent reduction in soil structural stability. Experiments were conducted on soils with a range of SOC values, to quantify the destabilizing effects of increased tillage intensity. Different tillage intensity was simulated with the use of a falling weight, where specific energy levels, similar to those experienced during tillage, were reproduced. The level of destabilization was assessed by the quantity of mechanically dispersed clay (using a turbidimetric technique) and the quantity of water-stable aggregates (WSA) > 0.25 mm remaining after being shaken in water.

The quantity of clay dispersed increased with increasing water content, in the absence of any mechanical pretreatment, the rate of increase rising sharply with declining SOC. Following simulated tillage, and at water contents above the plastic limit, clay dispersion increased in proportion to the energy of disruption, and also increased with decreasing SOC levels. Below the plastic limit all the soils were relatively insensitive to mechanical disruption. A simple empirical model was derived to link clay dispersion to SOC, water content and energy of disruption.

The proportion of WSA declined sharply with decreasing SOC, and to a lesser extent following tillage. The quantity of WSA following simulated intensive tillage (300 J kg⁻¹) of grassland (SOC, 2.8–3.2 g (100 g)⁻¹) was greater than that present, prior to tillage from fallow, arable and arable/ley rotation treatments (SOC 1.1–2.5 g (100 g)⁻¹). Aggregate tensile strength was found to be relatively insensitive to differences in SOC. However, variations of strength within treatments, an indicator of soil friability, increased in proportion with SOC. A turbidity index was derived in which the turbidity of natural and remoulded aggregates was compared. Variation of this index with increasing mechanical energy is used as an indicator of the sensitivity of soils to damage during tillage. A visual representation is constructed to link the sensitivity of soils to damage during tillage with both SOC and water potential. These experiments illustrate that management practices, which lead to a long term reduction in SOC, are responsible for an increase in aggregate strength and reduction in stability plus an increase in sensitivity of soils to structural decline following subsequent tillage.     

The influence of variations in soil copper on the yield and nutrition of spinach grown in microplots on two organic soils

Abstract

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L. cv. Symphony) was grown in spring 1982 in field microplots of an organic soil (site I a mucky peat) containing 81 to 1063 μg Cu.g^‐1 soil, and cv. America of the same crop taken in summer 1982 on a peaty organic soil (site II) varying in Cu content from 13 to 1659 μg.g^‐1. The variations in soil Cu were mainly due to three rates of Cu applications in 1978 at site II and in 1979 at site I. At site I, the diversity in soil‐Cu had no effect on yield or foliar‐Cu levels in the crop. At site II soil‐Cu was positively correlated with yield and foliar Cu; and negatively with leaf Fe due to a dilution effect. Neither soil Cu nor foliar Cu had any significant effect on Mo in leaves at both sites, except that the increase in yield due to the highest level of Cu at site II was accompanied by an increased plant uptake of Mo. Also, foliar Cu was positively correlated with P, Mg and Mn levels in leaves at site I; and foliar Ca, Mg and Mn at site II.

Residual soil Cu up to 1063 μg.g^‐1 in a mucky peat and 16 59 μg.g^‐1 in a peat showed no signs of causing phytotoxocity or significant nutritional imbalance.     

Soil fauna alter the effects of litter composition on nitrogen cycling in a mineral soil

Plant chemical composition and the soil community are known to influence litter and soil organic matter decomposition. Although these two factors are likely to interact, their mechanisms and outcomes of interaction are not well understood. Studies of their interactive effects are rare and usually focus on carbon dynamics of litter, while nutrient dynamics in the underlying soil have been ignored. A potential mechanism of interaction stems from the role fauna plays in regulating availability of litter-derived materials in the mineral soil. We investigated the role of soil fauna (meso, macro) in determining the effect of surface-litter chemical composition on nitrogen mineralization and on the micro-food web in mineral soils. In a field setting we exposed mineral soil to six types of surface-applied litter spanning wide ranges of multiple quality parameters and restricted the access of larger soil animals to the soils underlying these litters. Over six months we assessed litter mass and nitrogen loss, nitrogen mineralization rates in the mineral soils, and soil microbes and microfauna. We found evidence that the structure of the soil community can alter the effect of surface-litter chemical composition on nitrogen dynamics in the mineral soil. In particular, we found that the presence of members of the meso- and macrofauna can magnify the control of nitrogen mineralization by litter quality and that this effect is time dependent. While fauna were able to affect the size of the micro-food web they did not impact the effect of litter composition on the abundance of the members of the micro-food web. By enhancing the strength of the impact of litter quality on nitrogen dynamics, the larger fauna can alter nitrogen availability and its temporal dynamics which, in turn, can have important implications for ecosystem productivity. These findings contribute to evidence demonstrating that soil fauna shape plant litter effects on ecosystem function.     

The longevity of hillslope soil in SE and NW Australia

The cosmogenic nuclide ¹⁰Be that is produced in the atmosphere and falls out in rainfall (‘garden-variety’ ¹⁰Be) is used at a site in SE Australia and one in NW Australia to estimate soil formation rates and natural erosion rates. Soil formation rates of 1–7 m/Ma are found at the SE Australian site, while higher rates of 10–27 m/Ma are found in NW Australia. These are compared with estimates of modern erosion rates based on surveys of sedimentation in farm dams or ¹³⁷Cs in hillslope soils. In both cases, modern erosion rates are markedly higher than either soil formation rates or natural erosion rates measured here. At the NW Australian site, the ¹⁰Be data are complemented by measurements of in situ³⁶Cl in nearby limestone cuesta surfaces. These show that the hard-rock surfaces are eroding more slowly than the soils, and that relief is therefore increasing in this landscape. This contribution to a small but growing body of studies of the likely longevity of hillslope soils in Australia shows that ‘garden-variety’ ¹⁰Be can be a very useful tracer, but only if its transport both within the solum and saprolite is taken in account.     

石漠化综合治理对喀斯特高原山地土壤生态系统的影响

为研究石漠化综合治理对喀斯特高原山地土壤生态系统的影响,以贵州省毕节鸭池示范区石桥小流域为例,结合石漠化综合治理工作的开展,对小流域内的土壤侵蚀状况、土壤理化性质和土壤呼吸强度等进行动态监测,探讨土壤生态系统的演变规律。结果表明:通过采取一系列的生物工程措施,小流域内土壤侵蚀得到控制,各种水土保持措施减沙效果明显,从而减少负熵的输出,使系统向"有序"状态发展;通过对不同等级石漠化土壤有机质及C/N比值的研究,得出土壤有机质与全氮含量呈显著相关性(P<0.01),随着石漠化综合治理的开展,土壤肥力结构得到优化;土壤呼吸强度在某种程度上也可以作为反映石漠化综合治理综合效应的间接指标,但这种相关性还有待进一步论证。通过以上研究旨在提高生态监测整体能力,为喀斯特石漠化综合治理提供决策支持。     

Use of Cs to estimate tillage- and water-induced soil redistribution rates on agricultural land under different use and management in central-south Chile

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the applicability of conventional ¹³⁷Cs sampling and a simplified approach, for estimating medium-term tillage- and water-induced soil erosion and sedimentation rates on agricultural land in Chile. For this purpose, four study sites under contrasting land use and management were selected in central-south Chile. First, a conventional ¹³⁷Cs approach, based on grid sampling was applied, adapting a mass balance conversion model incorporating soil movement by tillage to the site specific conditions of the study region. Secondly, using the same conversion model, the feasibility of estimating soil redistribution rates from measurements of ¹³⁷Cs inventories based on composite soil samples taken along contour lines was also tested at all four sites. The redistribution rates associated with tillage and water and the total rates estimated using both methods correlated strongly at all four sites. The conventional method provides more detailed information concerning the redistribution processes operating over the landscape. The simplified method is suitable for assessing soil loss and sediment accumulation in areas exhibiting simple topography and almost similar slopes along the contour lines. Under these conditions, this method permits faster estimation of soil redistribution rates, providing the possibility of estimating soil redistribution rates over larger areas in a shorter time. In order to optimise the costs and benefits of the methods, the sampling and inventory quantification strategy must be selected according to the resolution of the required information, and the scale and complexity of the landscape relief. Higher tillage- and water-induced erosion rates were observed in the annually ploughed cropland sites than in the semi-permanent grassland sites. Subsistence managed crop and grassland sites also show greater erosion effects than the commercially managed sites. The ¹³⁷Cs methods used permit discrimination between redistribution rates observed on agricultural land under different land use and management. The ¹³⁷Cs technique must be seen as an efficient method for estimating medium-term soil redistribution rates, and for planning soil conservation and sustainable agricultural production under the climatic conditions and the soil type of the region of Chile investigated.     

A comparison of the texture of grassland and eroded sandy soils from Shropshire, UK

In previous studies, periodic sampling of topsoils on runoff plots on sandy soils at the Hilton experimental site, Shropshire, UK, suggested erosion decreased the topsoil clay content and increased the coarse fraction. However, a comparison of soil and sediment properties suggested erosion selectively removed sand. Therefore, to cross-check the effects of erosion on soil properties, topsoil samples were collected from bare, eroded runoff plots and compared with samples from adjacent non-eroded grassland. Bare, eroded soil was stonier and particularly deficient in sand compared with grassed soil. Textural differences were very marked in the medium and coarse sands, especially the 0.5–1.0 mm fraction. On the basis of mean properties, the grassed soil was a very slightly stony loamy sand and the bare soil a slightly stony sandy loam. Soil organic matter was significantly less in the bare soils than the grassed soils and thus may have contributed to the higher erodibility of sands in bare soils.     

Soil cultivation effects on sediment and phosphorus mobilization in surface runoff from three contrasting soil types in England

To encourage the adoption of best management practices in a priority catchment (Hampshire Avon) in south-west England suffering from diffuse pollution, field demonstration areas were established over a 2-year period on three major soil types (a Chalk soil with an 8° slope, a Greensand soil on a 5° slope and an underdrained Clay soil with a 1° slope). Within each demonstration area, three replicate runoff plots measuring 15 m long and 2 m wide and each containing a tramline were established to monitor the effectiveness of cultivation date (early versus late) and cultivation method (traditional versus reduced) on suspended sediment and P mobilization in surface runoff. Reduced cultivation consisted of heavy discing (5–8 cm depth) instead of ploughing (20–25 cm depth). Soil cultivation effects were variable and site specific depending on weather, inherent soil susceptibility to structural degradation and management. Surface sealing of the Greensand soil, tramline compaction on the Chalk soil and direction of drilling on the Clay soil were key contributing factors. Late cultivation increased surface runoff up to 5-fold and mobilization of sediment and P by up to an order of magnitude compared to early drilling using traditional cultivation techniques. Concentrations of sediment and P in runoff from the Greensand and Chalk soils were consistently lower when the soil was minimally tilled than ploughed, even though a range of soil physical measurements indicated greater soil consolidation where the soil was not inverted. The benefits of reduced cultivation were attributed to better surface cover and a firmer surface for tractor wheelings. Early drilling, timeliness of cultivation to avoid soil compaction, better tramline management and reduced cultivation techniques would help reduce agriculture's impact on water quality in the catchment area.     

Interactive effects from combining fertilizer and organic residue inputs on nitrogen transformations

Concerns about sustainability of agroecosystems management options in developed and developing countries warrant improved understanding of N cycling. The Integrated Soil Fertility Management paradigm recognizes the possible interactive benefits of combining organic residues with mineral fertilizer inputs on agroecosystem functioning. However, these beneficial effects may be controlled by residue quality. This study examines the controls of inputs on N cycling across a gradient of (1) input, (2) residue quality, and (3) texture. We hypothesized that combining organic residue and mineral fertilizers would enhance potential N availability relative to either input alone. Residue and fertilizer inputs labeled with ¹⁵N (40–60 atom% ¹⁵N) were incubated with 200 g soil for 545 d in a microcosm experiment. Input treatments consisted of a no-input control, organic residues (3.65 g C kg⁻¹ soil, equivalent to 4 Mg C ha⁻¹), mineral N fertilizer (100 mg N kg⁻¹ soil, equivalent to 120 kg N ha⁻¹), and a combination of both with either the residue or fertilizer ¹⁵N-labeled. Zea mays stover inputs were added to four differently textured soils (sand, sandy loam, clay loam, and clay). Additionally, inputs of three residue quality classes (class I: Tithonia diversifolia, class II: Calliandra calothyrsus, class III: Z. mays stover) were applied to the clay soil. Available N and N₂O emissions were measured as indicators for potential plant N uptake and N losses. Combining residue and fertilizer inputs resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) negative interactive effect on total extractable mineral N in all soils. This interactive effect decreased the mineral N pool, due to an immobilization of fertilizer-derived N and was observed up to 181 d, but generally became non-significant after 545 d. The initial reduction in mineral N might lead to less N₂O losses. However, a texture effect on N₂O fluxes was observed, with a significant interactive effect of combining residue and fertilizer inputs decreasing N₂O losses in the coarse textured soils, but increasing N₂O losses in the fine textured soils. The interactive effect on mineral N of combining fertilizer with residue changed from negative to positive with increasing residue quality. Our results indicate that combining fertilizer with medium quality residue has the potential to change N transformations through a negative interactive effect on mineral N. We conclude that capitalizing on interactions between fertilizer and organic residues allows for the development of sustainable nutrient management practices.     

Direct effects of litter decomposition on soil dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in a tropical rainforest

To clarify how litter decomposition processes affect soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and soil dissolved nitrogen (DN) dynamics, we conducted a field experiment on leaf litter and collected DOC and DN from the underlying soil in a tropical rainforest in Xishuangbanna, southwest China. Principal components analysis (PCA) showed the first PCA axis (corresponding to degraded litter quantity and quality) explained 61.3% and 71.2% of variation in DOC and DN concentrations, respectively. Stepwise linear regression analysis indicated that litter carbon mass controlled DOC and hemicellulose mass controlled DN concentrations. Litter decomposition was the predominant factor controlling surface-soil DOC and DN dynamics in this tropical rainforest.     

The effects of organic inputs over time on soil aggregate stability - A literature analysis

Since the beginning of the last century, many studies have reported evidence describing the effects of organic inputs on soil aggregate stability. In 1965, Monnier proposed a conceptual model that considers different patterns of temporal effects on aggregate stability depending on the nature of the organic inputs: easily decomposable products have an intense and transient effect on aggregate stability while more recalcitrant products have a lower but longer term effect. We confronted this conceptual model with a literature review of experimental data from laboratory and field experiments. This literature analysis validated the conceptual model proposed by Monnier and pointed out gaps in our current knowledge concerning the relationships between aggregate stability and organic inputs. Noticeably, the experimental dataset confirmed the biological and temporal effects of organic inputs on aggregate stability as proposed in the model. Monnier's model also related the evolution of aggregate stability to different microbial decomposing agents, but this relationship was not made clear in this literature analysis. No direct or universal relationship was found between the aggregative factors induced by organic input decomposition (binding molecules or decomposers of biomass) and temporal aggregate stability dynamics. This suggests the existence of even more complex relationships. The model can be improved by considering (i) the direct abiotic effect of some organic products immediately after the inputs, (ii) the initial biochemical characteristics of the organic products and (iii) the effects of organic products on the various mechanisms of aggregate breakdown. For now, no trend is evident in the effect of the rate of organic inputs or the effect of the soil characteristics (essentially carbon and clay contents) on aggregate stability.     

The effects of land uses on soil erosion in Spain: A review

Soil erosion is a key factor in Mediterranean environments, and is not only closely related to geoecological factors (lithology, topography, and climatology) but also to land-use and plant cover changes. The long history of human activity in Spain explains the development of erosion landscapes and sedimentary structures (recent alluvial plains, alluvial fans, deltas and flat valleys infilled of sediment). For example, the expansion of cereal agriculture and transhumant livestock between the 16th and 19th centuries resulted in episodes of extensive soil erosion. During the 20th century farmland abandonment prevailed in mountain areas, resulting in a reduction of soil erosion due to vegetation recolonization whereas sheet-wash erosion, piping and gullying affected abandoned fields in semi-arid environments. The EU Agrarian Policy and the strengthening of national and international markets encouraged the expansion of almond and olive orchards into marginal lands, including steep, stony hill slopes. Vineyards also expanded to steep slopes, sometimes on new unstable bench terraces, thus leading to increased soil erosion particularly during intense rainstorms. The expansion of irrigated areas, partially on salty and poorly structured soils, resulted in piping development and salinization of effluents and the fluvial network. The trend towards larger fields and farms in both dry farming and irrigated systems has resulted in a relaxation of soil conservation practices.     

不同覆砂厚度对土壤水盐运移影响的实验研究

采用室内土柱模拟试验,研究了不同覆砂厚度条件下土壤潜水蒸发及蒸发后盐分(EC)分布特征,并就覆砂厚度对土壤水盐运移的影响进行了分析。结果表明:覆砂厚度对潜水蒸发的抑制率有显著效果,且抑制率随覆砂厚度的增加而升高,如当覆砂厚度1.7 cm时抑制率达到83%,当覆砂增加到3.6 cm和5.7 cm时,抑制率分别为95%和97%;土壤表层覆砂具有显著的抑盐效应,通过覆砂明显的减轻了土壤盐分向上运移和表聚,如当覆砂厚度1.7 cm时,表层盐分抑制率达到83%,当覆砂厚度为3.6 cm与5.7 cm时,盐分抑制率则分别上升到96%和97%。本试验表明,土壤表层覆砂是一种防止土壤水分蒸发,提高土壤保水能力和抑制土壤盐分表聚的有效方法,覆砂厚度达到3.6 cm是一种在新疆北疆绿洲合理覆砂厚度。     

不同类型植被的水土保持与涵养水源能力的探讨——以小良热带人工林为例

本文通过对小良热带人工阔叶混交林、桉林、光坡地的地表径流、水土流失、土壤含水量、地下水位的研究,探讨不同植被的水土保持与涵养水源能力的关系,对热带地区侵蚀地治理的植物配置具有指导意义。     

The extractable trace element content of acid soils and the influence of pH,organic matter and clay content

Abstract

The analysis of extractable trace elements was carried out on 434 soils using 0.1 N HC1 as the extractant for copper, manganese, iron, zinc and cobalt, 0.2 M ammonium oxalate at pH 3.0 for molybdenum and boiling water for boron. Results indicated that on the average from about 1 to 20 percent of the total element content of the soil uas extractable, the percentage varying with the element. Comparing the amount of extractable elements in the 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm layers indicated that only manganese, zinc and boron were significantly different.

Correlation studies showed that the pH significantly influenced the quantity of manganese, iron, zinc and boron extracted, while organic matter influenced copper, manganese, zinc, cobalt and boron and clay content the copper, manganese, iron, zinc, cobalt and boron.