Effects of Acid Deposition on Forest Soils in Northernmost Russia: Modelled and Field Data

In addition to strong natural stresses forest ecosystems in the Kola Subarctic, Russia, receive high loads of sulphur and heavy metals from the nickel smelter. To estimate soil response to acid deposition we compared the soil field data along a pollution gradient and simulated time effects. Multivariate technique was applied to investigate spatial distribution of soil field data. Time response of soils to acid deposition was evaluated with the SMART model. According to field observations there is no evidence for strong soil acidification effects close to the smelter. Concentrations of exchangeable Ca and base saturation increase, while acidity decrease in lower soil mineral horizons towards the pollution source. However, some features seem to reflect the early stages of the started acidification. Most soil profiles have low pH values. Despite increasing of exchangeable Ca and Mg towards the smelter in lower mineral horizons due to geological inheritance, they do not reveal the same trends in the upper ones. Concentration of exchangeable K in organic horizons decreases towards the smelter, thus confirming the starting acidification. As result, exchangeable base cations are depleted in the considerable part of shallow soil profiles. According to model simulation the present acid load does not effect considerably on forest soils in background areas, however, dramatic shift in soil chemistry near the smelter is expected within several decades. Due to low pool of exchangeable base cations and low weathering rate continued acid deposition can lead to increased soil acidification and nutrient imbalance.     

Effects of Atmospheric Sea-Salt Deposition on Soils and Freshwaters in Northeast Scotland

The majority of Scottish upland soils are particularly sensitive to acid deposition because of their low weathering rates. The compositions of the exchangeable base cations of such soils in the United Kingdom are dominated by sea salt inputs rather than by mineral weathering inputs of base cations. Catchments with low mineral weathering rates are also those particularly susceptible to freshwater acidification. Therefore, catchments exhibiting a high sea salt effect should also exhibit the most acid waters under base flow and storm flow conditions. A field evaluation study based on 61 catchments in NE Scotland has shown that this is indeed the case. River water pH under both base flow and high flow conditions is correlated stronhly with the relative contribution of Na+ to the sum of Ca2+, Mg2+ and Na+. From these results, an attempt is being made to produce a quantitative signature of weathering for the soils within the catchment upstream of the sampling point. Representative soil samples from the LFH, AE, B and C horizons and on 4 different parent materials have been obtained from the surrounding catchments to validate the above results for associated soil solutions. Sampling took place on upland moorland podzols under Calluna vulgaris. Tension lysimeters were used to sample the soil solutions so that their chemistry could be compared with that of the relevant river water.     

长期施用氮磷钾肥和石灰对红壤性水稻土酸性特征的影响

利用34年的长期定位施肥试验,研究不施肥(CK)、施氮磷钾肥(NPK)和氮磷钾化肥配施石灰(NPK+Ca O)对红壤性水稻土不同形态酸、土壤盐基离子及水稻植株阳离子吸收量的影响,探讨土壤交换性H+和Al3+占交换性酸的比例、土壤盐基离子、植株带出阳离子数量与土壤酸度的关系。结果表明,长期NPK处理早、晚稻土壤p H较CK处理分别降低0.2和0.3个单位,交换性酸提高2.3倍和4.2倍,水解性酸提高35.4%和40.0%;NPK+Ca O处理早、晚稻土壤p H较NPK处理分别提高0.5和0.7个单位,较CK处理分别提高0.3和0.4个单位,交换性酸、水解性酸均显著低于NPK和CK处理(p0.05)。土壤交换性H+、Al3+含量高低顺序均为NPK+Ca OCKNPK。土壤交换性盐基离子以交换性Ca2+所占比例最大(81.8%~89.3%),NPK+Ca O处理交换性Ca2+较CK和NPK处理分别提高40.1%和62.9%。交换性Ca2+、交换性盐基离子、盐基饱和度与土壤p H正相关,与交换性酸、水解性酸负相关,交换性Mg2+与交换性酸、水解性酸负相关,交换性Na+与水解性酸负相关。植株移出带走的钙、镁、钾、钠离子量及其总量对土壤p H、交换性酸和水解性酸有一定影响,但其相关性均不显著。研究表明长期施用化肥条件下通过配施石灰可有效缓解稻田土壤的酸化,促进酸性稻田土壤的生态修复与改良。     

Impacts of Acid Rain on Base Cations,Aluminum, and Acidity Development in Highly Weathered Soils of Thailand

The impacts of simulated acid rain on leachability of major plant nutrients, toxic element [aluminum (Al)], and acidity development in highly weathered tropical soils of Thailand were studied. Leaching experiments were conducted on soil columns with acidic solutions of pH 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, and with water of pH 7.0 as a control treatment. Leaching losses of base cations from all soils increased with the decrease in pH associated with simulated acid rain (SAR) additions, and were found to be quite high under SAR with pH 2.0. The leaching removal of these cations was lesser at pH 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 but greater than that in pH 7.0. The leaching of base cation from the soils depended not only on acid rain pH but also on soil properties, especially cation exchange capacity, soil texture, and initial base content. The significant losses of major plant nutrients [such as potassium (K⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), and magnesium (Mg²⁺)] from the plant root zone over extended periods could cause nutrient imbalance and lower soil productivity.     

Effects of buckwheat growth on variation of aluminum and major metals in root‐zone soil solutions

The variation in and relationships between aluminum and other major metals including Ca, Mg, Mn, and K in root‐zone soil solutions were studied by growing buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. cv. Jiangxi), an Al accumulator, in pots filled with an acid soil amended with CaCO₃ and unamended controls with a preinstalled nondestructive soil‐solution sampler. Soil solutions were collected every 7 d with a syringe connected to the sampler. The results showed that pH of the soil solution was not the only factor controlling the concentration of Al. Significant positive linear correlations were found between Al and Ca as well as between Al and Mg in soil solutions from the controls. The ratio of base cations (BC, Ca+Mg) to Al might partly explain the high Al resistance of buckwheat. Oxalate secretion from roots significantly activated Al in acid soils, which may be important for changes of Al in soil solutions, but it also caused decreased concentrations of Ca, Mg, and Mn. It is concluded that the variation of metal concentrations including Al, Ca, Mg, and Mn is a holistic effect involving competition for exchange sites among Ca, Mg, H, and Al, the chelation by oxalate secreted from roots, and metal uptake by buckwheat.     

Tiefengradienten der Bodenversauerung

Depth gradients of soil acidification In dystric Cambisols, developed from diabas and clay schist/greywacke in the Sösemulde (Harz), the depth gradient of the acid/base status has been assessed by measuring pH and the composition of exchangeable cations. After the soil in the root zone has acidified to within the aluminum buffer range, a marked acidification front is formed below the rooting zone. Strong acids (protons, Mn, Al ions) are buffered completely above the acidification front. Long-term measurements of the input and output of acids and bases in nine forest ecosystems in NW-Germany show that the acid input due to acid deposition into soil horizons in the Al- or Al/Fe- buffer range appears almost quantitatively as output in the seepage water from these horizons. The kind of acid responsible for the soil acidification can be identified by the anion composition of the seepage water. The deep reaching acidification is traced back to acid deposition.     

Forest soil chemical changes between 1949/50 and 1987

Soil profiles from the Alltcailleach Forest in north-east Scotland originally sampled in 1949/50 were resampled in 1987. Soil pH, exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and Na, extractable Al and cation exchange capacity were measured on the original stored and resampled soils. Chemical changes were characterized by decreases in pH, base cations, base saturation and cation exchange capacity. Extractable amounts of Al increased. Sequential leaching experiments showed a significant increase in the amount of extractable sulphate in mineral soil horizons. Changes in soil chemistry were interpreted to result from a combination of nutrient depletion caused by tree growth, natural pedogenic processes and atmospheric pollution effects.     

Soil Aluminum Distribution in the Near-Stream Zone at the Bear Brook Watershed in Maine

Near-stream and upslope soil chemical properties were analyzed to infer linkages between soil and surface water chemistry atthe Bear Brook Watershed in Maine [BBWM]. Organic and mineral soil samples were collected along six 20 m transects perpendicular to the stream and one 200 m transect parallel tothe stream. O horizon soils immediately adjacent to the streamhad a significantly higher pH (4.20) and lower soil organic matter percentage (54%) than upslope O horizons (3.84 and 76%,respectively). Additionally, near-stream O horizon soils hadsignificantly higher concentrations of water-soluble Al (2.7 ×),exchangeable Al (2.3 ×), and organically-bound Al (3.9 ×) andsignificantly lower concentrations of exchangeable Ca (0.4 ×) than O horizons upslope. These results suggest that Al can accumulate in non-hydric near-stream zone soils at this site. Mobilization of labile Al from near-stream zone soils duringhydrologic events could play a key role in explaining controls on Al in stream water at BBWM.     

Biomass and Phosphorus Uptake Responses of Maize to Phosphorus Application in Three Acid Soils from Southern Cameroon

Abstract

A phosphorus (P) greenhouse experiment was carried out with maize (Zea Mays L.) using surface horizons of three contrasted acid soils from southern Cameroon. The objectives were (i) to assess causal factors of maize differential growth and P uptake and (ii) to explore plant–soil interactions in acid soils under increasing P supply. Shoot and root dry‐matter yield and P uptake were significantly influenced by soil type and P rate (P<0.000), but the interaction was not significant. Soil properties that significantly (P<0.05) influenced maize growth variables were available P, soil pH, exchangeable bases [calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg)], and exchangeable aluminium (Al). Data ordination through principal‐component analysis highlighted a four‐component model that accounted for 88.1% of total system variance (TSV) and summarized plant reaction in acid soil condition. The first component, associated with 36.1% of TSV, pointed at increasing root–shoot ratio with increasing soil acidity and exchangeable Al. The second component (24.6% of TSV) highlighted soil labile P pool increase as a function of P rate. The third and fourth components reflected nitrogen (N) accumulation in soils and soil texture variability, respectively.     

工业副产品对红壤酸度改良的研究

选择4种工业副产品(粉煤灰、碱渣、赤泥和磷石青),通过室内培养实验研究了它们对酸性红壤的改良效果.结果表明碱渣和赤泥能降低土壤溶液中的毒性形态的Al、可溶性Al以及交换性Al,增加土壤pH、交换性盐基和ECEC,可成为石灰的替代品作为酸性土壤的改良剂,且长期施用不会像石灰那样加剧土壤Mg、K的缺乏.粉煤灰的改良效果不太理想,而磷石青虽然能增加土壤交换性盐基和ECEC,降低土壤的交换性Al,但增加土壤溶液中的毒性形态的Al和可溶性Al,因此不利于表层土壤酸化的改良.加入质子消耗量与土壤交换性酸量等当量的碱渣和赤泥时,红壤pH升高到5.81～6.26,土壤Al的饱和度降低到15%以下,即可消除Al的毒害.根据碱渣和赤泥的质子消耗容量和红壤的交换性酸量来确定改良剂的施入量是估算改良剂用量的可行方法.     

Simulation of solution chemistry in an acidic forest soil

The computer simulation model SOILEQ was used to estimate soil solution chemistry over a 7 week period from October 3 to November 14, 1988 in the soils of a sugar maple forest located near St. Hippolyte, Quebec, Canada. Model parameters for pH-dependent CEC and exchangeable cations were calculated from laboratory measurements while soil solution chemistry, including Al solubility, at the start of the simulation was taken from values obtained from lysimeter samples. Model predictions were compared with values obtained from 12 sets of soil solution collectors over the same time period. Predicted values of Ca, Mg and K in the mineral soil horizons at 25-, 75- and 125-cm depths generally fall within the 95% confidence interval of the median for the measured values. Simulated values of pH and inorganic Al are not as close to the measured values. Some error due to drift is apparent, most notably for base cations in solutions leaving the organic surface horizons, and may be attributable to decomposition of organic matter, not included in the simulation model. The results indicate that other mechanisms that release H* (nitrification, for example) and base cations (mineral weathering or mineralization of organic matter) need to be considered.     

三种植物物料对两种茶园土壤酸度的改良效果

用室内培养实验研究了稻草、花生秸秆和紫云英在 5、10 和 20 g/kg 的加入量水平下对茶园黄棕壤和茶园红壤酸度的改良效果.结果表明:除了黄棕壤加入紫云英处理会降低土壤的 pH 外,其余所有加入植物物料的处理均使土壤 pH 有不同程度的增加,使土壤交换性酸和交换性Al的数量减小,使土壤交换性盐基阳离子和盐基饱和度增加.有机物料对土壤酸度的改良效果与有机物料灰化碱和N含量有关,灰化碱和有机N的矿化使土壤 pH 升高,NH4+-N的硝化使土壤 pH 降低.3种植物物料中花生秸秆对土壤酸度的改良效果优于紫云英和稻草.加入植物物料使红壤中有毒形态Al的浓度显著减小,说明植物物料能够缓解红壤中Al对植物的毒害.     

Spatial and Temporal Variation in Calcium and Aluminum in Northern Hardwood Forest Floors

Acid rain results in losses of exchangeable base cations from soils, but the mechanism of base cation displacement from the forest floor is not clear, and has been hypothesized to involve mobilization of aluminum from the mineral soil. We attempted to test the hypothesis that losses of calcium from the forest floor were balanced by increases in Al in NewHampshire northern hardwoods. We measured exchangeable (six stands) and acid extractable (13 stands) Ca and Al in horizons of the forest floor over an interval of 15 years. Our sampling scheme was quite intensive, involving 50 or 60 blocks per stand, composited in groups of 10 for chemical analysis. Even at this level of effort, few stands exhibited changes large enough to be significant. Because of high spatial variability, differences would have had to be greater than about 50% to be statistically detectable. Differences in Ca and Al concentrations between Oi, Oe, Oa, and A horizons, however, were readily detected. Acid-extractable Al increased with depth, while Ca concentrations decreased; Ca-to-Al ratios decreased from 8.3 (charge basis) in the Oi to 0.2 in the A horizon. Therefore, a small change in sampling depth, or the inclusion of more or less A horizon material in the forest floor, could cause large differences in measured Ca and Al concentrations. To detect small changes in exchangeable cations over time would require sampling very intensively with careful control for comparability of horizons.     

DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF DOLOMITE,KIESERITE OR A MIXTURE OF CaCO3 AND KIESERITE THROUGH THE UPPER LAYERS OF AN ACID FOREST SOIL

Liming and fertilization are important tools for improving the chemical status of acid, base poor forest soils. The downward movement of dolomite, kieserite and a mixture of CaCO₃ and kieserite was investigated by monitoring the leachates and exchangeable cation composition from single and combined horizon columns, reconstructed from an acid brown forest soil profile (0–15 cm). Upon entering the soil, Mg ions from kieserite displaced base cations and acidity (H and Al ions) from exchange sites, which subsequently moved down with the mobile SO₄ ^2- anions. Total leaching during the initial SO₄ ^2- pulse was similar with the CaCO₃ + kieserite mixture. Compared to the single kieserite treatment, the joint application of CaCO₃ greatly increased the proportion of Ca in the leachates from all horizons. It also decreased the leaching of acidity from the surface Oe horizon and prevented pH from dropping under this layer. With both treatments, the redistribution of magnesium with SO₄ ^2- anions resulted in a rapid increase in exchangeable Mg contents throughout the studied columns. Due to the important charge increase in the Oe horizon and to kinetic restraints imposed on dissolution, downward movement of Ca and Mg ions from dolomite was very limited. Mg was however much more mobile than Ca. In the CaCO₃ + kieserite and dolomite treatments, the migration of alkalinity and base cations with time was associated with a decrease in exchangeable acidity and an increase in ECEC in the two upper soil layers. By the end of the monitoring period, overall net Mg retention in the 0–15 cm columns increased in the order kieserite < CaCO₃ + kieserite << dolomite with respectively 20, 35 and 85% of cumulated inputs remaining in the columns. The corresponding net Ca retention amounted to 82 and 96% of cumulated inputs for the CaCO₃ + kieserite and dolomite treatments, respectively. Results from this study complement those obtained in the field by clearly demonstrating the mechanisms involved in the downward movement of some fertilizers commonly used to increase the base saturation of acid forest soils.     

武陵山地植烟土壤酸度特征及影响因素——以湖南省湘西自治州为例

为了解多年种植烤烟的山地土壤酸度特征,研究了湘西自治州的土壤酸度指标特征及其关系以及植烟年限和土壤类型、有机质、黏粒对土壤酸度的影响。结果表明:(1)植烟年限对土壤酸度的影响大于土壤类型;随植烟年限增加,土壤pH下降,潜性酸度增加,黄棕壤土的交换性盐基、阳离子交换量和盐基饱和度下降。(2)土壤pH与交换性酸为幂函数关系,交换性铝是土壤交换性酸的主体,土壤交换性酸强度随交换性铝及其相对比例的增加而增加。(3)土壤pH与交换性盐基、阳离子交换量、盐基饱和度为二次曲线关系,当pH6时,随土壤pH增加,交换性盐基和阳离子交换量下降,盐基饱和度增加;当pH6时,随土壤pH增加,交换性盐基和阳离子交换量增加,盐基饱和度变幅小。(4)土壤交换性盐基离子主要是交换性钙,其次是交换性镁;对土壤pH影响较大的盐基离子是交换性钙。(5)有机质和黏粒主要影响土壤pH、阳离子交换量、交换性盐基和交换性钙。     

耕地土壤交换性钙镁比值的研究

对沈阳市郊区1994个耕地表土(0～20cm)样点和4个典型剖面中交换性Ca/Mg的比值进行了对比研究。结果表明:不同土属耕层土壤中Ca、Mg交换量有较大差别,交换性Ca/Mg的比值主要受母质等成土因素的影响;棕壤的各个土属的Ca/Mg在4左右,石灰性草甸土和草甸沼泽土的Ca/Mg则在8以上。棕壤和草甸土典型剖面不同层次中的Ca/Mg比值有着随深度加深而降低的趋势;由于Ca的植物返还率较Mg高,同一土壤类型中Ca/Mg比值的最大值出现在表土层,母质层中的Ca/Mg则相对稳定。对土壤Ca/Mg进行研究可以丰富土壤离子交换性能研究和土壤发生学特性研究的内容。     

Changes in soil acidity and related variables over 25 years in the North Pennine Uplands, UK

Abstract. Soil profiles, first sampled between 1963 and 1973, were resampled in 1991 in an upland area with modertely high deposition of pollutants. One hundred horizons from 32 profiles, representing 10 different soil subgroups were analysed for pH and seven variables related to pH, using the same laboratory methods on both sampling occasions. To allow comparisons to be made with results obtained with these old methods, analysis of the 1991 samples was repeated for some determinands using the methods currently used in the analytical laboratory. Organic and A horizons show a consistent increase in acidity between samplings. Although brown soils and lithomorphic soils have increased in acidity throughout their depth, gleys and podzols have decreased in acidity at depth, probably because of poor water transmission downwards into these horizons. Correlations with other determinands suggest that the dominant process in the soils is leaching of basic cations and their replacement on exchange sites by protons and probably aluminium ions. A cause of the increase in soil acidity is likely to be the deposition of atmospherically transported pollutants.     

Response of spodic B horizons to acid precipitation in northernmost Fennoscandia

In northernmost Fennoscandia there is concern about the possible environmental effects of the sulphur emissions from Russian nickel smelters on the Kola Peninsula. The purpose of this study was to investigate to what extent the soils of this region may delay the response to pH changes through sulphate adsorption, and whether there are evidence for strong soil acidification effects. To this end 26 spodic B horizons were collected along a transect from northernmost Sweden to north-easternmost Norway, only 10 km from the Pechenganikel smelter. As the pH(H₂O) was > 4.8 in all soils, and as the exchangeable Ca/Al ratio was high, there were no evidence for strong soil acidification effects. Water-extractable SO₄ was clearly affected by the S deposition and thus SO₄ was at least partly mobile in the soils; it is therefore possible that soil solutions close to the smelter may have been acidified. In spite of this, sulphate adsorption was found to be more important than cation exchange reactions as a delaying process against soil acidification, at least in the top 10 cm of the B horizon. For the top 20 cm of the B horizon it was estimated that S04 adsorption can neutralize, on average, 700 mmol_c, m^?2 of acid before the pH is decreased to 4.4. Thus if the S deposition remains unchanged, decades are required to severely acidify most soils in the affected parts of Norway and Finland.     

Physicochemical and Microbiological Characteristics of Tundra Soils on the Rybachii Peninsula

The Rybachii Peninsula is composed of Proterozoic sedimentary rocks and differs sharply from the rest of the Kola Peninsula in its geological structure, topographic forms, and parent rocks. It is dominated by Al–Fe-humus soils formed on moraines with an admixture of local rock fragments, including slates. Organic horizons of tundra soils in the peninsula are less acid than those on granitoids of adjacent mainland of the Kola Peninsula. The content of exchangeable calcium in the organic horizons varies from 17.4 to 68.0 cmolc/kg, and the content of water-soluble carbon reaches 400 mg/100 g amounting to 1–2% of the total soil organic matter content. The total number of bacteria in the organic horizons of tundra soils varies from 3.5 × 10⁹ to 4.8 × 10⁹ cells/g; and bacterial biomass varies from 0.14 to 0.19 mg/g. The length of fungal mycelium and its biomass in the organic horizons are significant (>1000 m/g soil). The biomass of fungal mycelium in the organic horizons exceeds the bacterial biomass by seven times in podzols (Albic Podzols) and by ten times in podbur (Entic Podzol), dry-peat soil (Folic Histosol), and low-moor peat soil (Sapric Histosol).     

Relationship between chemical and mineralogical properties and the rapid response to acid load of soils in humid Asia: Japan,Thailand and Indonesia

Abstract

It is essential to determine the relationship between soil chemical and mineralogical properties and soil response to acid load to understand the acid-neutralizing capacity and cation behavior of different ecosystems. For 46 soil samples from a subsurface horizon in humid Asia, that is, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia, exchangeable cations, total bases and oxalate-extractable Al (Al_o) were determined, and acid titration was conducted to investigate the rapid soil response to acid load. The acid titration experiment indicated three types of soil response: (1) the release of base cations (particularly Ca and Mg) strongly correlated with exchangeable bases, which dominated the tropical soil samples, (2) the release of Al correlated with Al_o content, which dominated the Japanese soil samples, (3) acid and anion adsorption in soil samples with low acid-neutralizing capacity. To gain further information on the source of soil alkalinity, a column experiment with HCl was conducted using eight selected soil samples in which first-order kinetics were assumed to simulate the time-courses of cation release. In the column experiment, the amounts of Ca and Mg released were close to the exchangeable amounts, and Al_o dissolved more rapidly than Al in crystalline minerals. The rate constants of cation release were large for Ca and Mg, and small for Al, clearly indicating a difference between the exchange and dissolution reactions. Thus, rapid soil response to acid load differed among the soils. A cation exchange reaction was dominant in the tropical soils. In some tropical soils, Ca and Mg were present in exchangeable forms at a higher ratio in the total amounts and they were considered to be easily utilized by plants, but leached out from the soils. In the Japanese soils, including the Andisols, secondary mineral dissolution was conspicuous, resulting in a large acid-neutralizing capacity. In both the tropical and Japanese soils with low acid-neutralizing capacity, anion adsorption mainly contributed to acid neutralization.