Examination into the Accuracy of Exchangeable Cation Measurement in Saline Soils

Abstract

Despite the increasing prevalence of salinity worldwide, the measurement of exchangeable cation concentrations in saline soils remains problematic. Two soil types (Mollisol and Vertisol) were equilibrated with a range of sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) solutions at various ionic strengths. The concentrations of exchangeable cations were then determined using several different types of methods, and the measured exchangeable cation concentrations were compared to reference values. At low ionic strength (low salinity), the concentration of exchangeable cations can be accurately estimated from the total soil extractable cations. In saline soils, however, the presence of soluble salts in the soil solution precludes the use of this method. Leaching of the soil with a prewash solution (such as alcohol) was found to effectively remove the soluble salts from the soil, thus allowing the accurate measurement of the effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC). However, the dilution associated with this prewashing increased the exchangeable calcium (Ca) concentrations while simultaneously decreasing exchangeable sodium (Na). In contrast, when calculated as the difference between the total extractable cations and the soil solution cations, good correlations were found between the calculated exchangeable cation concentrations and the reference values for both Na (Mollisol: y=0.873x and Vertisol: y=0.960x) and Ca (Mollisol: y=0.901x and Vertisol: y=1.05x). Therefore, for soils with a soil solution ionic strength greater than 50 mM (electrical conductivity of 4 dS/m) (in which exchangeable cation concentrations are overestimated by the assumption they can be estimated as the total extractable cations), concentrations can be calculated as the difference between total extractable cations and soluble cations.     

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。     

Effect of liming and air-drying on the adsorption of phosphate by some acid soils

The effect of liming the A and B horizons of a number of acid soils on the subsequent adsorption of phosphate by soils retained moist or allowed to dry was investigated. Air-drying increased the phosphate adsorption capacity but the reason was not clear. When A horizons were maintained moist, incubation with lime for six weeks increased phosphate adsorption by four samples and had no effect on another. When A horizons were air-dried, the effect was considerably reduced or reversed. For B horizons, which had considerably greater phosphate adsorption capacities than A horizons, liming decreased phosphate adsorption irrespective of whether the soils remained moist or were dried. The relative decrease in adsorption was, however, greater when the soils were dried. In a more detailed study using one acid soil it was shown that incubation of the soil with lime for six weeks had no effect on phosphate adsorption by moist A and B horizons but after 36 weeks incubation liming decreased adsorption by the moist samples. If soils were dried then liming decreased phosphate adsorption after six or 36 weeks incubation. Such relative effects of liming on phosphate adsorption were confounded by the fact that air-drying greatly increased the phosphate adsorption capacity of the unlimed soil. The drying effect was at least partially reversible following rewetting of the soil. Results were interpreted in terms of the lime-induced increase in soil pH causing (i) the surface charge conferred on soil oxide surfaces to become more negative (thus decreasing phosphate adsorption) and (ii) the precipitation of exchangeable Al as hydroxy-Al polymers resulting in the formation of new, highly active, adsorbing surfaces (thus increasing phosphate adsorption). Phosphate adsorption by moist limed soils can, therefore, be increased, decreased or unaffected depending on the relative magnitudes of these two processes. It is suggested that after liming, and/or air-drying, crystallization of amorphous materials progressively decreases their surface area and adsorbing capacity. Thus, liming tends to decrease phosphate adsorption when the soils are dried.     

Soil strength and crop emergence in direct drilled and ploughed cereal seedbeds in seven field experiments

Cone resistance and vane shear strength were measured in the top 50–100 mm of seven soils. Bulk density and water content were also measured in the same layer by coring. At each site cone resistance and vane shear strength tended to decrease with increasing water content and decreasing bulk density down to 1300 kg m-3, but at lower densities they were not related to bulk density. Cone resistance and vane shear strength tended to decrease with increasing coarseness of texture but also depended on soil structure and organic matter content. Plant populations, mainly spring barley, were reduced in soils with cone resistances and vane shear strengths greater than 2500 kPa and 65 kPa respectively. Such high strengths in undisturbed soils were associated with wheeling during harvesting, were apparently independent of soil type and, at the only site of measurement, apparently decreased during weathering in the subsequent season. In contrast to the cone penetrometer, the vane shear tester has minimal shaft friction in undisturbed soils and is more sensitive to soil differences and less sensitive to water content differences than the penetrometer. It is apparently more suitable for indexing the suitability of undisturbed soils for the penetration of direct drill coulters and for subsequent plant establishment.     

Residual effects of additions of calcium compounds on soil structure and strength

Soil structure was measured from the roughness of soil fracture surfaces created by breaking unsaturated soil clods under tensile stress. Soil clods were collected in 1986 and 1987 from field plots to which calcium compounds had been applied in 1980 (to improve degraded structure) at rates of 0, 2, 4, 10, 14 and 20 t ha⁻¹, and which had not been disturbed since the initial establishment of pasture. A residual effect on the soil structure was sought. In 1987, samples were equilibrated at different water suctions in the laboratory, and physical and chemical measurements including tensile strength, penetrometer resistance, exchangeable cations and dispersible clay were made.

Exchangeable cation and dispersible clay values did not correspond with the amounts of calcium added in 1980, indicating that most of the applied calcium had leached by the time measurements were made in 1986 and 1987. The water content at which measurements were made was the dominant factor controlling the tensile strength and penetrometer resistance of the soil clods. The water content also had a major influence on the fracture surface roughness; wetter clods had rougher tensile fracture surfaces. Because most of the applied calcium was leached by the time measurements were made, the residual effect of the calcium amendments was only detectable in the microstructure (undisturbed since 1980). Soils to which greater amounts of calcium had been added tended to have clods with smoother tensile fracture surfaces. This was attributed to stabilization by calcium of aggregates with diameters up to 0.1 mm in the soil structural hierarchy. The importance of the scale at which fracture surface roughness measurements are made is emphasized.     

Effects of air-drying on the adsorption and desorption of phosphate and levels of extractable phosphate in a group of acid soils,New Zealand

The effects of air-drying field-moist soils on the adsorption and desorption of added phosphate and on the levels of extractable native soil phosphate were examined using the A and B horizons of a group of four acid soils.Air-drying increased the capacity of all the soil samples to adsorb phosphate. At an equilibrium solution concentration of 0.5 μg P ml^?1, the increase in the quantity of phosphate adsorbed following drying ranged from 23% to 70% of that adsorbed by the moist samples. Considerable hysteresis in phosphate adsorption—desorption isotherms was observed for both moist and dried soil samples indicating that the additional phosphate adsorbed by the dried samples was held with the same strength as that held by the moist samples.Air-drying the soil samples caused a small decrease in soil pH of approximately 0.1 pH unit and a general increase in levels of EDTA-extractable Fe, Al and organic matter. Quantities of native soil phosphate extractable with EDTA, resin and NaHCO₃ were also increased. Concentrations of oxalate- and pyrophosphate-extractable Fe and Al and exchangeable Al were, however, unaffected by drying.It was also shown that when the phosphate content of NaHCO₃ extracts is measured using the conventional molybdenum blue method, orthophosphate plus a differing amount of acid-hydrolysable organic P present in the extract is measured.     

Reliability of volumetric sampling as compared to weighed samples in quantitative soil test interpretations

Abstract

Weight variability of volumetric soil test samples taken with the standard 4.25 cm³ Urbana Laboratories’ soil scoop was studied as a factor influencing soil test accuracy. Also examined was effect of degree of sample pulverization on volume—weight, differences among technicians, and volume‐weight differences between dry and moist samples.

The results revealed that volumetric sampling of Maine soils can lead to major errors, particularly when quick tests are used to quantify lime requirement, extractable H, exchangeable cations, CEC, and percent base saturation. Good predictions of these properties from quick soil test results, however, are possible when samples are weighed. In the Maine Laboratory poor quantitative results from volumetric samples originated from wide variations in volume‐weight among soils. This variability was traced to degree of aggregation, which in turn was traceable to differences in texture and organic matter among samples. Technician differences were not an important source of volume‐weight variability. Volume‐weights were much lower with moist than with dried soil, but volume‐weight variability among soils was less when sampled moist.     

Studies on the ion composition of salt solutions and of saturation extracts of salt-affected soils

Solutions of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate and saturation extracts of carbonate—solonchak, carbonate solonchak—solonetz and sulphate-containing solonetz soils were analysed to evaluate the applicability of the ion-pair formation model and to characterize the electrochemical behaviour of mixed salt solutions.The method of iteration published by Adams was modified and applied for the computation of ionic concentration, ion-pair concentration and ion activities in saturation extracts.The degree of ion-pair formation depends on the valences, sizes and concentrations of the ions. Ion-pairs were found to have been formed as follows: 15–75% of magnesium ions, 15–65% of calcium ions, and 1–6% of sodium ions formed ion-pairs.The different degrees of ion-pair formation of sodium, calcium and magnesium ions increase the SAR value in the soil solution. The increase in SAR value due to the ion-pair formation appears parallel with the increase of ionic concentration in the soil solution and it shifts the ratio of exchangeable cations to favour sodium.In sodium carbonate solonchak and sodium carbonate solonchak—solonetz soils the activity ratio of the exchangeable sodium to the exchangeable alkali earth metals is a function of the hydrogen—sodium potentials and the ionic concentrations of saturation extracts of soils.     

冻融循环和土壤性质对东北黑土抗剪强度的影响

为了揭示东北黑土区季节性冻融循环作用和土壤性质对土壤可蚀性的影响,采集黑龙江省宾县典型薄层黑土区(BX)和克山县典型厚层黑土区(KS)0—20cm的耕层土壤,通过室内冻融循环模拟和土壤直剪试验,分析了冻融作用和土壤性质对土壤抗剪强度的影响。结果表明:(1)经历1次冻融作用后BX和KS 2种供试土壤抗剪强度分别减小3.9%和9.2%,二者黏聚力分别减小15.2%和29.4%,内摩擦角分别减小1.4%和3.6%。经历7次冻融作用后,BX和KS2种供试土壤抗剪强度分别减小9.1%和15.1%,土壤黏聚力分别减小40.7%和74.5%,土壤容重分别减小6.7%和9.2%。受土壤有机质、水稳性团聚体、黏粒含量等的影响,KS土壤抗剪强度、黏聚力、内摩擦角和土壤容重的减小幅度皆大于BX供试土壤。(2)2种供试土壤抗剪强度皆随冻融循环次数的增加呈先逐渐减小后趋于稳定的变化趋势;第1次冻融循环对土壤抗剪强度破坏最大,经历1次冻融循环后2种土壤抗剪强度和黏聚力的减小量分别占7次冻融循环土壤抗剪强度和黏聚力总减小量的43.4%和61.0%,37.3%和39.4%。(3)土壤抗剪强度与土壤容重和团聚体平均重量直径(MWD)呈极显著的正相关,而与冻融循环次数呈极显著的负相关。     

不同植被覆盖对养分在土壤水稳性团聚体中分布特征的影响

研究了重庆缙云山不同植被覆盖下土壤结构的稳定性,以及土壤有机碳和养分在水稳性团聚体中的分布特征.结果表明:不同植被覆盖对土壤水稳性团聚体的分布和土壤结构稳定性有显著影响.竹林土壤>0.25 mm水稳性团聚体含量以及土壤结构的稳定性显著低于马尾松林和草地土壤.植被覆盖对养分在土壤水稳性团聚体中的分布模式没有显著影响,在>2mm水稳性团聚体和<0.053 mm粒级的粉砂与粘粒组分中,有机碳、全氮、全磷以及交换性K~+、Na~+、Ca~(2+)、Mg~(2+)的浓度最高;地表植被覆盖的变化对有机碳、全氮、全磷和交换性盐基离子在各粒级水稳性团聚体中的含量产生显著影响,草地和竹林土壤有机碳和全氮显著高于马尾松林土壤,主要表现在0.25-0.053 mm粒级水稳性团聚体中有机碳和全氮含量,草地和竹林土壤显著高于马尾松林土壤;而草地土壤>2 mm水稳性团聚体和<0.053 mm粒级的粉砂与粘粒组分中的磷显著高于马尾松林和草地土壤.不同植被覆盖下土壤水稳性团聚体中交换性盐基离子均以Ca~(2+)、Mg~(2+)为主,占交换性盐基总量(Total exchangeable bases TEB)的91.8%～92.9%.草地土壤各个粒级的TEB都要大于其他两种植被覆盖下的土壤.     

Effect of sodicity and salinity on disaggregation and tensile strength of an Alfisol under different cropping systems

The influence of electrolyte concentration (EC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) on the tensile strength and aggregate stability via flocculation and dispersion behaviour of an Alfisol varying in organic carbon content due to different cropping systems was assessed using a split-split plot experiment involving eight soils, three levels of EC and seven levels of SAR.

Generally, at a given SAR value, mean weight diameter (MWD) increased with organic matter status of the soil in the following order: virgin pasture>wheat>wheat-fallow. As MWD decreased, the amount of dispersible clay increased at a given SAR indicating that more surfaces exposed due to slaking of aggregates led to more clay dispersion. Statistical analysis of changes in tensile strength with various factors showed that an increase in organic matter decreased the magnitude of changes in strength induced by sodicity because organic matter tends to increase aggregate stability (higher MWD). While individual soils had significant relationships between the tensile strength of the aggregates and the amount of spontaneously dispersible clay, this relationship was poor when the results of all soils were pooled together. The amounts of dispersible clay from dry aggregates were higher than from wet aggregates and dispersive breakdown of the aggregates of sodic soils occured irrespective of the mode of wetting. The most important factor in determining the soil strength was the amount of clay dispersed during wet-sieving analysis followed by MWD.     

湿润速度和累积降雨对土壤表面结皮发育的影响

土壤表面强度和微结构显微照片是研究表土结皮的重要指标和直接表征。以两种典型的土壤(垆土和黑土)为研究对象,采用2mmh-1(慢速)和50mmh-1(快速)两种速度湿润后进行雨强为60mmh-1的降雨,研究不同湿润速度和累积降雨对结皮发育的影响。结果表明:湿润速度对垆土结皮发育过程的影响不明显,土壤表面强度主要由累积降雨打击夯实引起;快速湿润对黑土结皮发育有显著的影响,慢速湿润后黑土在60min降雨过程中没有明显的结皮,累积降雨的打击起次要作用;湿润速度和累积降雨的对结皮发育的影响取决于土壤团聚体稳定性。     

冻融状态和初始含水率对土壤力学性能的影响

冻融状态影响土壤的抗剪强度从而威胁季节性冻土地区的工程安全、边坡稳定以及土壤流失。通过直剪试验测定了不同冻融状态和初始含水率对青藏地区(S1)和北京地区(S2)土体抗剪强度的影响。结果显示,2种土在未冻和已融状态下的抗剪强度相似,且均随着土含水率的增加而减小,但S1土抗剪强度比S2土大7.5%~9.7%;在冻融状态下,S1土抗剪强度随着土含水率的增加而增大,而S2土则随之减小。S1冻融土抗剪强度在低含水率(≤13.5%)时小于未冻土和已融土,而在高含水率(≥24.5%)时则反之;S2冻融土抗剪强度小于未冻土和已融土。在冻融状态下2种测试土的内摩擦角显著小于未冻土和已融土,而黏聚力整体上则大于未冻土和已融土。与未冻土或已融土相比,2种土在冻融状态下的强度相对较低,宜作为季节性冻土地区工程设计以及土壤流失防治的基本状态。     

不同产地油菜秸秆制备的生物质炭对红壤酸度和土壤pH缓冲容量的影响

  目的  明确不同产地油菜秸秆制备的生物质炭对红壤酸度的改良和土壤pH缓冲容量的提升效果。  方法  将不同添加量的油菜秸秆炭分别与两种酸性红壤混合,然后进行室内培养试验,测定培养实验前后土壤pH、pH缓冲容量、土壤交换性盐基离子和土壤交换性酸。  结果  添加油菜秸秆炭显著提高了土壤的pH、pH缓冲容量、交换性盐基离子含量,显著降低了土壤交换性酸含量。说明添加油菜秸秆炭不仅可以改良红壤酸度,还能提高红壤的抗酸化能力,因而可以减缓土壤的复酸化。生长在碱性土壤上的油菜秸秆制备的生物质炭对红壤酸度的改良效果和对土壤pH缓冲容量的提升效果均优于生长在酸性土壤上的油菜秸秆制备的生物质炭,在5%添加水平下,前者使湖南红壤pH相比对照提高37.4%,后者使该土壤的pH提高22.4%;相应地,2种生物质炭分别使该土壤的pH缓冲容量分别提高41.4%和37.3%。2种油菜秸秆炭对红壤pH和pH缓冲容量的提升效果与其碱含量和表面官能团多少相一致。  结论  碱性土壤上生长的油菜秸秆制备的生物质炭对红壤具有更好的改良效果。     

Composition of the soil-absorbing complex of meadow solonetzes under forest-ameliorative measures

The diagnostic criteria for qualifying the processes of soil desolonetzization are based on such indicators as reduced exchangeable sodium content in the soil absorbing complex composition, increased exchangeable calcium content, decreased alkalinity, a larger fraction of humic acids, improved hydrophysical and physical properties of soils, transformed eluvio-illuvial solonetz profile, and increased productivity [3].     

影响MBER固化土劈裂抗拉强度的因素试验

采用MBER土壤固化剂和水泥,对剂量、含水率和龄期影响固化土和水泥土的劈裂抗拉强度的规律性进行了试验研究.结果表明,固化土劈裂抗拉强度在0.08～0.43 MPa,水泥土劈裂抗拉强度在0.09～0.35 MPa.在其他条件一定时,固化土和水泥土的劈裂抗拉强度随着剂量增加丽增大,劈裂抗拉强度在试件含水率为最优含水率时达到最大值;随龄期增大,固化土和水泥土的劈裂抗拉强度均有不同程度的增大.在龄期相同条件下,固化土劈裂抗拉强度略高于水泥土.     

Gypsum applications to aggregated saline—sodic clay topsoils

Gypsum application was highly efficient as a treatment for reducing amounts of exchangeable sodium and inhibiting clay dispersion in highly structured saline-sodic clay topsoils. Phosphogypsum, applied to the surfaces of aggregates in soil columns treated with simulated rainfall, was dissolved efficiently by frequent intermittent ‘rainfall’. The calcium released by dissolution displaced sodium on the exchange complex within soil aggregates ranging from 7.5 mm to 45 mm in diameter. Of the applied calcium, 64–74% was transferred to ion exchange sites; however, almost one-third of this adsorbed calcium displaced exchangeable magnesium. Comparison of three gypsum treatments, phosphogypsum, rock gypsum, and a saturated gypsum solution (representing a top dressing of highly soluble gypsum), showed that the effectiveness of calcium uptake on the exchange complex followed the order: rock gypsum < saturated solution < phosphogypsum, but differences were small. Application of phosphogypsum caused a 90% reduction in the total amount of dispersed clay released in column leachates, and decreased the maximum clay concentration in the effluents by at least 80%, when compared to soils leached without gypsum treatment.     

三峡库区2种土地利用方式下土壤盐基离子及碳氮含量对氮添加的响应

为探究三峡库区2种土地利用方式下土壤交换性盐基离子及土壤碳氮含量对氮添加的响应,以湖北省秭归县的林地和果园土壤为研究对象,进行室内土柱淋溶模拟试验,研究4种不同氮添加量(0,50,120,200 kg/(hm²·a))下,土壤中交换性Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺、Na⁺、K⁺以及NO₃^--N、DOC的变化。结果表明：随着氮添加量的增加,林地土壤中的交换性盐基离子淋失量显著增加(p<0.05),而果园土壤中的交换性盐基离子淋失量无显著变化,且林地土壤中交换性盐基离子淋失总量与各盐基离子淋失量均高于果园土壤;经N1、N2、N3处理后,与对照组(N0)相比,林地土壤中的交换性盐基离子淋失总量分别增加1.78%,4.45%,8.49%,且NO₃^--N淋失量分别增加89.21%,77.73%,157.25%,说明氮添加通过加剧土壤中NO₃^--N的淋失带走土壤中交...     

Influence of air drying and soil gas‐phase carbon dioxide on DTPA‐extractable iron in calcareous soils

Abstract

The extraction of a field‐moist soil with DTPA will result in a level of extractable iron (Fe) lower than that of the air‐dried soil. Soil gas‐phase carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels may be considerably higher than ambient atmospheric levels, especially in wet soils in the field. This study was undertaken to determine whether gas‐phase CO₂ level influences the quantity of Fe extracted by DTPA. Three moist calcareous soils were incubated for 21 days, each at three different partial pressures of CO₂, after which the moist soils were extracted with DTPA. A sample of each soil was also air dried, and was subsequently extracted with DTPA. In each case, DTPA‐extractable Fe from the moist sample was lower than that from the air‐dried sample; however, DTPA‐extractable Fe increased with increasing CO₂ partial pressure of in the moist soils. DTPA‐extractable Fe concentration for a given soil following air drying was not significantly influenced by the CO₂ partial pressure during incubation of the originally field‐moist soil. DTPA‐extract pH of the moist soils followed the same trend as soil‐solution pH (i.e., as CO₂ concentration of the soil gas‐phase increased, soil solution pH and DTPA extract pH both decreased); however, the slope of the pH versus log P_CO2 curve was less pronounced in the DTPA extract due to the buffering capacity of the triethanolamine. From this study, it is concluded that elevated soil gas‐phase CO₂ partial pressure does not contribute to the lower level of DTPA‐extractable Fe observed when the extraction is performed on a field‐moist versus an air‐dried soil; increased CO₂ partial pressure actually resulted in a slight increase in concentration of DTPA‐extractable Fe obtained from a field‐moist soil.     

Spatial distribution of exchangeable bases in chernozem of Kamennaya Steppe

The high degree of base saturation and high cation exchange capacity with an appreciable dominance of calcium are related to the high carbonate content in parent rocks, high content of humus in chernozems, and abundant fine material in their profiles. These are characteristic features of prevalent soils in the Kamennaya Steppe. Almost all soils of monitoring and experimental plots have an appreciable spatial variation in exchangeable bases. The obtained data indicate that the content of adsorbed calcium in the exchangeable complex of the soil decreases with increasing shares of adsorbed magnesium and partially sodium.