Comparison of the Ignition Method and the Perchloric Acid Digestion Method for the Determination of Total Phosphorus in Agricultural Soils of Taiwan

The ignition method and the perchloric acid (HClO₄) digestion method for the determination of total phosphorus (P) content in 65 agricultural soils of Taiwan were compared. The average amount of total P obtained by the ignition method was 4.3% less than that obtained by the HClO₄ method. There was a wide range of variation, from 37% less to 21% more in the ignition method than those results obtained by the HClO₄ digestion method. Because the ignition method can also be used for the estimation of soil organic P and is thus worthy of further study, it should be adopted as a routine procedure.     

Comparison of Three Digestion Methods for Total Soil Potassium Estimation in Soils of Papua New Guinea Derived from Varying Parent Materials

An estimate of total potassium (K) contents of soils is required to assess the difficultly available fractions of soil potassium. Three digestion procedures were evaluated in terms of recovery of elemental K, precision, and simplicity in combination with analysis of K contents by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) in soils derived from contrasting parent materials. A hydrofluoric acid–perchloric acid (HClO₄)–nitric acid (HNO₃) mixture extracted the most K from 10 soils studied (4809.9 mg kg^?1) followed by aqua regia (3180.89 mg kg^?1) and HClO₄–HNO₃ mixtures (1206.75 mg kg^?1). On average, aqua regia and HClO₄–HNO₃ digestion methods extracted 66.1% and 25.1% of the K extracted with the HF–HClO₄–HNO₃ mixture, respectively. Precision analysis as percentage of relative standard deviation showed excellent precision (<5%) for the HF–HClO₄–HNO₃ method (1.49%) compared to the HClO₄–HNO₃ mixture (10.72%). The present study concludes that the HF–HClO₄–HNO₃ digestion mixture is superior over both aqua regia and HClO₄–HNO₃ mixtures for total K estimation in the soils of Central Highland provinces of Papua New Guinea especially when ICP-OES is employed for analysis.     

Cd Pb污染土壤中蛋白酶酸性磷酸酶脱氢酶活性的变化

通过现场采样及室内分析方法,研究了Cd、Pb严重污染的土壤中蛋白酶、酸性磷酸酶和脱氢酶活性的变化及其与土壤Cd、Cu、Pb、Zn含量和土壤基本性质之间的关系。通径分析表明,影响蛋白酶活性主要直接因素为土壤有效Cd、土壤有效Zn、砂粒和黏粒,其中土壤有效Zn刺激了酶活性而土壤有效Cd抑制了酶活性;影响酸性磷酸酶活性主要直接因素为碱解氮、速效磷、pH值,土壤有效Cu、土壤有效Cd、土壤有效Pb、土壤有效Zn对酸性磷酸酶的直接影响较小;影响脱氢酶活性主要直接因素为土壤有效Cd、土壤有效Zn、土壤速效钾,其中土壤有效Cd抑制了酶活性而土壤有效Zn刺激了酶活性。总体而言,4种重金属有效态对酶活性毒性大小依次为：Cd〉Cu〉Pb〉Zn。综合简单相关分析结果可知,总体上Cu、Cd、Pb、Zn复合污染刺激了蛋白酶活性,抑制了脱氢酶活性,对酸性磷酸酶活性影响不大,脱氢酶可作为上述土壤重金属复合污染的指标。3种土壤酶活性变化是重金属与土壤理化性质综合作用的结果。     

Spectroscopic Determination of Soil Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen Content in Pasture Soils

To explore a convenient and efficient approach for determining the content of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN), this study focused on capturing the features value of SOC and TN by applying the method of wavelet analysis and wavelet transformation. The soil used in the study was sampled from the pastures in Fukang City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The soil samples were tested by using a combined approach of chemical analysis and spectroscopy measurements. It was found that reflectance at 400–2500 nm was more strongly correlated to SOC than to TN. The maximum negative r values between reflectance and SOC + TN at 2309 nm was –0.81 (P < 0.01), and SOC/TN at 1693 was –0.48 (P < 0.05). The maximum correlation coefficient between SOC, TN, and wavelet coefficient was more than 0.96 compared to the relationship among SOC, TN, and spectral reflectance. By using continuous wavelet transformation (CWT), it was found that the maximum correlation coefficients were 0.981 at 2328 nm of scale 13 for SOC and 0.968 at 1741 nm of scale 6 for TN. These results also suggested that wavelet analysis was a better method for capturing the absorption features of soil properties and determining SOC and TN content.     

Evaluation of Nitric Acid Extraction of Elements from Soils and Sediments in Two watersheds in East Tennessee

Determining the total elemental concentrations of soils requires a total dissolution method, in which hydrofluoric acid (HF) is commonly used. However, this method is tedious and risky due to the dangerous reagent HF. This study compared a single acid extraction technique using a nitric acid (HNO₃) extraction method to total dissolution (HF + microwave assisted aqua regia) for evaluating the total elemental concentrations in soils and sediments. The two methods were used to analyze the elemental content of soils and sediments from the Oostanaula Creek and Pond Creek watersheds in East Tennessee. Twenty-one elements (Al, Ba, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Nd, P, S, Si, Sr, Ti, V, Zn, and Zr) were subsequently measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The extraction efficiency for HNO₃ relative to the total was compared and discussed. In general, HNO₃ can extract the elements in absorbed phases and those residing in non-silicate minerals. Six elements (Ba, Co, Fe, Ca, Mn, and P) generated significant correlations between total and HNO₃ in both OC and PC watersheds. Finally, the elements were grouped according to the interrelationships of their total elemental concentrations based on the dendrogram plots, suggesting their geochemical association in soils and sediment forming minerals.     

Pelleting or Priming Seed with Calcium Improves Groundnut Seedling Survival in Acid Soils

A growth chamber experiment and a field experiment were conducted to investigate the effects of pelleting or priming groundnut seed with calcium (Ca), either as calcium sulfate (CaSO₄), calcium chloride (CaCl₂), calcium nitrate [Ca(NO₃)₂], calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) or Calcimax on growth of groundnut seedlings in acid soils. In the growth chamber experiment, Ca-treated and non-treated groundnut seeds were planted in acid-washed sand and watered with a dilute nutrient solution of pH 4.0 or 5.5. In the field experiment, the seeds were planted in an acid sand clay loam of pH [potassium chloride (KCl)] 4.8. Generally, pelleting or priming the seed with a Ca compound significantly reduced seedling mortality. Also, pelleting groundnut seed with Ca enhanced plant growth. An additional effect of priming was earlier emergence. The most effective Ca compound was CaSO₄ among the priming treatments, whereas CaCO₃ was the most effective among the pelleting treatments to reduce seedling mortality.     

Analysis of Phosphate Rock Dissolution Determining Factors Using Principal Component Analysis in Some Acid Indonesian Soils

Abstract

Dissolution of phosphate rock (PR) materials and its subsequent phosphorus (P) availability to plants depend upon soil characteristics, PR characteristics, type of crops, and environmental conditions. Agronomic effectiveness of the PR sources has frequently been investigated in the field or in the greenhouse. This is time consuming and not cost‐effective. Therefore, identification of the soil characteristics influencing the dissolution of PR is very important for direct application of P sources. The principal component analysis was used to summarize the characteristics of acid soils in an incubation system into a number of factors that may affect PR dissolution. Three major factors were selected in this study: 1) soil texture, 2) soil acidity, and 3) fertilization. Using the scores of the individual factors as independent variables, a stepwise regression analysis was performed to derive a PR dissolution function. The coefficient of determination (R²) reached 0.91**, and the magnitude of the different factors affect PR dissolution following the order of soil texture (54%)>soil acidity (43%)>fertilizer (3%). Fertilizer was not significant as a PR dissolution factor.     

Studies on Nutrient Distribution in Some Zambian Soils with Special Reference to Sulphur Using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) I. Total Sulphur Distribution in Major Zambian Soils

Total sulphur content of some benchmark soils was evaluated by correlating with the contents of soil organic C and amorphous oxides (Al and Fe), and the particle size distribution. An equation model to calculate the content of total soil sulphur was first obtained by regression analysis. Introducing these chemical and physical data of all the map units except for the wetlands into the equation model, the sulphur level on a national scale was estimated for each soil mapping unit in the exploratory soil map of Zambia. Second, the total sulphur content was rated into 3 classes based on the frequency distribution of the total sulphur content in the benchmark soils. Finally, the rated total sulphur content was incorporated into the national soil map database of GIS to produce a map with the total sulphur content of Zambian soils. The extent of each class was calculated and the distribution of the areas was examined in relation to rainfall and soil formation.     

Studies on Nutrient Distribution in Some Zambian Soils with Special Reference to Sulphur Using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) I. Total Sulphur Distribution in Major Zambian Soils

Total sulphur content of some benchmark soils was evaluated by correlating with the contents of soil organic C and amorphous oxides (Al and Fe), and the particle size distribution. An equation model to calculate the content of total soil sulphur was first obtained by regression analysis. Introducing these chemical and physical data of all the map units except for the wetlands into the equation model, the sulphur level on a national scale was estimated for each soil mapping unit in the exploratory soil map of Zambia. Second, the total sulphur content was rated into 3 classes based on the frequency distribution of the total sulphur content in the benchmark soils. Finally, the rated total sulphur content was incorporated into the national soil map database of GIS to produce a map with the total sulphur content of Zambian soils. The extent of each class was calculated and the distribution of the areas was examined in relation to rainfall and soil formation.     

Relationship of Soil Phosphorus Pools with Bray 1 Phosphorus in Some Acid Soils of Central Southern Cameroon

We measured phosphorus (P) chemical pools of genetic horizons of five representative pedons from central southern Cameroon. Our objectives were to assess the relative abundance of P pools and to empirically model their interrelations and contributions to a P availability index. The fractionation scheme followed a modified Hedley sequential procedure with anion exchange resin, 0.5 M sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃; Pi and Po), 0.1 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH; Pi and Po), 0.5 M hydrochloric acid (HCl; Pi), and 2 M sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) after soil ignition at 550 ^oC. Resin P, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃-P; Pi and Po), and HCl-Pi–extractable pools accounted for 1.0, 5.7 and 0.7 % of total P (TP) respectively. The NaOH-P and residual P pools measured through 2 M H₂SO₄ emerged as the largest and most variable pools, accounting for 86.2% of TP. The relative abundance of extracted P pools decreased in the order resin P < NaHCO₃-P ≤ HCl-P < NaOH-P < H₂SO₄-P. Bray 1 P was significantly correlated with all P pools except NaHCO₃-Pi, NaOH-Pi, and residual pools.     

模拟酸雨对施肥条件下赤红壤氮磷淋失特征的影响

通过土柱模拟淋洗试验,研究了施用等量有机复合肥条件下,不同酸度模拟酸雨对赤红壤氮磷淋失特征的影响。结果表明,铵态氮、硝态氮、无机氮和总氮淋失量均随酸雨pH值增大而下降;pH 2.0模拟酸雨和对照（pH 6.5）的无机氮和总氮淋失量差异不显著,但均显著高于pH 3.0、pH 4.0和pH 5.0酸雨;pH 5.0模拟酸雨无机氮和总氮淋失量均最低,表明强酸性酸雨和中性淋洗液均促进氮淋失,而酸度与土壤接近的酸雨减少氮淋失。与对照相比,模拟酸雨对DP淋失无显著影响,但显著降低PP和TP淋失;不同模拟酸雨各形态磷淋失量均无显著差异,表明酸雨对赤红壤磷淋失影响有限。酸雨对淋滤液氮磷浓度动态变化和氮磷累计淋失量动态变化等均无显著影响。     

模拟酸雨对施肥条件下赤红壤氮磷淋失特征的影响

通过土柱模拟淋洗试验,研究了施用等量有机复合肥条件下,不同酸度模拟酸雨对赤红壤氮磷淋失特征的影响。结果表明,铵态氮、硝态氮、无机氮和总氮淋失量均随酸雨pH值增大而下降;pH 2.0模拟酸雨和对照(pH 6.5)的无机氮和总氮淋失量差异不显著,但均显著高于pH 3.0、pH 4.0和pH 5.0酸雨;pH 5.0模拟酸雨无机氮和总氮淋失量均最低,表明强酸性酸雨和中性淋洗液均促进氮淋失,而酸度与土壤接近的酸雨减少氮淋失。与对照相比,模拟酸雨对DP淋失无显著影响,但显著降低PP和TP淋失;不同模拟酸雨各形态磷淋失量均无显著差异,表明酸雨对赤红壤磷淋失影响有限。酸雨对淋滤液氮磷浓度动态变化和氮磷累计淋失量动态变化等均无显著影响。