Mycorrhizal (Rhizophagus Intraradices) Symbiosis and Fe and Zn Availability in Calcareous Soil

Greenhouse experiment was conducted to assess the iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) fractionation patterns in soils of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus-inoculated and uninoculated maize plants fertilized with varying levels of Fe and Zn. Soil samples were collected for Fe and Zn fractions and available Fe, Zn and phosphorus (P) contents besides organic and biomass carbon (BMC), soil enzymes and glomalin. Major portion of Fe and Zn fractionations was found to occur in the residual form. Mycorrhizal symbiosis increased the organically bound forms of Fe and Zn while reducing the crystalline oxide, residual Fe and Zn fractions, indicating the transformation of unavailable forms into available forms. Soil enzymes, viz. dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase activities in M+ soils, were significantly higher than M? soil consistently. Overall, the data suggest that mycorrhizal symbiosis enhanced the availability of Fe and Zn as a result of preferential fractionation and biochemical changes that may alleviate micronutrient deficiencies in calcareous soil.

Abbreviations: AM: arbuscular mycorrhiza; Fe: Iron; Zn: Zinc; P: Phosphorous; Amox-Zn: amorphous oxide bound zinc; Cryox-Zn: crystalline oxide bound zinc; DAS: days after sowing; DTPA: diethylene Triamine Penta Acetic Acid; MnO₂-Zn: manganese oxide bound zinc; OC-Zn: organically bound zinc; WSEX: water soluble plus exchangeable zinc; MnO₂ Fe: manganese oxide bound iron; OC-Fe: Organically bound iron; WSEX Fe: water soluble plus exchangeable iron.     

Distribution of Forms of Zinc and Their Association with Soil Properties and Uptake in Different Soil Orders in Semi‐arid Soils of Punjab,India

Abstract

Profiles of semi‐arid–zone soils in Punjab, northwest India, were investigated for different forms of zinc (Zn), including total, diethylenetriamine penta‐acetic acid (DTPA)-extractable, soil solution plus exchangeable (Zn), Zn adsorbed onto inorganic sites, Zn bound by organic sites, and Zn adsorbed onto oxide surfaces. Irrespective of the different fractions of Zn present, its content was higher in fine‐textured Alfisols and Inceptisols than in coarse‐textured Entisols. In general, the higher content of Zn was observed in the surface horizon and then decreased in the subsurface horizons. However, none of the forms of Zn exhibited any consistent pattern of distribution. Organic matter and size fractions (clay and silt) had a strong influence on the distribution of different forms of Zn. Based upon the linear coefficient of correlation, the soil solution plus exchangeable Zn, adsorbed onto inorganic sites, and DTPA‐Zn increased with increase in organic carbon but decreased with increase in pH and calcium carbonate content. Total Zn increased with increase in clay and silt content. Among the different forms, Zn bound by organic sites, water soluble plus exchangeable Zn and Zn adsorb onto oxide (amorphous surfaces) were all correlated with DTPA extractable Zn. The uptake of Zn was more in recent floodplain Entisols than very fine textured Alfisols and Inceptisols. Among the different forms soil solution +exchangeable and DTPA‐extractable Zn was positively correlated with total uptake of Zn.     

Redistribution and Availability of Iron,Manganese, Zinc,and Copper in Four Malian Agricultural Soils Amended with Solid Municipal Waste Compost

Abstract

Municipal waste compost can improve the fertility status of tropical soils. The redistribution of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in tropical soils after amendment with solid municipal waste compost was investigated. Four tropical agricultural soils from Mali characterized by poor trace‐element status were amended with compost and incubated for 32 weeks at 35°C. The soil were analyzed at the beginning and the end of the incubation experiment for readily available fractions, organic fractions, and residual fractions as operationally defined by sequential extraction. Readily available Fe increased significantly with compost application in most soils. Readily available Mn was mostly unaffected by compost application. After 32 weeks, readily available Zn had increased, and readily available Cu had decreased. Readily available levels of the elements remained greater than deficiency levels in the compost‐amended soils. Organic fractions of the elements increased after compost addition. The organic fractions and residual forms, depending on the element and the soil, remained constant or increased within the duration of the experiment.     

Metal‐Associated Forms and Speciation in Biosolid‐Amended Oxisols

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of pH and ionic strength on the distribution and speciation of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and cadmium (Cd) in surface soil samples from two Brazilian Oxisols amended with biosolids. Soils and biosolids were equilibrated in an experimental dual‐chamber diffusion apparatus that permits the soils and biosolids to react through a solution phase via diffusion across a membrane. After equilibrium was reached, soil and biosolids samples were sequentially fractionated to identify various solid forms of Zn, Cu, and Cd. Metal concentrations in the solution phase were determined and mass balance calculated. Equilibrating pH had no major effect on Cu solubility from biosolids and, at pH range from 4 to 7, most Cu remained in the biosolids. Soluble Zn and Cd concentration increased with decreasing pH because of the increased solubility of the biosolids. Copper and Zn were primarily associated with the residual fraction and Fe oxides in one soil, but were primarily associated with chemically unstable fractions, or adsorbed to the surface of oxides, in the other soil. In both soils, Cd was primarily associated with readily bioavailable fractions. The effect of pH on the metal distribution was more evident than the ionic strength effect. Free ions were the predominant metal species in solution, especially at lower pH values.     

Distribution of zinc forms in highly calcareous soils as influenced by soil physical and chemical properties and application of zinc sulfate

Abstract

Water‐soluble zinc (Zn) fertilizers are rapidly converted to insoluble forms in calcareous soils resulting in lower efficiency of such fertilizers. A knowledge of distribution of native and applied Zn in such soils is necessary for understanding the fate of applied Zn fertilizers and finding ways to increase their efficiency. This experiment was conducted to obtain such information in selected highly calcareous soils of Iran. A sequential extraction method was used to fractionate the Zn forms of surface horizons (0–20 cm) of 20 highly calcareous soils [16 to 58% calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) equivalent; pH 7.9 to 8.5] which had previously received 0, 10, or 20 mg Zn/kg as zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) and had been under one corn (Zea mays L.) crop in the greenhouse. The forms determined were exchangeable (EXZN), sorbed (SRZN), organic (ORZN), carbonate (CRZN), residual (RSZN), and sum of forms (SMZN). The native SMZN ranged from 32.4 to 66.7 mg/kg with a mean of 49.9 mg/kg. Application of 10 and 20 mg Zn/kg as ZnSO₄ increased the mean to 57.7 and 62.7 mg/kg, respectively. Concentration of different forms of Zn in the soils was determined to be in the following order: RSZN >>> CRZN > SRZN > EXZN > ORZN. The concentration of native EXZN+SRZN+ORZN forms constituted less than 5% of SMZN, while concentration of CRZN alone ranged from 4.37 to 16.05% with a mean of 8.36%. Application of ZnSO₄, while significantly increased the concentration of all forms of Zn, had a pronounced effect on CRZN. Averaged over all soils, 58 and 60% of the applied ZnSO₄ was converted to CRZN for the 10 and 20 mg Zn/kg, respectively. Regression equations relating different Zn forms to soil physical and chemical properties indicated that the Zn forms are significantly influenced by soil properties.

It was concluded that conversion of applied ZnSO₄ to CRZN was mainly responsible for retention of this fertilizer in highly calcareous soils, making it temporarily unavailable to plants, and therefore decreasing its apparent recovery by the first crop.     

硅藻土有机肥对Cd-Zn复合污染土壤重金属形态和有效性的影响

通过室内土壤培养试验研究硅藻土有机肥对Cd、Zn复合污染土壤重金属形态和有效性的影响。结果表明,添加硅藻土有机肥可提高Cd、Zn复合污染土壤的pH值,降低土壤有效态Cd、Zn的含量。硅藻土有机肥对Cd、Zn复合污染土壤Cd、Zn形态有明显的影响,表现为明显降低土壤交换态、松结有机态Cd、Zn含量,提高紧结有机态和残渣态Cd、Zn含量。相关分析表明,土壤交换态、松结有机态Cd、Zn的含量与土壤有效态Cd、Zn的含量均呈极显著相关,氧化锰结合态Cd与土壤有效态Cd含量显著相关。硅藻土有机肥用量(土壤重量的5%和10%)对土壤有效态Cd、Zn和不同形态Cd、Zn含量无显著差异。     

Zinc distribution in Zimbabwean soils and its relationship with other soil factors

Abstract

The distribution of zinc in some major Zimbabwean soils was studied using 120 profiles taken from 22 different locations. The total zinc status (TL‐Zn) of the horizons of soils studied was low (8 ppm), and the range was narrow (3.7 to 16.3 ppm). The residual zinc (RS‐Zn) fraction was about 65 percent of the total zinc found in the soils, while 15 percent was organically bound zinc (OG‐Zn), 14 percent was available zinc (MG‐Zn), and 6 percent was zinc associated with hydrous metal oxides (OX‐Zn). The total zinc status of the soils was related to parent material. Generally, texture had a significant effect on zinc distribution with heavier textured soils having more zinc in most fractions than the lighter textured soils. A decrease in zinc down the profile was observed for available, residual, and total zinc. If cropped intensively, 32 per cent of the soils with less than 1 ppm available zinc have the potential for zinc deficiency. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that organic matter, silt and clay contents, available copper, and resin P₂O₅ contents were important for predicting the available zinc content of the soils, while texture and organic matter content were important in predicting total zinc content.     

Effect of Organic Residues and Their Derived Biochars on the Zinc and Copper Chemical Fractions and Some Chemical Properties of a Calcareous Soil

ABSTRACT

Addition of more resistant organic materials, such as biochars, to soils not only enhances soil C sequestration but also can also benefit soil fertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two organic materials (sheep manure and vermicompost) and their biochars produced at two pyrolysis temperatures (300 and 500°C) applied at 5% (w/w) on the chemical fractions of Zn and Cu and some chemical characteristics of an unpolluted, light textured calcareous soil. Addition of the raw organic materials and their-derived biochars significantly enhanced plant available K, P, and Zn but significantly decreased plant available Cu in the soil. Sheep manure biochar produced at 300°C was most effective at increasing plant available P (13-fold) and K (1.9 fold) likely due to formation of more soluble forms of P and K compared to raw material or biochar produced at higher temperature (500°C). Whereas, raw vermicompost and sheep manure were most effective at enhancing plant available Zn, by increasing water soluble and exchangeable Zn fraction likely due to organic complexation. All amendments, especially biochars produced at 300°C reduced water soluble and exchangeable Cu mainly attributed to increased soil P availability. The results of this study showed that in the short-term, addition of the low-temperature biochars was best for enhancing soil P and K availability, but concomitantly reduced Cu availability the most, whereas, addition of the raw organic materials was better for enhancing Zn availability compared to the biochars.     

豫中植烟土壤有效态微量元素与pH和有机质的关系

为探明豫中植烟土壤p H和有机质对微量元素有效态含量的影响，在豫中许昌市的建安、禹州、襄城和漯河市的城区、临颍和舞阳6个植烟县(区)采集了191个典型烟田耕层(0～20 cm)土样，测定了微量元素(有效铜、铁、锰、锌、钼)含量、p H和有机质含量，采用Pearson相关分析法与曲线回归方法分析了有效态微量元素含量与pH、有机质之间的关系。结果表明，有效铜、铁、锰、锌和钼的平均含量分别为1.20、49.24、84.80、1.71和0.02mg/kg，有效锰总体上充足，有效钼整体极为缺乏，个别样点有效铜、铁和锌缺乏；p H平均为7.90，总体上偏高；有机质平均为17.78g/kg，总体上适宜；微量元素有效态与pH、有机质之间均存在二次函数关系，随p H升高，有效铜呈增加趋势，有效铁和锌呈先升后降趋势，有效锰和钼呈先降后升趋势；随有机质升高，有效铜、锰、锌和钼呈增加趋势，有效铁呈先升后降的趋势。     

Zinc fertilization of lentil for grain yield and grain zinc concentration in ten Saskatchewan soils

Fertilization of grain legumes with zinc (Zn) can affect both marketable yield and Zn content of the grain, which is important in addressing human nutritional deficiencies in certain regions of the world. A pot experiment was conducted to determine the response of three different market classes of lentil to Zn fertilization using ten surface soils from Saskatchewan (Canada). The distribution of Zn among labile and stable fractions chemically separated from the soil was also determined in the ten prairie soils and related to the lentil responses observed. The three market classes of lentils (large and small green, small red) were grown without Zn (control), and with 2.5 and 5 kg Zn ha^?1 added as zinc sulfate to each soil prior to planting. Zinc fertilizer application significantly influenced grain yield and was soil dependent. A significant increase in grain yield over the control was observed from application of Zn on some low organic matter, high pH Brown Chernozem soils whereas a decrease in grain yield over control was observed in other soils such as a Black Chernozem of high organic matter content and low (<7) pH. Lack of positive yield response to addition of Zn were related to measured high diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) extractable and plant root simulator (PRS) resin membrane probe Zn, and large amounts of native Zn in exchangeable and iron/manganese (Fe/Mn) oxide bound fractions. Application of Zn fertilizer generally increased the grain concentration of Zn. For example, an increase of ～20% in Zn concentration over control was observed when 5 kg Zn ha^?1 was added to a loamy textured low organic matter Brown Chernozem soil. Overall, small green lentil was more consistent in producing a positive response to Zn fertilizer application on soils with low plant available Zn compared to large green lentil and small red lentil.     

Zinc fractions in soil and uptake by wheat as affected by different preceding crops

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is widespread in alkaline and calcareous soils. Limited information is available on the effect of preceding crops on the distribution of Zn in soil solid phase. This field study was conducted to investigate the changes in Zn chemical forms in soil solid phase as affected by four preceding crops [Sunflower (Heilianthus annuus L. cv. Allstar), Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. cv. Speed Feed), Clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L. cv. Koseh-e-Isfahan)] in a calcareous soil. A control treatment with no preceding crop (fallow) was also used. Our results showed that the preceding crops increased Zn concentration in exchangeable fraction (EXCH-Zn), the organically bound zinc form (ORG-Zn) and zinc bound to iron and manganese oxides (FeMnOX-Zn) while decreased carbonates bound-zinc (CAR-Zn) and residual zinc forms (RES-Zn). However, the changes in Zn fractions were dependent on the preceding crop type. The EXCH-Zn and ORG-Zn pools can be considered labile pools that play significant roles in supplying Zn for plants. Among the preceding crops used in this experiment, clover (Clo) had the highest effect on transforming CAR-Zn form to EXCH-Zn and ORG-Zn labile forms and thus resulted in the highest Zn accumulation in tissues of the target wheat (Triticumaestivum L. cv. Back Cross). Although the changes in chemical forms of Zn in the soil solid phase are complex and dependent on various factors, our findings showed that the preceding crops significantly increased the concentration of Zn in exchangeable and organic matter pools and in turn resulted in higher uptake of Zn by the target wheat.     

砂姜黑土区花生田种植前后土壤肥力空间变异特征分析及评价

为明确砂姜黑土区花生种植前和成熟期土壤肥力状况及空间变异特征,本研究利用地理信息系统(GIS)和地统计学技术,运用模糊隶属度函数法,对河南省正阳县砂姜黑土土壤肥力状况及其空间变异特征进行分析。结果表明,与种植前相比,花生成熟期土壤有效硫含量明显下降,有机质、全氮、速效钾、有效铁和有效锌含量均有不同程度的提高,其中土壤全氮和有效磷含量增幅较大,分别增加10.17%和16.37%,但有机质和有效锌含量仍处于较低水平。花生种植前和成熟期土壤pH值变异系数分别为6.18%和6.36%,属弱变异,其余土壤养分指标变异系数介于12.58%~44.94%之间,属中等变异。不同土壤肥力指标对土壤肥力综合指标(IFI)的贡献存在差异,其中有机质含量对土壤肥力的贡献最大。半方差分析结果表明,花生种植前IFI的空间相关性较强,变异函数以球状模型拟合效果最好,空间分布特征主要受自然因素影响;花生成熟期IFI的空间相关性中等,变异函数以高斯模型拟合效果最好,空间分布特征受自然因素和人为活动共同影响。正阳县IFI多集中在0.58~0.72之间,表明土壤肥力整体处于中等偏上水平。另外,花生种植前IFI低于花生成熟期,且IFI空间分布呈南高北低的特征。综合分析,在正阳县砂姜黑土区花生生产上,应适当减少氮磷用量,增加有机肥和锌肥的施用,尤其是其南部地区。本研究结果可为砂姜黑土区花生优质高产的合理施肥和培肥地力提供科学指导。     

Changes in soil properties and the availability of soil micronutrients after 18 years of cropping and fertilization

Micronutrient deficiencies are common in many parts of China's Loess Plateau. The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of long-term cropping and fertilization practices on soil properties and micronutrient availability in this region. The field plot experiment began in 1984. It included five cropping systems and four fertilizer treatments. In September 2002, soil samples were collected and soil pH, organic matter content, available P, and CaCO₃ were measured. Total and available Zn, Cu, Mn, and Fe were also determined. The relationship between soil properties and available micronutrients was determined by correlation and path analysis. After 18 years, soil pH and CaCO₃ levels were lower in the cropped and fertilized treatments compared to the fallow treatment. In contrast, soil organic matter and available P levels were higher in cropped compared to fallow treatments. A comparison of unfertilized treatments indicated that available Zn and Cu levels in cropped treatments were lower compared to the fallow treatment, probably due to the removal of these micronutrients from the system through crop uptake and harvest. In contrast, available Mn and Fe levels were higher in cropped treatments compared to the fallow treatment. The impacts of fertilization on available micronutrients varied with cropping systems. Generally, available Zn and Fe were higher in fertilized compared to unfertilized treatments, but available Cu was not significantly influenced by fertilization. Fertilization tended to increase available Mn in continuous wheat and maize, but reduced available Mn in continuous clover and the crop–legume rotation. The total (plant available + unavailable) micronutrient contents were lower in the four cropped-treatments compared to the fallow treatment. The addition of manure or P fertilizer increased total Zn, Fe, and Mn, but had no significant effect on total Cu. The results of correlation analysis and path analysis indicated that soil organic matter exerts a significant and direct effect on the availability of Zn, Mn, and Fe, but has little influence on available Cu. The effects of available P, CaCO₃, and pH on micronutrient availability were indirect, passing through soil organic matter. The results of this study suggest that long-term cropping and fertilization altered several important soil properties and increased the plant available micronutrient content of this loess-derived soil.     

山东省青州市土壤养分元素有效量及其影响因素

为研究山东省青州市土壤养分元素有效量及其影响因素，通过系统采集分析390件表层土壤样品，获得了N、P、K、Cu、Zn、Mo、B 7种土壤养分元素全量和有效量以及pH和有机质数据，并对其进行了相关性和差异性分析。结果表明：研究区土壤Mo、B元素有效量低，总体表现为缺乏和较缺乏；N元素有效量背景值略高于临界值，分布不规律；P、K、Cu、Zn元素有效量变异系数均大于100%，呈现西低东高的空间分布趋势。相关性分析表明，N、P、K、Cu、Zn、B 6种元素全量与有效量呈显著正相关，测试的7种元素有效量与pH均呈显著负相关，N、K、Zn、B 4种元素有效量与有机质含量呈显著正相关。不同成土母质中，奥陶系和寒武系土壤pH、奥陶系土壤有机质含量显著高于全区，养分有效量在奥陶系土壤中总体较低。不同土壤类型中，粗骨土土壤pH和有机质含量显著高于全区，养分有效量在粗骨土中总体较低。研究区土壤养分元素有效量不仅与元素全量水平关系密切，同时受土壤pH和有机质含量的影响。     

攀西烟区紫色土pH值与土壤养分的相关分析

对四川攀西烟区有代表性的30个紫色土样品的pH值、有机质及有效养分含量进行了测定。结果表明，攀西烟区紫色土的pH值在5．13～8．14范围内，有半数左右的土壤偏碱性；有机质、碱解氮、有效锌和有效锰的含量均随pH值的升高而降低，交换性钙的含量随pH值的升高而升高，而pH值与速效磷、速效钾、交换性镁、速效铜、速效硼间的相关性则不显著。烟区紫色土的有机质和碱解氮含量偏低，速效磷、速效钾含量中等，交换性钙、交换性镁含量丰富；部分pH值较高的土壤可能会缺乏铜、锌等微量元素；在不同pH值的土壤上硼营养均严重亏缺，建议生产中增施硼肥。     

Chemical forms and sorption of copper and zinc in soils of central Chile

Abstract

Soil samples from a field irrigated with untreated industrial and municipal wastewater for several decades and from a field not receiving wastewater (control) were analyzed for total copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) and for the amount of these elements removed in sequential extractions with MgCl₂, NaOAc, NH₂OH#lbHCl, 6H₂O₂‐HNO₃‐NH₄OAc, and HNO₃‐HF‐HCl. Organically‐bound Cu forms predominated in the wastewater‐affected soil while in the control soil both residual and organic forms yielded the same proportion of Cu. Distribution of Zn was different in the diverse fractions, and in the polluted soil the reducible and the residual forms predominated while in the control soil the residual form accounted for the highest proportion of recovered Zn. Sequential extraction of Cu from a copper sulfate‐treated soil incubated for 32 days at constant temperature resulted in the same proportional distribution of Cu forms in the polluted soil. In the control soil the oxidizable form decreased and the residual one increased noticeably. The two‐surface Langmuir adsorption model was used to adjust data and to interpret Cu and Zn adsorption by soils excepting Cu sorption by the polluted soil, where the one‐surface model was applied.     

Soil Zinc Transformations as Affected by Applied Zinc and Organic Materials

Information on soil zinc (Zn) distribution is essential for understanding its chemical reactions and bioavailability. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of wheat straw, cow manure, and vermicompost applied with Zn rates on Zn distribution in a calcareous soil. A sequential extraction scheme was used to fractionate Zn into soluble and exchangeable, bound to carbonate, organically bound, bound to manganese (Mn) oxide, bound to amorphous iron (Fe) oxide, bound to crystalline Fe oxide, and residual forms. In untreated soil, Zn was mainly in the residual fraction. Increasing rates of applied Zn increased all forms of Zn. Carbonate and residual forms showed the greatest increase. Organic materials application increased all fractions, except Mn-oxide form, and this increase was more pronounced for the organically bound form. Concentration of soluble, exchangeable, and organically bound forms was greatest in cow manure–amended samples as compared to other organic materials, suggesting that cow manure contained more bioavailable Zn than other organic materials.     

Tea Plantation–Induced Activation of Soil Heavy Metals

Abstract

The accumulation of heavy metals in tea leaves is of concern because of its impact on tea quality. This study characterized long‐term changes of soil properties and heavy‐metal fractions in tea gardens and their effect on the uptake of metals from soils by the plants. Soil and tea leaf samples were collected from five plantations with a history of 2–70 years in Jinghua, Zhejiang Province, southeast China. The six chemical fractions (water‐soluble, exchangeable, carbonate‐bound, organic‐matterbound, oxide‐bound, and residual forms) of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in the soils were characterized. Dissolved organic‐matter accumulation in the soils and effects of low‐molecular‐weight organic acids on solubility of soil heavy metals were also tested. Long‐term tea plantation use resulted in accumulation of dissolved organic matter, decrease of soil pH, and elevation of water‐soluble and exchangeable metal fractions, thereby increasing metal contents in leaves. The influence was more significant when soil pH was less than 4.4. The results indicated that both acidification and accumulation of dissolved organic matter induced by tea plantations were also important causes of increased accumulation of the metals in the tea leaves. This was particularly true for the soils polluted with low concentration of heavy metals, because availability of the metals in these soils was mainly controlled by pH and dissolved organic matter.     

Characterizing spatial variability of soil properties in alluvial soils of India using geostatistics and geographical information system

Alluvial soils constitute significant portion of cultivated land in India and it contributes towards food grain production predominantly. The objectives of this study were to assess the spatial variability of soil pH, organic carbon (OC), available (mineralizable) nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), available potassium (K) and available zinc (Zn) of alluvial floodplain soils of Kadwa block, Katihar district, Bihar, India. A total of 85 soil samples, representative of the plough layer (0–25 cm depth from surface) were randomly collected from the study area. The values of soil pH, OC, N, P, K and Zn varied from4.4 to 8.4, 0.20% to 1.20%, 141 to 474, 2.2 to 68.2, 107 to 903 kg ha^–1 and 0.22 to 1.10 mg kg^–1, respectively. The coefficient of variation value was highest for available P (94.3%) and lowest for soil pH (11.3%). Spherical model was found to be the best fit for N, P and Zn contents, while exponential model was the best fit for OC, and Gaussian model was the best-fit model for pH and K. The nugget/sill ratio indicates that except pH and available K all other soil properties were moderately spatially dependent (25–57%). Soil properties exhibited different distribution pattern. It was observed that the use of geostatistical method could accurately generate the spatial variability maps of soil nutrients in alluvial soils.     

Fractionation of zinc in some New Zealand soils

Abstract

The amounts and forms of zinc in twenty surface soils from Canterbury and Southland, New Zealand were determined using a sequential fractionation scheme. Total soil zinc concentrations ranged from 38.1 mg#lbkg^‐1 to 113.8 mg#lbkg^‐1. Although the proportions of zinc found in individual fractions varied between soils, on average approximately 3% occurred as exchangeable zinc, 5% as organic‐bound zinc, 9%, 18%, 24% was associated with manganese, amorphous iron and crystalline iron oxides, respectively, and 40% was in the residual fraction. In a group of soils formed in greywacke alluvium or loess, exchangeable zinc was inversely related to soil pH. Within the same group of soils, those of similar age with greater concentrations of total and organic‐bound zinc were present in imperfectly‐ and poorly‐drained soils compared with well‐drained soils. Zinc extracted from the soils with a range of reagents used to assess ‘plant available’ zinc was correlated strongly with the concentrations of zinc present in the exchangeable and organic‐bound zinc fractions.