SOIL TEXTURE PATTERNS IN THE ALLUVIUM OF THE LOWER INDUS PLAINS

Soil texture was mapped in the immature alluvial soils of the Lower Indus plain. A disadvantage of soil texture as a mapping criterion in such soils is the great complexity of their textural patterns. The geomorphological background of the Lower Indus plains is examined, and a classification of texture and textural profiles is defined. The mapping unit proposed, the‘textural association', comprises a certain range of textural profiles within a given landform, related to each other by the modes of deposition which established that landform. It seems likely that the textural association could, in more detailed surveys, form the basis of a soil series classification.     

THE INFLUENCE OF TEXTURE ON THE MOISTURE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOIL

A quantitative assessment was made of the effect of the proportion of sand, silt, clay, and organic matter in twenty-six soils on the moisture contents at the upper and lower limits of available-water of the soils. Regression equations were obtained which enabled the moisture contents to be estimated on a weight or volume basis from mechanical analysis data using either International or American size grades. The accuracy of estimating the upper limit of available-water from the various equations ranged from ±9 to 22 per cent: for the lower limit from ±8 to 16 per cent of the measured values. Mean values of the moisture contents at the upper and lower limits of available-water for each textural class were calculated from the average particle-size composition for each class and from the regressions obtained.     

15N在不同土质棉田中的移动

＾１５Ｎ在萧山轻咸砂土中,０－３０ｃｍ土层中横向移动可达４５ｃｍ,３０－５０ｃｍ土层中横向移动可达３０ｃｍ;金华黄筋泥土中＾１５Ｎ的横向移动为１５ｃｍ。３０－５０ｃｍ土层移动可达３０ｃｍ。两种土壤的向移动均达８０ｃｍ。证明＾１５Ｎ在棉田中的纵向移动范围大于横向移动范围。     

THE PLASTIC LIMIT, AS DETERMINED BY THE DROP-CONE TEST, IN RELATION TO THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR OF SOIL

The variation with water content is examined of soil cohesion, soil-metal friction, susceptibility to soil compaction, implement draught and the slope and intercept of the virgin compression line of critical state soil mechanics theory. For a given soil, all these relations are shown to exhibit turning points at a similar water content which corresponds to the cone penetrometer plastic limit, as determined with a drop-cone penetrometer, rather than the Casagrande plastic limit. The cone penetrometer plastic limit, which can also be more reliably determined than the Casagrande plastic limit, is the better indicator of soil behaviour in the field and of the water content at which the soil changes from the brittle to the plastic state.     

THE USE OF MOUNDS OF THE TERMITE MACROTERMES FALCIGER (GERSTÄCKER) AS A SOIL AMENDMENT

Twelve termite mounds and adjacent Ah and Ap horizons were sampled at three sites near Salisbury, Rhodesia. The mass of termite mounds occupied by M. falciger at one site was estimated at 620 t/ha, and contained the following amounts of nutrients expressed as percentages of the amounts in mounds and Ap horizon combined: extractable Ca 95%, mineral N 81% extractable K 69%, and available P 69%. Pot experiments using perennial ryegrass gave higher dry matter yields from termite mounds than from the Ap and Ah horizons. Crop production could therefore be increased by mixing termite mounds with the soil.     

DIRECT MEASUREMENTS OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF OXYGEN IN SOIL AGGREGATES AND IN COLUMNS OF FINE SOIL CRUMBS

The micro electrode of Evans and Naylor was modified to permit measurements of oxygen concentration in soil and was used to determine the distribution of oxygen in (a) agar which contained yeast and glucose and served as a model of a respiring water-saturated soil; (b) saturated spherical soil aggregates; (c) partly saturated columns of fine soil crumbs. Measurements in (a) and (b) but not in (c) agreed closely with predictions by diffusion theory. The disagreement appeared to result from water being unevenly distributed in the columns.     

GROWTH AND IRON-MANGANESE RELATIONSHIPS IN DRY BEAN AS AFFECTED BY FOLIAR AND SOIL APPLICATIONS OF IRON AND MANGANESE IN A CALCAREOUS SOIL

Manganese (Mn) deficiency may be induced by adding large quantities of iron (Fe), provided that soil manganese is marginally deficient. Results of a greenhouse study showed that iron soil application did not influence shoot dry matter yield of dry bean due to the fact that the iron:manganese ratio in aerial parts of dry bean was higher than 0.4. A foliar spray of 2% iron sulfate significantly reduced it probably due to the high level of shoot iron and iron:manganese ratio greater than 4. Iron application decreased concentration/uptake of shoot manganese due to the iron-manganese antagonistic relationships. Mangenese soil application is not an effective method in correction of manganese deficiency induced by iron fertilizers. Iron did not affect root manganese uptake, indicating that manganese absorption was not affected by iron application. Both manganese/iron soil tests are recommended in calcareous soils with manganese soil test in marginal range.     

MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE SOIL AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN SOIL SCIENCE – A REVIEW

The magnetic susceptibility of soil minerals is discussed, and in particular that of the ferrimagnetic minerals, maghemite, magnetite, and the titanomagnetites since one or more of these usually dominates soil magnetic properties. The magnetic susceptibility of soil depends on the shape, size, and concentration of these minerals as well as on the method of measurement. Measurements performed in a weak alternating magnetic field are the most reliable. The identification, formation, and occurrence of soil maghemite is considered in detail since it is usually of pedogenic origin and occurs in (magnetically) detectable amounts in most soils. Moderate concentrations (>1 per cent) of magnetite or titanomagnetite in soils may be accurately measured if some of the material is first magnetically separated and its susceptibility determined. An example is given of the use of susceptibility measurements. Pedogenic maghemite may be determined in soils developed from parent materials of low susceptibility. A very rough value of 8.8 × 10^?4 m³ kg^?1 is suggested for the mass susceptibility of such maghemite (excluding magnetic concretions). Although susceptibility has been suggested as an indicator of soil forming processes, this is only possible within an area containing fairly uniform parent material.     

A STOCHASTIC MODEL FOR THE GROWTH OF ROOTS IN TILLED SOIL

A method of defining soil macrostructure, based on observations of the distribution of aggregates and voids along horizontal transects, is combined with a model for the probability of a root either penetrating, or being deflected by an aggregate, after passing through a void. The latter is based on the strength of the aggregate, the angle of incidence, the length of the preceding void, and root properties. Effects of soil macro-structure, aggregate strength and plant species are discussed. A good correlation was obtained between the predicted nutrient uptake per unit length of root and the measured uptake per plant from beds of different-sized aggregates. The inclusion of the effect of aggregate strength on root elongation rate removed all effects of aggregate size on the rate of uptake of non-mobile nutrients. In order to reconcile this result with the correlation mentioned above, it is hypothesized that greater root branching occurs in beds of smaller aggregates so that the nutrient uptake remains the same as it would have been in the absence of rate effects. It is shown that an optimum' soil macro-structure exists for the maximum growth of roots of a given plant species. This optimum structure depends on the strength of the soil aggregates.     

RATE-CONTROLLING PROCESSES IN THE RELEASE OF SOIL PHOSPHATE

The isotopic exchange of phosphate ions in a deep river gravel soil, maintained at different pHs from 3.5 to 6.7 in a field experiment, established by the N.A.A.S. at Shardlow, was governed initially (<20 h) by simultaneous ‘first-order’ and ‘bulk diffusion’ kinetics, but later by ‘bulk-diffusion’ kinetics only. The ‘bulk-’ or ‘intracrumb-’ diffusion coefficient was independent of phosphate manuring, was least at pH 5.5 and increased on either side of this critical pH. The rate constant for the phosphate component exchanging initially with ‘first-order’ kinetics increased significantly with phosphate manuring at pH 3.5, 4.4, and 5.5, although the constants for unmanured and manured soils did not change with soil pH. But at pH 6.7, the rate constants for the unmanured and phosphate-treated soils were greater than those in the more acid soils, although the constant for the manured soil was just significantly greater than that of the unmanured soil. Residual phosphate (i.e. the difference between manured and unmanured soils) adsorbed on the soil was greatest in the more acid soils but water-soluble residual phosphate increased with soil pH to a maximum at pH 5.5. Residual phosphate, exchanging initially, decreased to nothing above pH 6.5.     

HYSTERESIS IN THE MOISTURE CHARACTERISTICS OF CLAY SOIL

The relation between soil suction, degree of saturation, and the air and water permeabilities is experimentally investigated for two clay soils. Marked hysteresis can exist between saturation and permeability, but does not follow a unique trend. Thus permeability can be greater on a wetting or drying cycle depending on the structure of the clay soil. This behaviour is considered in terms of the cluster concept of soil structure, and it is concluded that any general theory of hysteresis must recognize both the macrostructure and microstructure of a soil.     

VARIATIONS IN THE USEFULNESS OF RAPID SOIL MAPPING IN THE NIGERIAN SAVANNA

The rapid soil mapping required in developing countries can only be done by relating soils to land form and geology. A usefulness classification of mapping units is suggested. The most useful contain the least soil variation. Units with regular soil variation within them are more useful than those with random variation. In the Nigerian Savanna the most useful units are on hill remnants and homogeneous sediments, particularly coarse siliceous sandstones and fixed dunes. The least useful are on dissected areas, heterogeneous sediments, igneous and metamorphic rocks. The least fertile soils often dominate the most useful units. Rapid soil mapping should be useful in the north and the lower Niger and Benue valleys.     

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SOIL VARIABILITY FOR FOREST SOIL STUDIES IN NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND

A study of 13 sample plots (0.01 ha) in 6 forests showed that the average number of topsoil samples required per plot to secure 95 per cent confidence limits for a range about the mean of 10 per cent was 6 for total nitrogen, 9 for total phosphorus and 29 for 0.5 M acetic acid extractable nutrients (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium). In some plots 95 per cent confidence intervals, based on 5 composite samples, for extractable nutrients were as large as the range of mean values for different plots within a forest. High variability within plots causes large variation in correlation coefficients between tree growth and soil properties so that the intensity of sampling should be of the order indicated above to identify factors affecting growth. For predicting timber yield the accuracy of regression equations containing predictors of high within-plot variability is too low to be of practical value. The sampling effort required to achieve a given level of precision does not increase greatly when plot size is increased from 0.01 to 0.1 ha. Since Yield Class, the most useful measure of growth, is not designed for areas less than 0.5 ha, the use of the larger plot size is recommended.     

MOLYBDENUM IN THE LOWER LIAS OF ENGLAND AND WALES IN RELATION TO THE INCIDENCE OF TEART

An explanation is offered for the fact that the toxic levels of molybdenum occurring in the Lower Lias soils of Somerset have not been found in soils of Glamorgan, apparently derived from the same zones of the Lower Lias. This is attributable to the parent rock being free of the abnormally high levels of molybdenum found in Somerset, which in turn probably results from the Glamorgan Lias having been laid down close to the contemporary coastline.
Soils high in molybdenum are to be expected in the Vale of Marshwood (Dorset), but owing to the topography of this district they probably occur in such small pockets as to cause no serious trouble.     

A LABORATORY METHOD TO MEASURE GAS DIFFUSION AND FLOW IN SOIL AND OTHER POROUS MATERIALS

An apparatus was constructed to measure diffusivity of krypton-85 and gas permeability in an enclosed core of soil of field structure or in other porous material. Sample enclosure decreased water loss by evaporation, reduced mass flow caused by changes in ambient temperature and pressure during diffusion measurement, and allowed subsequent measurement of gas permeability without further sample disturbance. When a bundle of tubes was used as a test sample to calibrate the apparatus, the resistances to diffusion and viscous flow agreed approximately with those calculated from the tube size and number. Gas movement was measured in dry sieved soil and in undisturbed cores of silty loam soil to illustrate the practical value of the method. In the dry cores, diffusivity relative to free air (D_A/D_o) was greater in ploughed soil, 0.18, than in direct drilled soil, 0.14, nearly in proportion to the greater air porosity in the ploughed soil, but air permeability in ploughed soil was four times greater than in direct drilled soil and was about 1 000 times greater than in compacted sieved soil.     

THE OCCURRENCE OF COPPER-PORPHYRIN COMPLEXES IN SOIL HUMIC ACIDS

Electron paramagnetic resonance (e.p.r.) spectroscopy has been used to show that humic acids, which were isolated from a range of soils and from which most of the iron was removed by boiling with hydrochloric acid, contain copper in the form of porphyrin complexes. The amounts of porphyrin-bound copper in the acid-boiled humic acids were estimated to be ≤ 20 mg/kg (equivalent to 0.05-0.9 mg/kg in the soils). The acid-boiled humic acids from cultivated mineral soils showed no great capacity for further uptake of copper as copper porphyrin when treated with CuSO₄, most of this additional copper being held by groups not involving N-donor groups. In contrast, copper treatment of the acid-boiled humic acid from a raised bog peat produced a large increase in copper-porphyrin signal strength, indicating that in the peat there are considerable amounts of porphyrin by which added copper could be complexed. It is suggested that porphyrin groups may be involved in the fixation of copper by organic matter in soils.