Effects of Liming on Soil Physical Attributes: A Review

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to gather information on the effects of liming on changes in soil physical attributes. Soil acidity, caused by natural ways, such as rain, weathering and decomposition of organic matter and by human interference, by the use of nitrogen fertilizer mainly ammonia and urea fertilizer contribute to the acidification of the soil. In this context liming is perform to correct soil pH and neutralize the effect of toxic elements. Numerous benefits of liming are known, but their influence on soil physical attributes is poorly studied. Liming directly affects some physical properties of the soil, such as flocculation, aggregates, density and porosity. Flocculation of soil particles initially is smallest, which promotes greater particle dispersion. However, it changes over time, since H+ and Al3+ ions tend to be subsumed by Ca2+ and Mg2+ increasing particle flocculation power which favors its approximation and aggregate formation. For soil aggregates, surface liming in improves soil aggregation by increasing the mean aggregate diameter with positive responses as dose increases. Density and porosity of soil also undergo changes. It is important to point out that liming also has the potential to alter the porous structure of the soil. Porosity liming promotes soil density reduction and increase influenced reducing macroporosity values and increase of total porosity and micropores values. The results of studies carried out present divergent and similar results according to the evaluated physical attributes. This is possibly due to the dynamics between liming under different edaphoclimatic conditions.