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

Abstract

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 fiel...