Abstract
Base saturation percentage (BSP) is an important soil chemical index in soil fertility and soil taxonomy. However, it is still unclear what exchangeable cation dominates BSP of soil in south China. Therefore, in this study, the data of BSPs and exchangeable H+, Al3+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+ of 109 and 45 horizon samples of 50 and 28 soil species in red soil and yellow soil groups in the Database of Chinese Soil Species were used to explore further the characteristics of BSPs and exchangeable cations as well as the correlation between BSPs and exchangeable cations. The results showed that the concentrations of exchangeable cations in both red soil and yellow soil groups were in an order of Al3+ (4.55 ± 1.47 and 4.22 ± 1.2 cmol(+)/kg) > Ca2+ (0.32 ± 0.21 and 0.36 ± 0.24 cmol(+)/kg) > H+ (0.23 ± 0.13 and 0.19 ± 0.10 cmol(+)/kg) > K+ (0.16 ± 0.09 and 0.16 ± 0.11 cmol(+)/kg) > Mg2+ (0.13 ± 0.09 and 0.11 ± 0.08 cmol(+)/kg) > Na+ (0.08 ± 0.06 and 0.11 ± 0.06 cmol(+)/kg). For red soil group, Al3+ concentration was significantly higher than those of other exchangeable cations, Ca2+ and H+ concentrations were significantly higher than those of K+, Mg2+ and Na+; while for yellow soil group, Ca2+, H+ and K+ concentrations were significantly higher than those of Mg2+ and K+. BSP of red soil group was codetermined by Ca2+, Al3+, Mg2+ and Na+, with the contributions of 33.81%, 19.82% and 14.49%, respectively; while BSP of yellow soil group was codetermined by Al3+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+, with the contributions of 24.91%, 21.55%, 19.91% and 14.21%, respectively. A higher concentration of exchangeable cation does not mean the higher importance of the cation to soil BSP.
Highlights
Base saturation percentage (BSP) is an important soil chemical index which has implication in soil fertility [1] [2] [3] and in soil taxonomy [4] [5]
The results showed that the concentrations of exchangeable cations in both red soil and yellow soil groups were in an order of Al3+ (4.55 ± 1.47 and 4.22 ± 1.2 cmol(+)/kg) > Ca2+ (0.32 ± 0.21 and 0.36 ± 0.24 cmol(+)/kg) > H+ (0.23 ± 0.13 and 0.19 ± 0.10 cmol(+)/kg) > K+ (0.16 ± 0.09 and 0.16 ± 0.11 cmol(+)/kg) > Mg2+ (0.13 ± 0.09 and 0.11 ± 0.08 cmol(+)/kg) > Na+ (0.08 ± 0.06 and 0.11 ± 0.06 cmol(+)/kg)
BSP of red soil group was codetermined by Ca2+, Al3+, Mg2+ and Na+, with the contributions of 33.81%, 19.82% and 14.49%, respectively; while BSP of yellow soil group was codetermined by Al3+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+, with the contributions of 24.91%, 21.55%, 19.91% and 14.21%, respectively
Summary
Base saturation percentage (BSP) is an important soil chemical index which has implication in soil fertility [1] [2] [3] and in soil taxonomy [4] [5]. Some studies found that BSP was dominated by Ca2+ for the calcareous soils on a small orchard scale [9] [10], but no consideration was given to the importance of different exchangeable cations to BSPs. Red soil and yellow soil groups (in Chinese Genetic Classification) are two important zonal soil groups widely distributed in the hilly area of tropical and subtropical south China which are characterized by high desilicification but fersialitization [11] [12]. It is still unclear that what exchangeable cations dominate BSPs of red soil and yellow soil groups; the objective of our study is to understand further the characteristics of BSPs and exchangeable cations, and to quantitatively analyze the importance of different exchangeable cations to BSPs of red soil and yellow soil groups
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