The Lime Potential and Percent Base Saturation of Some Representative Podzolic and Brunisolic Soils in Canada

Abstract

AbstractThe pH, corrected lime potential, and percent base saturation values of a number of representative forest soils were determined. There was generally close agreement between the theoretical base saturation estimated from the corrected lime potential and the value calculated from ions extracted from soils with 2n NaCl.The Gray Brown Podzolic, Gray Wooded, Brown Wooded, and many of the Acid Brown Wooded soils were highly base saturated with values over about 90%. Only soils with well‐developed Podzol features and a Gray Wooded soil developed from acid shale had base saturation values below about 50%. The upper horizons of some Brown Podzolic and some weakly developed Podzols had intermediate base saturation values. Base saturation values obtained by techniques used in this study appeared to be related to the classification of the soils, thus providing a pedogenically significant means of characterizing soils.