Significant Soil Acidification Research Articles

Effect of Simulated N Deposition on Soil Exchangeable Cations in Three Forest Types of Subtropical China

Abstract The effects of simulated nitrogen (N) deposition on soil exchangeable cations were studied in three forest types of subtropical China. Four N treatments with three replications were designed for the monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest (mature forest): control (0 kg N ha −1 year −1), low N (50 kg N ha −1 year −1), medium N (100 kg N ha −1 year −1) and high N (150 kg N ha −1 year −1), and only three treatments (i.e., control, low N, medium N) were established for the pine and mixed forests. Nitrogen had been applied continuously for 26 months before the measurement. The mature forest responded more rapidly and intensively to N additions than the pine and mixed forests, and exhibited some significant negative symptoms, e.g., soil acidification, Al mobilization and leaching of base cations from soil. The pine and mixed forests responded slowly to N additions and exhibited no significant response of soil cations. Response of soil exchangeable cations to N deposition varied in the forests of subtropical China, depending on soil N status and land-use history.

Environmental impacts of surface mining on mined lands, affected streams and agricultural lands in the Dabaoshan Mine region, southern China

AbstractImpacts of surface mining on ecosystems were investigated in the Guangdong Dabaoshan Mine region, southern China. Significant soil acidification has been induced by mining activities which cause oxidation of metal sulfides contained in the mine spoils. Natural colonization of vegetation in the mine site has been impeded and this has resulted in severe soil erosion. Acid mine drainage from this mine site has caused the degradation of the downstream aquatic ecosystems. Mine water with pH< 3·5 has been continuously flowing into a first‐order tributary of the Beijiang River and has destroyed all the aquatic life to a distance of at least 25 km downstream of the discharge point, even when the pH rose to above 6 in the Hengshishui River (a third‐order tributary of the Beijiang River). Further downstream, macroinvertebrates first occurred at about 30 km from the discharge point, and only one species was found. This is in contrast to a reference site that was not affected by acid mine drainage, where 36 macroinvertebrate taxa were found. Acidic mine water also had marked impacts on the agricultural lands irrigated with it. Severe contamination of the soils by mine drainage is responsible for the extremely high concentrations of some heavy metals in the edible portions of a variety of food crops grown on the agricultural lands. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Preliminary study of prairies forested with Eucalyptus sp. at the northwestern Uruguayan soils

The land cover change of Uruguayan Forestal Plan provoked biogeochemical changes on horizon Au 1 of Argiudols; in native prairies which were replaced by monoculture Eucalyptus sp. plantation with 20 year rotations as trees. Five fields forested and six natural prairies were compared. The results not only show a statistical significant soil acidification, diminution of soil organic carbon, increase of aliphaticity degree of humic substances, and increase of affinity and capacity of hydrolytic activity from soil microbial communities for forested sites with Eucalyptus sp. but also, a tendency of podzolization and/or mineralization by this kind of land cover changes, with a net soil organic lost of 16.6 tons ha −1 in the horizon Au 1 of soil under Eucalyptus sp. plantation compared with prairie. Besides, these results point out the necessity of correction of the methodology used by assigned Uruguayan commission to assess the national net emission of greenhouse gases, since the mineralization and/or podzolization process detected in forested soil imply a overestimation of soil organic carbon. The biochemical parameters show a statistical significant correlation between the soil organic carbon status and these parameters which were presented as essential for the correct evaluation of Uruguayan soil carbon sink.

Assessing soil calcium depletion following growth and harvesting of Sitka spruce plantation forestry in the acid sensitive Welsh uplands

Abstract. A simple mass balance has been used to estimate soil calcium depletion during the growth of a 50 year old Sitka spruce crop on acid, base-poor peaty podzol soils in upland Wales. Growth of the crop will deplete the soil calcium reserve by an amount (205 kg Ca ha-1) approximately equivalent to the exchangeable calcium pool to the bottom of the profile and equal to 14% of the total soil calcium reserve to the bottom of the B horizon. Despite these predictions, measurements of exchangeable calcium show no differences beneath mature forest and acid grassland, implying that i) weathering rates in forest soils are greater than long-term estimates and predictions by the PROFILE soil chemistry model ii) the trees can access other sources of calcium or iii) there are significant errors in the mass balance. Following stem-only harvesting, growth of a 50 year old second rotation crop will lead to further depletion of soil calcium, but this amount (79 kg Ca ha-1), is less than for a second rotation crop following whole-tree harvesting (197 kg Ca ha-1). After the first crop, stem-only harvesting would allow a further 18 rotations before depletion of the total calcium reserve to the bottom of the B horizon. Whole-tree harvesting would allow for seven rotations after the first crop. These calculations assume that all sources of calcium are equally available to the crop. This can only be resolved by dynamic modelling of the calcium cycle at the ecosystem scale based on appropriate field measurements. The potential for significant soil acidification is therefore greater following whole-tree harvesting and, in line with current recommendations (Nisbet et al., 1997), this technique should probably be avoided on acidic, nutrient-poor soils unless remedial measures are included to enhance the soil base cation status.

Modelling stream acidification in afforested catchments: An assessment of the relative effects of acid deposition and afforestation

A model of the combined long-term effects of acidic deposition and forest growth has been developed and calibrated for an upland site in Scotland. The model is used to perform a series of simulation experiments to assess the relative effects of afforestation and acidic deposition on soil and surface water chemistry. The experiments compare and contrast: (a) the simulated historical effects of increased acidic deposition and forest growth, both individually and in combination; (b) the simulated future effects of various levels of reduction of deposition in combination with the forestry strategies of harvesting with and without replanting. Results indicate that historical acidification of surface waters in areas receiving high levels of acidic deposition has been exacerbated by afforestation practices. Afforestation in the absence of acidic deposition, however, has had a lesser effect on surface water acidification even though the nutrient demands of forest growth have caused significant soil acidification. Comparisons of future forest management strategies in conjunction with likely deposition reductions indicate that, in sensitive areas, replanting of a felled forest without treatment of the soil by addition of base cations, should not be undertaken even if significant deposition reductions are realised.

The influence of conventional and compost fertilization on phosphorus use efficiency by broccoli in a phosphorus deficient soil

AbstractPhosphorus (P) accumulation and use efficiency by broccoli(Brassica oleraceaevar. italica)were observed in a field plot study comparing management with varying levels of conventional fertilizer, differing composted amendments, and a combination of inorganic Nitrogen (N) and compost sources. Total P accumulation and yield were highest in treatments incorporating solely compost or vermicompost applications of 30 tons ha–1. Applications of N as ammonium sulfate caused significant soil acidification, which lowered yield and P uptake. Poor growth and yield were probably related to manganese toxicity effects on root extension and activity. These effects were partly ameliorated in treatments combining fertilizer N and compost sources. As a result, yield in plots receiving 75 kg N ha–1as ammonium sulfate and 8.9 kg P ha–1as compost was nearly identical to highest experimental yields. Phosphorus use efficiency was highest in this treatment incorporating fertilizer N and compost. Generally, P use efficiency tended to decline at the highest levels of fertilization. We propose that intensive organic matter management may be a good way to improve P use efficiency by vegetable crops.