Sheep manure application increases soil exchangeable base cations in a semi-arid steppe of Inner Mongolia

The long-term productivity of a soil is greatly influenced by cation exchange capacity（CEC）.Moreover,interactions between dominant base cations and other nutrients are important for the health and stability of grassland ecosystems.Soil exchangeable base cations and cation ratios were examined in a 11-year experiment with sheep manure application rates 0–1,500 g/（m2？a） in a semi-arid steppe in Inner Mongolia of China,aiming to clarify the relationships of base cations with soil p H,buffer capacity and fertility.Results showed that CEC and contents of exchangeable calcium（Ca2＋）,magnesium（Mg2＋）,potassium（K＋） and sodium（Na＋） were significantly increased,and Ca2＋ saturation tended to decrease,while K＋ saturation tended to increase with the increases of sheep manure application rates.The Ca2＋/Mg2＋ and Ca2＋/K＋ ratios decreased,while Mg2＋,K＋ and Na＋ saturations increased with increasing manure application rates.Both base cations and CEC were significantly and positively correlated with soil organic carbon（SOC） and soil p H.The increases of SOC and soil p H would be the dominant factors that contribute to the increase of cations in soil.On a comparison with the initial soil p H before the experiment,we deduced that sheep manure application could partly buffer soil p H decrease potentially induced by atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and sulfur.Our results indicate that sheep manure application is beneficial to the maintenance of base cations and the buffering of soil acidification,and therefore can improve soil fertility in the semi-arid steppes of northeastern China.

Effect of six years of nitrogen additions on soil chemistry in a subtropical Pleioblastus amarus forest, Southwest China

Soil chemistry influences plant health and carbon storage in forest ecosystems. Increasing nitrogen(N) deposition has potential effect on soil chemistry. We studied N deposition effects on soil chemistry in subtropical Pleioblastus amarus bamboo forest ecosystems. An experiment with four N treatment levels(0, 50, 150,and300 kg N ha-1a-1,applied monthly, expressed as CK,LN,MN, HN,respectively) in three replicates. After6 years of N additions, soil base cations, acid-forming cations, exchangeable acidity(EA), organic carbon fractions and nitrogen components were measured in all four seasons. The mean soil pH values in CK,LN,MN and HN were 4.71, 4.62, 4.71, and 4.40, respectively, with a significant difference between CK and HN. Nitrogen additions significantly increased soil exchangeable Al3+,EA, and Al/Ca,and exchangeable Al3+ in HN increased by 70%compared to CK. Soil base cations(Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and Na+) did not respond to N additions. Nitrogen treatments significantly increased soil NO3--N but had little effect on soil total nitrogen, particulate organic nitrogen, or NH4~+-N. Nitrogen additions did not affect soil total organic carbon, extractable dissolved organic carbon,incorporated organic carbon, or particulate organic carbon.This study suggests that increasing N deposition could increase soil NO3--N, reduce soil pH, and increase mobilization of Al3+. These changes induced by N deposition can impede root grow and function, further may influence soil carbon storage and nutrient cycles in the future.

Coastal afforestation effects on soil properties at Hatiya in Bangladesh

An exploratory study was conducted in the coastal plantation （12- and 17-year-old Sonneratia apetala） of Char Alim and Char Piya and on their adjacent barren lands at Char Rehania and Char Nurul Islam in Hatiya of Noakhali district, in Bangladesh to determine afforestation effects on soil properties. At soil depths of 0-10, 10-30 and 30-40 cm across three different land strips viz. inland, middle and sea side in 12- and 17-year-old keora （Sonneratia apetala） plantations, soil moisture, particle density, organic matter and C, total N, pH, available P, K, Na, Ca and Mg were significantly （p≤0.05, p≤0.01, p≤0.001） higher, and soil salinity significantly （p〈0.001） lower than that in their adjacent barren lands. Soil moisture, particle density, organic matter and C, total N, pH, soil salinity, available P, K, Na, Ca and Mg of surface soil in Char Alim plantation at inland were 31.09%, 2.24 g.cm^-3, 2.41%, 4.14%, 0.58%, 7.07, 0.09 dS＇cm^-1, 28.06 mg.L^-1, 0.50 mg-L^- 1 11.5 mg-L^-1, 3.30 mg·L^-1 and 2.7 mmol.kg^-1, respectively. Their corresponding values for the same depth and land position at adjacent Char Rehania barren land were 16.69%, 1.25g.cm^-3, 0.43%, 0.74%, 0.25%, 6.57, 0.13 dS.cm^-1, 13.07mg-L^-1, 0.30 mg.L^-1, 1.4 mg.L^-1, 0.30 mmol·kg^-1 and 0.50 mg.L^-1, respectively. Soil moisture, particle density, organic matter and C, total N, pH, available P, K and Ca decreased, and soil salinity, available Na and Mg increased from inland towards sea side in the plantations. Although soil texture did not differ in most soil depths between plantation and adjacent barren land, proportion of sand particle was significantly （p≤0.01） lower and silt particle significantly （p〈0.001） in the plantations higher than that in their adjacent barren lands. In the study, evaluation of all the parameters was also done for the other pair of lands.

Coastal afforestation effects on soil properties at Hatiya in Bangladesh

An exploratory study was conducted in the coastal plantation (12-and 17-year-old Sonneratia apetala) of Char Alim and Char Piya and on their adjacent barren lands at Char Rehania and Char Nurul Islam in Hatiya of Noakhali district, in Bangladesh to determine afforestation effects on soil properties. At soil depths of 0-10, 10-30 and 30-40 cm across three different land strips viz. inland, middle and sea side in 12-and 17-year-old keora (Sonneratia apetala) plantations, soil moisture, particle density, organic matter and C, total N, pH, available P, K, Na, Ca and Mg were significantly (p≤0.05, p≤0.01, p≤0.001) higher, and soil salinity significantly (p≤0.001) lower than that in their adjacent barren lands. Soil moisture, particle density, organic matter and C, total N, pH, soil salinity, available P, K, Na, Ca and Mg of surface soil in Char Alim plantation at inland were 31.09%, 2.24 g·cm-3, 2.41%, 4.14%, 0.58%, 7.07, 0.09 dS·cm-1, 28.06 mg·L-1, 0.50 mg·L-1 11.5 mg·L-1, 3.30 mg·L-1 and 2.7 mmol·kg-1, respectively. Their corresponding values for the same depth and land position at adjacent Char Rehania barren land were 16.69%, 1.25g·cm-3, 0.43%, 0.74%, 0.25%, 6.57, 0.13 dS·cm-1, 13.07mg·L-1, 0.30 mg·L-1, 1.4 mg·L-1, 0.30 mmol·kg-1 and 0.50 mg·L-1, respectively. Soil moisture, particle density, organic matter and C, total N, pH, available P, K and Ca decreased, and soil salinity, available Na and Mg increased from inland towards sea side in the plantations. Although soil texture did not differ in most soil depths between plantation and adjacent barren land, proportion of sand particle was significantly (p≤0.01) lower and silt particle significantly (p≤0.001) in the plantations higher than that in their adjacent barren lands. In the study, evaluation of all the parameters was also done for the other pair of lands.

Effects of simulated acid rain on cation releasing in soils of South China

This paper deals with the release of base cations and Al^3+ at the treatment with simulated acid rain (SAR) in main soil types collected from South China. Results showed that the amounts of base cations increased obviously when the pH value of simulated acid rain was lower than 30 or 35. Compared with the leaching of K^+ and Na^+, the leaching of Ca^2+ and Mg^2+ was affected by the pH value of SAR. Only when the amounts of base cations leached from soils exceeded the cation exchange capacity, the pH value of leaching solutions decreased sharply and the amounts of released Al^3+ increased. The H^+ buffering mechanisms, which were affected not only by the pH values of SAR, but also by the types and solid components of soils, were proposed for the main soils studied.

Use of Alkaline Slag and Crop Residue Biochars to Promote Base Saturation and Reduce Acidity of an Acidic Ultisol

This investigation was conducted by using alkaline slag and crop straw biochars to reduce acidity of an acidic Ultisol through incubation and pot experiments with lime as a comparison. The soil was amended with different liming materials: lime(1 g kg-1),alkaline slag(2 and 4 g kg-1), peanut straw biochar(10 and 20 g kg-1), canola straw biochar(10 and 20 g kg-1) and combinations of alkaline slag(2 g kg-1) and biochars(10 g kg-1) in the incubation study. A pot experiment was also conducted to observe the soybean growth responses to the above treatments. The results showed that all the liming materials increased soil p H and decreased soil exchangeable acidity. The higher the rates of alkaline slag, biochars, and alkaline slag combined with biochars, the greater the increase in soil p H and the reduction in soil exchangeable acidity. All the amendments increased the levels of one or more soil exchangeable base cations. The lime treatment increased soil exchangeable Ca2+, the alkaline slag treatment increased exchangeable Ca2+and Mg2+levels, and the biochars and combined applications of alkaline slag with biochars increased soil exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+and K+and soil available P. The amendments enhanced the uptake of one or more nutrients of N, P, K, Ca and Mg by soybean in the pot experiment. Of the different amendments, the combined application of alkaline slag with crop straw biochars was the best choice for increasing base saturation and reducing soil acidity of the acidic Ultisol. The combined application of alkaline slag with biochars led to the greatest reduction in soil acidity, increased soil Ca, Mg, K and P levels, and enhanced the uptake of Ca, Mg, K and P by soybean plants.

Soil Acidification of Alfisols as Influenced by Tea Cultivation in Eastern China

Soil acidification is an important process in land degradation around the world as well as in China.Acidification of Alfisols was investigated in the tea gardens with various years of tea cultivation in the eastern China.Cultivation of tea plants caused soil acidification and soil acidity increased with the increase of tea cultivation period.Soil pH of composite samples from cultivated layers decreased by 1.37,1.62 and 1.85,respectively,after 13,34 and 54 years of tea plantation,as compared to the surface soil obtained from the unused land.Soil acidification rates at early stages of tea cultivation were found to be higher than those at the later stages.The acidification rate for the period of 0-13 years was as high as 4.40 kmol H + ha ?1 year ?1 for the cultivated layer samples.Soil acidification induced the decrease of soil exchangeable base cations and base cation saturation and thus increased the soil exchangeable acidity.Soil acidification also caused the decrease of soil cation exchange capacity,especially for the 54-year-old tea garden.Soil acidification induced by tea plantation also led to the increase of soil exchangeable Al and soluble Al,which was responsible for the Al toxicity to plants.

Amendment of Acid Soils with Crop Residues and Biochars

The liming potential of some crop residues and their biochars on an acid Ultisol was investigated using incubation experiments. Rice hulls showed greater liming potential than rice hull biochar, while soybean and pea straws had less liming potential than their biochars. Due to their higher alkalinity, biochars from legume materials increased soil pH much compared to biochars from non-legume materials. The alkalinity of biochars was a key factor affecting their liming potential, and the greater alkalinity of biochars led to greater reductions in soil acidity. The incorporation of biochars decreased soil exchangeable acidity and increased soil exchangeable base cations and base saturation, thus improving soil fertility.

Exchange of Proton and Major Elements in Two-Layer Canopies Under Acid Rain in a Subtropical Evergreen Forest in Central-South China

Canopy exchanges of H^＋ and N （NH4^＋-N, NO3^--N） and other major ions were evaluated and quantified In twolayer canopies based on throughfall measurements in Shaoshan Forest during the period 2000-2002, central-south China, The collected annual rainfall, throughfall, and sub-throughfall were 1 401, 1 191, and 1 084 mm/year, respectively. Fifteen percent and 8% of rainfall （or 9% of throughfall） were intercepted by the top canopy and sub-canopy layers, respectively, The foliar leaching of base cations from the top canopy was significantly higher than that from the sub-canopy, and the latter accounted for 25% of the former. The uptake of H^＋ and NH4^＋ was significantly higher in the top canopy than in the sub-canopy, indicating that the canopy buffering capacity in the top canopy was stronger than the sub-canopy; Mg^2＋ can be absorbed from water flux on the sub-canopy foliar surfaces to compensate for the Mg deficit in the forest soil during the growing season,