The development of micromorphological features in relation to some mineralogical and chemical properties of volcanic ash soils in highland Papua New Guinea

Soil Research ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 339 ◽  
Author(s):  
CJ Chartres ◽  
A Wood ◽  
CF Pain

A sequence containing six soil profiles developed within a Late Quaternary, andesitic tephra at different altitudes (1000-2400 m) and under different climatic conditions is described. Allophane dominates the soils above 2000 m, gibbsite those between 1200 and 2000 m and halloysite those below 1200 m. All the soils have isotic plasmic fabrics within the A horizons. A combination of allophane and organic matter, and in the lowest altitude soils halloysite and organic matter, seems to lead to the development of isotic fabric. B horizon plasmic fabrics range from undulic to isotic-argillasepic-indeterminate, with the most sepic plasmic fabrics occurring at lowest altitudes, where halloysite content is highest and wetting-drying cycles are more frequent. Gibbsans formed due to the precipitation of aluminium are prominent features infilling channels within the soils between 1200 and 2000 m, where desilication is most active. Above 2000 m climatic and drainage factors appear to limit the desilication of the alluvial clay features. Below 1200 m, silica and aluminium released by weathering combine to form halloysite under a less intense leaching regime. Gibbsite also was observed to be forming as a pseudomorph of felspar grains in most profiles.

Clay Minerals ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Parfitt

AbstractThe literature on the formation, structure and properties of allophane and imogolite is reviewed, with particular emphasis on the seminal contributions by Colin Farmer. Allophane and imogolite occur not only in volcanic-ash soils but also in other environments. The conditions required for the precipitation of allophane and imogolite are discussed. These include pH, availability of Al and Si, rainfall, leaching regime, and reactions with organic matter. Because of their excellent water storage and physical properties, allophanic soils can accumulate large amounts of biomass. In areas of high rainfall, these soils often occur under rain forest, and the soil organic matter derived from the forest biomass is stabilized by allophane and aluminium ions. Thus the turnover of soil organicmatter in allophanicsoils is slower than that in non-allophanicsoils. The organic matter appears to be derived from the microbial by-products of the plant material rather than from the plant material itself. The growth of young forests may be limited by nitrogen supply but growth of older forests tends to be P limited. Phosphorus is recycled through both inorganic and organic pathways, but it is also strongly sorbed by Al compounds including allophane. When crops are grown in allophanic soils, large amounts of labile P are required and, accordingly, these soils have to be managed to counteract the large P sorption capacity of allophane and other Al compounds, and to ensure an adequate supply of labile P. Because of their physical and chemical properties, allophanic soils are excellent filters of heavy metals and pathogens.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-158
Author(s):  
Surianto

Spodosol soil of Typic Placorthod sub-group of East Barito District is one of the problem soils with the presence of hardpan layer, low fertility, low water holding capacity, acid reaction and it is not suitable for oil palm cultivation without any properly specific management of land preparation and implemented best agronomic practices. A study was carried out to evaluate the soil characteristic of a big hole (A profile) and no big hole (B profile) system and comparative oil palm productivity among two planting systems. This study was conducted in Spodosol soil at oil palm plantation (coordinate X = 0281843 and Y = 9764116), East Barito District, Central Kalimantan Province on February 2014, by surveying of placic and ortstein depth and observing soil texture and chemical properties of 2 (two) oil palm's soil profiles that have been planted in five years. Big hole system of commercial oil palm field planting on the Spodosol soil area was designed for the specific purpose of minimizing the potential of a negative effect of shallow effective planting depth for oil palms growing due to the hardpan layer (placic and ortstein) presence as deep as 0.25 - 0.50 m. The big hole system is a planting hole type which was vertical-sided with 2.00 m x 1.50 m on top and bottom side and 3.00 m depth meanwhile the 2:1 drain was vertical-sided also with 1.50 m depth and 300 m length. Oil palm production was recorded from the year 2012 up to 2014. Results indicated that the fractions both big hole profile (A profile) and no big hole profile (B profile) were dominated by sands ranged from 60% to 92% and the highest sands content of non-big hole soil profile were found in A and E horizons (92%). Better distribution of sand and clay fractions content in between layers of big hole soil profiles of A profile sample is more uniform compared to the B profile sample. The mechanical holing and material mixing of soil materials of A soil profile among the upper and lower horizons i.e. A, E, B and C horizons before planting that resulted a better distribution of both soil texture (sands and clay) and chemical properties such as acidity value (pH), C-organic, N, C/N ratio, CEC, P-available and Exchangeable Bases. Investigation showed that exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K), were very low in soil layers (A profile) and horizons (B profile) investigated. The low exchangeable cations due to highly leached of bases to the lower layers and horizons. Besides, the palm which was planted on the big hole system showed good adaptation and response positively by growing well of tertiary and quaternary roots that the roots were penetrable into deeper rooting zone as much as >1.00 m depth. The roots can grow well and penetrate much deeper in A profile compared to the undisturbed hardpan layer (B profile). The FFB (fresh fruit bunches) production of the non-big hole block was higher than the big hole block for the first three years of production. This might be due to the high variation of monthly rainfall in-between years of observation from 2009 to 2014. Therefore, the hardness of placic and ortstein as unpenetrable agents by roots and water to prevent water loss and retain the water in the rhizosphere especially in the drier weather. In the high rainfall condition, the 2:1 drain to prevent water saturation in the oil palm rhizosphere by moving some water into the drain. Meanwhile, the disturbed soil horizon (big hole area) was drier than un disturbance immediately due to water removal to deeper layers. We concluded that both big hole and 2:1 drain are a suitable technology for Spodosol soil land especially in preparing palms planting to minimize the negative effect of the hardpan layer for oil palm growth.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Masseroli ◽  
Irene M. Bollati ◽  
Luca Trombino ◽  
Manuela Pelfini

<p>In mountain environments, the high variability of soil forming factors (i.e., parent material, climate, relief, organism, time) is responsible for the presence of different soil types, which not only contribute to the pedodiversity but are also a component of the local cultural heritage.</p><p>Up to now, scarce attention has been paid to the soil in the geoheritage/geoconservation scientific analyses.</p><p>To promote soil as element concurring to mountain geoheritage definition, we propose a strategy to include pedological topics within a multidisciplinary trail planned in the Veglia-Devero Natural Park (Lepontine Alps). The geomorphological dynamicity and environmental change affecting during times the small mountain catchment of Buscagna hydrographic basin are illustrated with a specific address to soil characteristics. The physical and chemical properties, and pedological features of soils reflect the interaction among the other ecosystem components (i.e. geology, geomorphology and vegetation), underlining the role of soil as natural archive for reconstructing landscape evolution and for achieving a more complete assessment of Late Quaternary geomorphic events, especially surface processes.</p><p>Geopedological researches carried out in the study area, allowed to detect 7 soil profiles as potential sites of pedological interest, located in safe and accessible places, along already existing hiking paths. The selected soil profiles not only mirror the main soil types that characterize the area but also represent evidence of past environmental conditions and geomorphic dynamics.</p><p>The opportunities for hikers and mountaineers, to observe the exposed soils along the Buscagna valley, thanks to the presence of erosional scarps and subsidence areas, allow also to get more awareness of the need of geoheritage conservation strategies addressed to soil, especially in the mountain landscape where soil characteristics reflect the striking influence of its forming factors.</p>


2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 1299-1310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Tirloni ◽  
Antonio Carlos Tadeu Vitorino ◽  
Anderson Cristian Bergamin ◽  
Luiz Carlos Ferreira de Souza

Crop-livestock integration represents an interesting alternative of soil management, especially in regions where the maintenance of cover crops in no-tillage systems is difficult. The objective of this study was to evaluate soil physical and chemical properties, based on the hypothesis that a well-managed crop-livestock integration system improves the soil quality and stabilizes the system. The experiment was set up in a completely randomized design, with five replications. The treatments were arranged in a 6 x 4 factorial design, to assess five crop rotation systems in crop-livestock integration, and native forest as reference of soil undisturbed by agriculture, in four layers (0.0-0.05; 0.05-0.10; 0.10-0.15 and 0.15-0.20 m). The crop rotation systems in crop-livestock integration promoted changes in soil physical and chemical properties and the effects of the different systems were mainly detected in the surface layer. The crops in integrated crop-livestock systems allowed the maintenance of soil carbon at levels equal to those of the native forest, proving the efficiency of these systems in terms of soil conservation. The systems influenced the environmental stability positively; the soil quality indicator mineral-associated organic matter was best related to aggregate stability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 228-236
Author(s):  
Eva Horáková ◽  
Lubica Pospíšilová ◽  
Vitězslav Vlček ◽  
Ladislav Menšík

Increasing the soil productivity is challenged by the increasing biotic threat to plants and microorganisms, by the resistance to agrochemicals, and by the declining soil health. Soil management strategy is, therefore, aimed at erosion prevention and the minimisation of soil organic matter losses. A key factor in an agroecosystem is the appropriate biological stability. It is essential not only at present, but also for further sustainable agriculture. This study was based on the hypothesis that afforestation and conversion from arable land to permanent grassland improves the organic matter status and biological stability in the agroecosystem. The experiment was conducted from 2014 to 2018 in the Uhřice bio-corridor (Kroměříž region, the Czech Republic). Haplic Luvisol has been investigated for its basic biological and chemical properties after the arable land was converted to a natural vegetation system. The afforested segment (F), permanent grassland segment (G), and arable land segment (A) have been sampled in the upper soil horizon (0–0.30 m). Standard analytical methods were applied for the determination of the basic soil properties. A principal component analysis and factor analysis were used for interpreting the connection between the parameters of the soil organic carbon, the humic substances, the humic acids, and the fulvic acids, the agrochemical properties of the soil (the pH, the content of the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, etc.), and the soil biological properties (basal soil respiration (BSR), the ratios of the N/BSR, NG/BSR, etc.). After five years of investigation, the differences in the studied parameters were evident. The factor analysis and multivariate exploratory techniques showed that the soil properties were grouped based on the management into three different categories – F, G and A. The different land use directly influenced the quality and stability of the humic substances, basal soil respiration, and carbon and nitrogen utilisation. In comparison to the arable land, the forest and grassland were considered to have a higher accumulation potential of carbon and nitrogen. A negative correlation between the soil basal respiration (r = –0.95); total nitrogen (r = –0.93); total organic carbon (C<sub>ox</sub>) content (r = –0.82); and partial Ca (r = –0.82) was found. A positive correlation (r = 0.80) between the humic substances (C-HS) and soil reaction (pH) was determined.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Won-Pyo Park ◽  
Kwan-Cheol Song ◽  
Bon-Jun Koo ◽  
Hae-Nam Hyun

In soils, dissolved silicon (Si) is adsorbed onto soil particles or is leached into groundwater through the soil profile. Andisols may play an important role in contributing to high dissolved Si concentrations in groundwater on Jeju Island, Korea. In this study, we evaluated the available Si content that potentially affects groundwater composition and investigated the relationship between the available Si content and chemical properties of volcanic ash soil on Jeju Island. We used the 1 M sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.0) to extract the available Si. Selected chemical properties were determined for 290 topsoil samples collected from different land sites throughout Jeju Island, and we analyzed the available Si content in the typifying pedons of Jeju Island and mainland Korea. The available Si content in Jeju Island topsoils ranged from 75 to 150 mg·kg−1, and the available Si content of Andisols in both orchards and grasslands was significantly higher than that of non-Andisols. The available Si content was highly correlated with the amounts of oxalate extractable Si, Al, and Fe in Andisols and was negatively related to the Alp/Alo ratio. With increasing elevation, we detected a decrease in the available Si and allophane content in Andisols, whereas Al-humus complexes increased with increasing elevation. The ratio of available Si in the lowest subsoil/topsoil increased to a value of 6.0, indicating that large amounts of available Si are present in the subsoil. The available Si content in the lowest subsoil of Andisols on Jeju Island was 10 times higher than that in the typifying pedons of the Korean mainland. In contrast, there were no differences in the available Si content between the topsoil and the subsoil of the typifying pedon series of Jeju and mainland non-Andisols because of differences in pedogenic processes. Collectively, our findings indicate that weathering of Andisols on Jeju Island potentially affects the Si concentration in groundwater.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chronis Kolovos ◽  
Maria Doula ◽  
Stamatios Kavasilis ◽  
Georgios Zagklis ◽  
Gerasimos Tsitselis ◽  
...  

&lt;p&gt;Soil application of raw winery wastes is a procedure of doubtful appropriateness, mainly because of waste properties, i.e. very acidic pH; high electrical conductivity; and high content of polyphenols. The disposal of winery waste on soils may cause various environmental and health hazards as for example soil overloading with polyphenols and salts, phytotoxicity to plants, odor nuisance etc. Pathogens, which may still be present in the decomposed material could spread plants and soil diseases, while waste piles attract insects, pests, domestic rodents and wildlife which may threaten public and animal health. Despite these facts, many wine producers discharge winery waste to the nearby agricultural or forest ecosystems, without treatment although this type of agricultural waste could be a significant source of organic matter and nutrients.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In general, degradation of winery waste is a slow procedure which becomes even slower under the xerothermic climatic conditions in Greece, which may slow down the microbially mediated decomposition of organic matter and nutrients cycling; degradation of winery waste piles takes more than 5 years to be completed naturally. However, the final products are of doubtful appropriateness for fertilization use, mainly because of low quality organic matter and low nutrients content (lost mainly due to the exposure of piles to uncontrolled environmental conditions for years).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This study aims to highlight the advantages of composting winery wastes by using also other agricultural wastes and additives as feedstock to produce a safe and environment friendly compost, appropriate for application to agricultural ecosystems. For this a 41 hectares vineyard in North Greece of about 400 tn grapes yield annually and generation of approximately 100 tn of waste was selected. Winery waste was collected after harvesting and wine-making period of 2018 and composted with cow manure, wheat straw and clinoptilolite up to 5%.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Composting phase lasted 5 months, and during this period the pile was monitored as regard temperature, moisture and oxygen content. After composting completion, the final product was fully characterized in terms of its physical and chemical properties, considering national legislation organic materials reuse on soils. The outcomes of this study show a great potential for managing such waste types by composting using clinoptilolite in the feedstock materials since the final product has suitable physical and chemical properties for many crops, i.e. slight alkaline pH, low electrical conductivity, low polyphenol content and high content of available nutrient, therefore can be used as soil amendment or organic fertilizer.&lt;/p&gt;


1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 941-955 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Van Cleve ◽  
C.T. Dyrness ◽  
G.M. Marion ◽  
R. Erickson

Alluvial soils on the Tanana River floodplain near Fairbanks, Alaska, were examined for development of physical and chemical properties in relation to soil depth and across a 200-year vegetation development sequence. Development was mediated by ecosystem controls including successional time, vegetation, terrace height, soil physical and chemical properties, and microclimate. These controls interact and are conditioned by the state factors time, flora, topography, parent material, and climate, respectively. On early-successional (<5 years) lower alluvial surfaces, terrace height above groundwater, soil particle size, and microclimate (through soil surface evaporation) interacted through capillary rise to produce salt-affected surface soil. Calcium salts of carbonate and sulfate were the principal chemicals encountered in these soils. Establishment of a vegetation cover between 5 and 10 years introduced evapotranspiration as a new mechanism, along with capillarity, to control moisture suction gradients. In addition, newly formed surface litter layers further helped eliminate evaporation and formation of high salt content surface soil. Continued sedimentation raised terrace elevation, so on older terraces only infrequent flood events influenced soil development. Moreover, in these successional stages, only the highest river stages raised groundwater levels, so transpiration and capillarity influenced water movement to tree root systems. During the first 25–30 years of succession, plant deposition of organic matter and nitrogen, associated with the growth of alder, markedly changed soil properties. Nearly 60% (or 240 g•m−2) of the 400 g•m−2 nitrogen encountered at 100 years was accumulated during this early period. After 100 years of vegetation development, soil carbonate content dropped to about half the peak values of about 1600 g•m−2 encountered between 4 and 25 years. By the time white spruce was the dominant forest type at 180 years, carbonate carbon declined to about 500 g•m−2, one-third that of the 1600 g•m−2 high. By this time surface soil pH declined from high values of 7.5 to between 5.5 and 6.0. Organic carbon continued to accumulate to about 6300 g•m−2 in the white spruce stage, twice that encountered in the alder–poplar stage at 25 years. Indices of moisture retention were most strongly related to either soil particle size (low moisture tension and available moisture range) or vegetation-mediated soil organic matter content (high moisture tension). Cation exchange capacity was most strongly related to a vegetation-mediated index of organic matter (OM) content (%N, %C, or %OM).


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