Spodosol variability and assessment of response to acidic deposition

Journal Article · · Soil Science Society of America Journal; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1990.03615995005400020043x· OSTI ID:5598341

David, M B; Vance, G F ^[1]; Fuller, R D ^[2]; Fernandez, I J ^[3]; Mitchell, M J; Stam, A C ^[4]; Nodvin, S C ^[5]

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1. Univ. of Illinois, Urbana (USA)
2. State Univ. of New York, Plattsburgh (USA)
3. Univ. of Maine, Orono (USA)
4. State Univ. of New York, Syracuse (USA)
5. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville (USA)

Variability in forest soils makes it difficult to observe short-term changes in chemical properties under field conditions. A buried soil-bag technique was developed to examine the chemical response of a Maine forest soil to loadings of strong acids (HNO{sub 3} and H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}). Acids were added by irrigation on 18 hardwood plots, 15 by 15 m, American beech (Fagus grandifola Ehrh.) dominating. Treatments, with three replicates each, were control, low S, high S, low N, high N, and plus S. Soils were typical northeastern Spodosols, with acidic forest floors (pH 3.6) and upper mineral soils (pH 3.4-4.0), low concentrations of base cations in mineral horizons, and enrichment of the spodic horizons with organic C, N, and S. Relative standard deviations (RSD) of horizon means for all chemical properties except pH showed large variability (e.g., RSDs for exchangeable Ca{sup 2+} were 42-95%) over the small (2.2 ha) area encompassed by the plots. Twenty-five 250-{mu}m-mesh nylon bags filled with 300 g of homogeneous B horizon soil (Tunbridge series, a coarse-loamy, mixed, frigid Typic Haplorthod) were placed directly below the forest floor in each plot. After 1 yr of treatment, collection and analysis of three bags per plot showed significant (P {le} 0.05) differences. Mean adsorbed SO{sup 2{minus}{sub 4}} concentrations were 48 and 92 {mu}g S g{sup {minus}1} in control and high-S treatments, respectively. Exchangeable Ca{sup 2+} and Mg{sup 2+} were greater in the high-S treatment than the control; base saturation increased from 5.9 to 8.5% (possibly due to displacement of cations from the forest floor). The buried soil-bag technique detected small alterations in forest soil chemistry under field conditions, with minimal disturbance to study plots.

• OSTI ID: 5598341
• Journal Information: Soil Science Society of America Journal; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Science Society of America Journal; (United States) Vol. 54:2; ISSN SSSJD; ISSN 0361-5995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BEECH TREES
CALCIUM
CATIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FORESTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
ION EXCHANGE
IONS
MAGNESIUM
MAGNOLIOPHYTA
MAGNOLIOPSIDA
METALS
NITRIC ACID
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
PH VALUE
PLANTS
RAIN
SOILS
SULFUR
SULFURIC ACID
TREES