pH buffering in forest-soil organic horizons: relevance to acid precipitation

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5769942

James, B R; Riha, S J

Samples of organic surface horizons (Oi, Oe, Oa) from New York State forest soils were equilibrated with 0 to 20 cmol HNO/sub 3/ Kg(-1) soil in the laboratory by a batch technique designed to simulate reactions of acid precipitation with forest floors. Each organic horizon retained a constant percentage of added H(1+)(67-96%) regardless of quantity added and buffer capacities of the samples ranged from 18 to 36 cmol (H+)kg-1(pH unit) (-1), an order of magnitude higher than those measured in underlying mineral horizons. Calcium was the dominant cation in unacidified equilibrium solutions, and its concentration changed the most in response to acidification of the soils. Aluminum contributed <1% to total cationic charge in solution and Fe concentration decreased upon addition of up to at least 5 cmol (H+)kg-1. From 38 to 79% of H/sup +/ removed by the soils was not balanced by increased in soluble Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Fe, Zn, Al, and Cu, and buffering by soluble organic and inorganic constituents accounted for 8 to 58% of H/sup +/ removal.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA). Dept. of Agronomy
• OSTI ID: 5769942
• Report Number(s): PB-88-103627/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CALCIUM
CATIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION II
FORESTS
IONS
METALS
NAPAP
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
RAIN
SOIL CHEMISTRY
USA