The relationship between average annual rainfall and exchangeable aluminium in soils of south-eastern New South Wales

Abstract

Surface soil samples (0-10 cm) from a range of soil types were collected in south-eastern New South Wales. Linear regression and analysis of variance were used to establish that, at a given pH (0.01M CaCl2), the amount of neutral salt exchangeable aluminium in surface soils tends to increase with increasing average annual rainfall. Where aluminium toxicity is a factor limiting plant growth, soils in higher rainfall areas will generally require higher pH for the removal of aluminium from the cation exchange complex.