Acidification under grazed annual and perennial grass based pastures

Abstract

Soil samples to a depth of 60 cm were collected from adjacent, 39-year-old, phalaris-based and annual pasture fields on an acid soil at Rutherglen, north-eastern Victoria. The fields had similar histories of fertiliser application and stock enterprise. Minimum net acid addition rates were determined under both pasture types, and the soil under annual pasture showed greater acidification. Carbon cycle acid addition contributed 1.3 1 and 1.36 kmol H+/ha.year to net acid addition on annual and phalaris pastures, respectively. Because slow alkaline soil reactions in the field contribute to buffering capacity on an acid soil and lead to underestimation of net acid addition rate and nitrate leaching, estimates of such reactions were made for both pasture types. If correct assumptions were used nitrate leaching was substantial under both pasture types but was reduced by 1.01 kmol H+/ha.year under phalaris pasture. This suggests that perennial grass based pastures can be used to reduce acidification on pastoral soils. Alkali addition to counteract net acidification may be necessary on acid soils to maintain management options for growing aluminium-sensitive species.