Mineralogical properties of sandy podzols on the Swan Coastal Plain, south-west Australia, and the effects of drying on their phosphate sorption characteristics

Abstract

Very sandy and sometimes seasonally inundated humus podzols of the Bassendean soil association in southwest Australia experience severe leaching of fertiliser P with consequent eutrophication of waterways. P sorption by these soils is mostly minimal and is primarily due to the podzol Bh horizon. The consequence of seasonal drying of profiles under the prevailing Mediterranean climate on the P sorption capacity of these B horizon materials is not known. The effects of air-drying on P sorption were studied for 3 sandy podzols using samples from entire soil profiles collected in winter (wet) and summer (dry). Results confirm that the surface and near surface horizons (i.e. A and E horizons) of these soils have very low P sorption capacities. Only some B horizon materials exhibit substantial P sorption and this is mostly due to allophane, with minor contributions from extractable Fe forms, organic carbon, and clay. Air-drying during summer and in the laboratory increased P sorption of B horizon materials by up to 120% compared with field-moist samples. The difference in P sorption between air-dried samples and the field-moist samples decreased for long reaction times.