Testing a new method for sequential silicon extraction on soils of a temperate–humid climate
Anna Georgiadis A D , Daniela Sauer B , Ludger Herrmann A , Jörn Breuer C , Mehdi Zarei A and Karl Stahr A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Str. 27, D-70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
B Institute of Geography, Dresden University of Technology, Helmholtz-Str. 10, D-01069 Dresden, Germany.
C Agricultural Technology Centre Augustenberg, Section 12 Agroecology, Neßlerstr. 23-31, D-76227 Karlsruhe, Germany.
D Corresponding author. Email: Anna.Georgiadis@uni-hohenheim.de
Soil Research 52(7) 645-657 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR14016
Submitted: 20 January 2014 Accepted: 29 May 2014 Published: 10 October 2014
Abstract
The importance of silicon (Si) compounds in agriculture and geochemical cycles has received increasing attention over the last decade; however, quantitative data on non-crystalline pedogenic Si phases in soils are still rare. Recently, the authors developed a method for sequential Si extraction from soils, in order to improve the quantification of different Si compounds in soils. The method has been tested on samples of known composition. Here, the method is applied for the first time to complete soil profiles. Six different soil types from south-west Germany that have developed since the end of the last glacial period were selected. Most of the Si in these soils was bound in primary and secondary silicates. In mineral soil horizons, the second-highest proportion of Si was in precipitates of amorphous silica (minerogenic amorphous silica), whereas in some O horizons, the second-most important Si fraction was in biogenic amorphous silica. Topsoil horizons and clayey subsoil horizons of a Luvisol and a Stagnosol especially accumulate amorphous silica. Silicon from bio-opal contributed up to 14% to the total Si in Oa horizons of the studied soils. The smallest amounts of Si were found in the mobile and adsorbed Si fractions. Some methodological limitations are identified and discussed; however, the new sequential method of Si extraction enabled separation of different Si fractions in typical soils of a temperate–humid climate.
Additional keywords: short-range order silicates, oxalate-extractable Si, clay minerals.
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