Changes in effective cation exchange capacity and exchangeable aluminum with soil pH in lime-amended field soils

Abstract

Eleven acidic soils from northern N.S.W., having a wide range of values for ECEC, A1 and soil organic carbon (%C), were treated in the field with five rates of lime. The relationships between soil pH and the effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC), and between pH and exchangeable aluminium (Al), were investigated for the top 10 cm of these soils. Increases in the total exchangeable cations (TEC) calculated as ECEC-Al, were shown to be madelup almost entirely by increases in exchangeable calcium. There were no consistent changes in the amount of exchangeable magnesium, potassium or sodium due to liming these acidic soils. Formulae used to predict changes in A1 and ECEC with pH in the 'Lime-it' model were tested and modified on the 11 soils from northern N.S.W. A strong linear relationship was observed in each soil between Al and pH (transformed to hydrogen ion concentration x 103). The slope of this relationship (SALs) can be predicted from the pH and A1 values of unlimed soils. Strong linear relationships were also observed between pH and TEC, for each of the 11 soils. The SL, (the slope of the linear relationship TEC/pH for any soil 's') was shown by multiple regression analysis to be a function of TECi/pHi (where TECi is the sum of exchangeable cations of unlimed soil 's'; and pHi is the pH value of unlimed soil 's'), %C of the unlimed soil, and SALs. By using the measured values of pH, ECEC, Al and %C of unlimed soils, the values of Al, and TEB can be predicted for any pH value that may be measured (or predicted) after liming. The predictive relationships developed on N.S.W. soils were tested against independent data from New Zealand. The results confirmed the Al/pH predictions (R2 = 0.955), while the TEC/pH predictions were less well matched (R2= 0.62) possibly due to unusual clay mineralogy or organic matter fractions of 3 of the 18 soils tested.