Register      Login
Soil Research Soil Research Society
Soil, land care and environmental research
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > SR > SR04015
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 43(1)

Simulated rainwater effects on anion exchange capacity and nitrate retention in Ferrosols

M. J. Donn A and N. W. Menzies A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Land and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: n.menzies@uq.edu.au

Australian Journal of Soil Research 43(1) 33-42 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR04015
Submitted: 5 February 2004  Accepted: 1 September 2004   Published: 14 February 2005

Abstract

Nitrate (NO3) accumulations (up to 1880 kg NO3-N/ha for a 12-m profile) in the soils of the Johnstone River catchment (JRC) may pose a serious environmental threat to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon if the NO3 were released. The leaching of artificial rainwater through repacked soil columns was investigated to determine the effect of low NO3/low ionic strength inputs on the NO3 chemistry of the JRC profiles. Repacked soil columns were used to simulate the 11.5-m profiles, and the soil solution anion and cation concentrations were monitored at 10 points throughout the soil column. As the rainwater was applied, NO3 leached down the profile, with substantial quantities exiting the columns. Anion exchange was discounted as the major mechanism of NO3 release due to the substantial net loss of anions from the system (up to 2740 kg NO3-N/ha over the experimental period). As the soils were dominated by variable charge minerals, the effect of changing pH and ionic strength on the surface charge density was investigated in relation to the release of NO3 from the exchange. It was concluded that the equilibration of the soil solution with the low ionic strength rainwater solution resulted in a lessening of both the positive and negative surface charge. Nitrate was released into the soil solution and subsequently leached due to the lessening of the positive surface charge. Loss of NO3 from the soil profile was slow, with equivalent field release times estimated to be tens of years. Although annual release rates were high in absolute terms (up to 175 kg NO3-N/ha.year), they are only slightly greater than the current loss rates from fertilised sugarcane production (up to 50 kg NO3-N/ha.year). In addition to this, the large-scale release of NO3 from the accumulations will only occur until a new equilibrium is established with the input rainwater solution.

Additional keywords: ionic strength, pH, variable charge, chloride.


Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Sugar Research and Development Corporation.


References


Aitken RL, Moody PW, McKinley PG (1990) Lime requirement of acidic Queensland soils. I. Relationships between soil properties and pH buffer capacity. Australian Journal of Soil Research 28, 695–701. open url image1

Anon., (1971). ‘Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater.’ (American Public Health Association-American Water Works Association-Water Environment Federation: Washington, DC)

Anon., (1995). ‘Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater.’ (American Public Health Association-American Water Works Association-Water Environment Federation: Washington, DC)

Anon. (2001) Great Barrier Reef catchment water quality action plan. A report to ministerial council on targets for pollutant loads, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville, Qld.

Ayers GP, Manton MJ (1991) Rainwater composition at 2 BAPMoN regional stations in SE Australia. Tellus. Series B, Chemical and Physical Meteorology 43, 379–389. open url image1

Barber RG, Rowell DL (1972) Charge distribution and the cation exchange capacity of an iron-rich kaolinitic soil. Journal of Soil Science 23, 135–146. open url image1

Black AS, Campbell AS (1982) Ionic strength of soil solution and its effect on charge properties of some New Zealand soils. Journal of Soil Science 33, 249–262. open url image1

Black AS, Waring SA (1979) Adsorption of nitrate, chloride and sulfate by some highly weathered soils from South-east Queensland. Australian Journal of Soil Research 17, 271–282. open url image1

Bolan NS, Naidu R, Syers JK, Tillman RW (1999) Surface charge and solute interactions in soils. Advances in Agronomy 67, 87–140. open url image1

Bristow KL, Thornburn PJ, Sweeney CA, Bohl HP (1998) Water and nitrogen balance in natural and agricultural systems in the wet tropics of north Queensland: a review. Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation, Canberra, ACT.

Bruce RC, Warrell LA, Bell LC, Edwards DG (1989) Chemical attributes of some Queensland acid soils. I. Solid and solution phase compositions. Australian Journal of Soil Research 27, 333–351. open url image1

Cahn MD, Bouldin DR, Cravo MS (1992) Nitrate sorption in the profile of an acid soil. Plant and Soil 143, 179–183.
| Crossref |
open url image1

Curtin D, Syers JK (1990) Influence of nitrate and chloride on the adsorption and transport of sulphate in soils. Journal of Soil Science 41, 433–442. open url image1

Donn MJ, Menzies NW, Rasiah V (2004) Chemical characterisation of deep profile Ferrosols under sugarcane in wet tropical north Queensland. Australian Journal of Soil Research 42, 69–77.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Douglas I (1968) The effects of precipitation chemistry and catchment area lithology on the quality of river water in selected catchments in eastern Australia. Earth Science Journal 2, 126–144. open url image1

Dynia JF (2000) Nitrate retention and leaching in variable charge soils of a watershed in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 31, 777–791. open url image1

Gillman GP (1981) Effects of pH and ionic strength on the cation exchange capacity of soils with variable charge. Australian Journal of Soil Research 19, 93–96. open url image1

Gillman GP (1984) Using variable charge characteristics to understand the exchangeable cation status of Oxic soils. Australian Journal of Soil Research 22, 71–80. open url image1

Gillman GP, Able DJ (1987) A summary of surface charge characteristics of the major soils of the Tully-Innisfail area, north Queensland. CSIRO Australia, Division of Soils, Divisional Report No. 85.

Gillman GP, Bell LC (1978) Soil solution studies on weathered soils from tropical north Queensland. Australian Journal of Soil Research 16, 67–77. open url image1

Gillman GP, Bristow KL (1990) Effect of surface application of urea, ammonium sulfate and lime on exchangeable cation distribution in an inceptisol in humid tropical Queensland. Australian Journal of Soil Research 28, 39–53. open url image1

Gillman GP, Bristow KL, Hallman MJ (1989) Leaching of applied calcium and potassium from an oxisol in humid Tropical Queensland. Australian Journal of Soil Research 27, 183–198. open url image1

Gillman GP, Sumpter EA (1986) Surface charge characteristics and lime requirements of soils derived from basaltic, granitic, and metamorphic rocks in high-rainfall tropical Queensland. Australian Journal of Soil Research 24, 173–192. open url image1

Hingston FJ, Posner AM, Quirk JP (1972) Anion adsorption by goethite and gibbsite I. The role of the proton in determining adsorption envelopes. Journal of Soil Science 23, 177–192. open url image1

Isbell, RF (1996). ‘The Australian Soil Classification.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood, Vic.)

Isbell RF, McDonald WS, Ashton LJ (1997) Concepts and rationale of the Australian Soil Classification. Australian Collaborative Land Evaluation Program (ACLEP), Canberra, ACT.

Katou H, Clothier BE, Green SR (1996) Anion transport involving competitive adsorption during transient water flow in an Andisol. Soil Science Society of America Journal 60, 1368–1375. open url image1

Liu J, Hue NV (2001) Amending subsoil acidity by surface applications of gypsum, lime, and composts. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 32, 2117–2132.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Ludwig B, Holscher D, Prenzel J, Folster H (1997) Modelling of sorption experiments and seepage data of an Amazonian Ultisol subsoil under cropping fallow. Zeitschrift Fur Pflanzenernahrung Und Bodenkunde 160, 447–454. open url image1

Menzies N, Guppy C (2000) In-situ soil solution extraction with polyacrylonitrile hollow-fibers. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 31, 1875–1886. open url image1

Menzies NW, Bell LC (1988) Evaluation of the influence of sample preparation and extraction technique on soil solution composition. Australian Journal of Soil Research 26, 451–464. open url image1

Munns DN, Fox RL (1977) Stabilization of calcium by surface charge variation in an oxisol. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings 41, 682–685. open url image1

Murtha GG (1986) Soils of the Tully-Innisfail area north Queensland. CSIRO Australia, Division of Soils, Divisional Report No.82.

van Olphen, H (1977). ‘An introduction to clay colloid chemistry.’ (Wiley-Interscience: New York)

Pachepsky YA, Ivanova SA, Korsunskaya LP, Polubesova TA (1994) Adsorption of Cl–, NO3 –, and SO4 2– anions by krasnozems. Agrochimica 38, 305–314. open url image1

Rasiah V, Armour JD (2001) Nitrate accumulation under cropping in the Ferrosols of far north Queensland wet tropics. Australian Journal of Soil Research 39, 329–341.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Rasiah V, Armour JD, Menzies NW, Heiner DH, Donn MJ, Mahendrarajah S (2003) Nitrate retention under sugarcane in wet tropical Queensland deep soil profiles. Australian Journal of Soil Research 41, 1145–1161. open url image1

Soil Survey Staff, (1998). ‘Key to Soil Taxonomy.’ (Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture: Washington, DC)

Uehara, G ,  and  Gillman, GP (1981). ‘The mineralogy, chemistry, and physics of tropical soils with variable charge clays.’ (Westview Press: Boulder, CO)