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Book chapter2005

Soil Acidity

Blom Paul R, Skyllberg Ulf, Sumner Malcome E

Abstract

Knowledge of the capacity and intensity of soil acidity and pH buffering processes is necessary to understand the response of a soil to liming, acid-forming N fertilizers, acid mine wastes, and acid rain. Soil pH is commonly determined after equilibrating soil with distilled or deionized water or a salt solution, as in the definition in the Glossary of Soil Science Terms. The Glossary of Soil Science Terms defines three measures of the quantity of soil acidity: total acidity; residual acidity; and salt-replaceable acidity. The chapter uses the numerical model of Bloom and Grigal to illustrate how concepts of soil acidity and pH buffering can be used to develop a rather simple model for the response of soils to long-term acid deposition. It also discusses some of the problems in modeling soil responses to long-term inputs.

Keywords

Bloom and Grigal model; Glossary of Soil Science Terms; Long-term acid deposition; pH buffering; Residual acidity; Salt-replaceable acidity; Soil acidity; Total acidity

Published in

SSSA Book Series
2005, number: No 8, pages: 411-459 Title: Soil Science Society of America, Book Series
ISBN: 9780891188438
Publisher: Soil Science Society of America

      SLU Authors

    • Skyllberg, Ulf

      • Department of Forest Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.2136/sssabookser8.c8

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/6099