at Google ScholarTitle data
Bogner, Christina ; Borken, Werner ; Huwe, Bernd:
Impact of preferential flow on soil chemistry of a podzol.
In: Geoderma.
Vol. 175-176
(2012)
.
- pp. 37-46.
ISSN 0016-7061
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2012.01.019
Abstract in another language
Preferential flow paths are thought to affect the patterns of chemical properties of forest soils. However, littleis known about their influence on podzols in coniferous forests. In our study we examined how soil chemicalproperties of a podzol in a Norway spruce stand are affected by preferential flow.We did three tracer experimentswith Brilliant Blue FCF and analyzed soil chemical parameters (exchangeable cations, pH, total C, total N and C:Nratio) of preferential flow paths and soil matrix. For statistical analysis, we used mixed-effects models to accountfor a hierarchical sampling of our data. We found 5.0 g kg−1 more C, 0.24 g kg−1 more N, a C:N ratio larger by 2,smaller pH values (0.16 pH units), 32% more Ca and 57% more Mg in preferential flowpaths than in soil matrix.Compared to the adjacent soil matrix, the content of Al did not differ significantly. However, 67% more Fe werefound in preferential flow paths. These distinct chemical properties are probably due to root exudates, transportof solutes and dissolved organic carbon and percolation of acid soil solution from organic horizons along preferentialpaths.We attribute the increase of Ca and Mg to their transport via preferential flow paths after the application oflime some years ago.We conclude that a lower pH might enhance the release of Fe (and possibly Al) and thus increasepodzolisation. In addition, our results show that soil liming could affect both the topsoil and the subsoil viatransport of basic cations along preferential flow paths.