Soil Chemical Methods - Australasia

Abstract

Soil Chemical Methods – Australasia describes over 200 laboratory and field chemical tests relevant to Australasia and beyond. The information and methodology provided across 20 chapters is comprehensive, systematic, uniquely coded, up-to-date and designed to promote chemical measurement quality. There is guidance on the choice and application of analytical methods from soil sampling through to the reporting of results. In many cases, optional analytical ‘finishes’ are provided, such as flow-injection analysis, electro-chemistry, multiple flame technologies, and alternatives to chemical testing offered by near-range and mid-range infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.
 The book supersedes and updates the soil chemical testing section of the 1992 Australian Laboratory Handbook of Soil and Water Chemical Methods of Rayment and Higginson, while retaining method codes and other strengths of that Handbook. Chapters cover soil sampling, sample preparation and moisture content; electrical conductivity and redox potential; soil pH; chloride; carbon; nitrogen; phosphorus; sulphur; gypsum; micronutrients; extractable iron, aluminium and silicon; saturation extracts; ion-exchange properties; lime requirements; total miscellaneous elements; miscellaneous extractable elements; alkaline earth carbonates and acid sulfate soils. In addition, there are informative Appendices, including information on the accuracy and precision of selected methods.
 This book targets practising analysts, laboratory managers, students, academics, researchers, consultants and advisors involved in the analysis, use and management of soils for fertility assessments, land use surveys, environmental studies and for natural resource management.

Unmanned aerial vehicle canopy reflectance data detects potassium deficiency and green peach aphid susceptibility in canola

“…On these dates, three soil cores of 35 mm diameter and 0.30 m depth were taken and combined to form one bulk soil sample per plot. Soil samples were tested for: Colwell P, Colwell K, Sulphur (KCl 40), organic carbon (Walkley-Black), NO 3 , NH 4 , electrical conductivity (1:5 soil/water), pH (water) and pH (0.01 M CaCl 2 ) using methods described by Rayment and Lyons (2011). Plant tissue samples consisted of 20 randomly selected whole shoot canola plants at 69 DAS (because plants were 5-6 leaf growth stage) and 20 randomly selected ''youngest mature leaves'' per plot 96 and 113 DAS.…”

Phosphorus retention of forested and emergent marsh depressional wetlands in differing land uses in Florida, USA

“…The concentration of PO 4 -P remaining in solution after 17 h was analyzed following U.S. EPA Method 365.3 (U.S Environmental Protection Agency 1979). The amount sorbed versus the amount remaining in solution was used to calculate the descriptive P measures of EPC 0 and PBC following Rayment and Lyons (2011). The S max (P sorption maxima, mg P kg -1 ) was calculated following the nonlinear, least-square fitting spreadsheet Langmuir equation algorithms provided by Bolster and Hornberger (2007).…”

“…For P retention analyses, a subsample was extracted from the preserved and homogenized material and airdried. Following Rayment and Lyons (2011), P retention metrics were determined by diluting laboratory-grade PO 4 -P stock solution to create solutions with initial concentrations of 5, 10, 50, 100, and 150 mg PO 4 -P L -1 . A 5-g dry soil sample was added to 50 mL solution along with approximately 0.10 mL chloroform (CHCl 3 ) to suppress any biological activity.…”

“…Water entering a GIW with P in solution that is below the EPC 0 will cause the release of P bound to wetland soils (see Bhadha et al 2011), whereas water with P in solution[EPC 0 will be sorbed onto available sorption sites until a capacity is reached (Reddy and DeLaune 2008). The slope of the EPC 0 line is described as the P buffering capacity (Rayment and Lyons 2011), a measure of the ability of a soil to effectively sorb additional P. Loading of P into systems may decrease the ability of the wetland to sorb P, resulting in an increase in the EPC 0 . However, the capacity of soils to sorb P is finite and may be measured by fitting an adsorption model using the Langmuir equation to calculate S max , the maximum sorption capacity of the system (Reddy and DeLaune 2008).…”

Phosphorus and nitrogen fertiliser use efficiency of wheat seedlings grown in soils from contrasting tillage systems.

“…Samples were then ground (<2 mm sieve) and analysed for their physiochemical properties. Upper (−30 kPa) and lower (−1500 kPa) water storage limits of the soil was determined by placing soil samples in porcelain plates that were contained in pressure vessels (Klute 1986); Plantavailable P was estimated using the Colwell P method following soil extraction with 0.5 M NaHCO 3 (Colwell 1965) and Diffusive Gradient Thin-films (DGT-P) (Mason et al 2010); Phosphate Buffering Index (PBI) (Rayment and Lyons 2011) and total P in soil through digestion by sulphuric acid (Allen and Jeffery 1990) was also measured. Other soil properties determined included total C and N through combustion (Rayment and Lyons 2011), nitrate and ammonium N by extraction in 2 M KCl (1:10) followed by colorimetric analysis (Searle 1984) and soil pH was measured in 1:5 soil:solution of 0.01 M CaCl 2 (Method 4B2 of Rayment and Lyons 2011).…”