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Effects of potassium carbonate as an alternative de‐icer on ground vegetation and soil
Author(s) -
ERHART E,
HARTL W
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.2000.tb00036.x
Subject(s) - potassium , repens , agronomy , salinity , biology , biomass (ecology) , soil water , carbonate , zoology , chemistry , ecology , organic chemistry
Summary The effects of the new de‐icer potassium carbonate on the growth and species composition of a mixed sward and on the pH and electrical conductivity of the soil were examined in a four‐year field trial and compared with sodium chloride. There were small positive effects of K 2 CO 3 on the biomass yield of the sward at application rates up to 200 g m −2 yr −1 , while effects were less negative than those of NaCl at annual application rates of 200 – 400 g m −2 yr −1 . The species composition of the sward changed considerably with K 2 CO 3 application, Agropyron repens becoming the dominant species. The pH was elevated slightly more by K 2 CO 3 than by NaCl application. Electrical conductivity as an index of soil salinity was increased by both de‐icers. K 2 CO 3 was more adsorbed to soil colloids than NaCl, so that the rise in E.C. resulting from application of the former was restricted to the uppermost 10 cm of soil.