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Effects of Liming on Soils and Streamwaters in a Deciduous Forest: Comparison of Field Results and Simulations
Author(s) -
Johnson Dale W.,
Swank Wayne T.,
Vose James M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1995.00472425002400060009x
Subject(s) - soil water , cation exchange capacity , chemistry , deciduous , soil horizon , leaching (pedology) , lessivage , robinia , nutrient , soil ph , soil science , environmental chemistry , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , ecology , geology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , biology
Soil and stream chemical responses to liming in a deciduous forest watershed at Coweeta, NC, are compared with simulation results using the Nutrient Cycling Model (NuCM). Field comparisons of limed and unlimed soils after 23 yr indicated substantial net retention of applied Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ in upper soil horizons, even in black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia L.) sites where NO − 3 leaching was elevated. We hypothesized that NuCM simulations would also show that (i) retention of most applied Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ in the upper horizons and (ii) increased Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ retention with increased cation exchange capacity (CEC) and exchangeable H + (simulating pH‐dependent CEC). Both hypotheses were supported by simulation results for Ca 2+ , but not for Mg 2+ . Most applied Mg 2+ in the simulations was retained in the BC horizon, where the largest pool of exchangeable Mg 2+ was initially located. Increasing CEC and exchangeable H + did result in increased retention of applied Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ in surface horizons. However, increasing CEC caused lower Mg 2+ retention in the BC horizon, which offset the surface horizon increases and resulted in lower total retention of applied Mg 2+ . Simulated BC horizon soil solution concentrations mimicked the general patterns in streamwater NO − 3 , Mg 2+ , Na + , Cl − , SO 2− 4 , and K + between 1971 (12 yr after liming) and 1979. NuCM simulations did not, nor was it possible to simulate the observed effects of an insect outbreak on streamwater NO − 3 .