The comparative effects of exchangeable calcium, magnesium, and sodium on some physical properties of red-brown earth subsoils. I. Exchange reactions and water contents for dispersion of Shepparton soil

Abstract

The susceptibility to waterlogging of red-brown earth subsoils is discussed. One of these, Shepparton, has been leached with chloride solutions of given SAR, in the range 0-7, the last solution being 1 mM in calcium or magnesium. The soil was then extracted with neutral lM ammonium chloride and the displaced cations measured. The exchange of sodium for both calcium and magnesium was similar, following the Gapon equation except at very low SAR values. Some potassium and sodium was extracted from calcium and magnesium soils. Shepparton soil of known SAR was remoulded over a range of water contents and synthetic aggregates formed. The percentage of the clay fraction which dispersed from the aggregates was measured. The water content for perceptible dispersion of magnesium soil was only about half that of calcium soil, the water contents being near the 15 bar and 0.1 bar values respectively for unsheared soil. The water content for dispersion decreased sharply with increasing SAR of the soil. Calcium-sodium soil with an ESP of 3.5 dispersed at the same water content as magnesium soil. Possible reasons for the enhanced dispersion of sheared, wet magnesium soil compared with similar calcium soil are discussed.